Originally Posted by
NMBuff
The best upgrade you can do is to save your money for a better bike and find a good bike mechanic that can finely tune your current bike. Most bike shops don't tend to employ good mechanics in my experience and finding a good shop with good mechanics will pay off in the future for when you do get a nicer bike.
I'll respectfully disagree, mainly because you don't have to be a genius to be a passable bike mechanic Where the "genius" part comes in is knowing everything about old bikes and how to repair them with nonexistent parts, assembling bombproof wheels, designing and welding frames etc.
These days, with a small handful of tools, working on a bike is almost easier than setting the time on your VCR. If something minor happens on a ride, you're not going to be SOL while waiting to have someone else turn a couple screws. Adjusting an otherwise operational drivetrain is easier than people think.