This.
I bought a Chinese bike with Shimano 105 shifters/crank/cassette/derailer/crank for $950 and it's a good bike, but part of me wishes I held out for a CAAD10 with Dura-Ace because it's a timeless design/American classic and shifting is a significantly better. However, I must give my bike credit because it's been fantastic for it's 2000 miles and I have zero complaints.

You absolutely do not want a bike with Sora shifting, SRAM Rival or Shimano 105 at the least. The thumb shifters are awful and the cables flopping around in your face are annoying.

If you're not ready to sink $1k into a bike, get something used of Craigslist until you are so over-powered that you submit and buy a nicer bike.