Thanks for the info. It seems like most of the sub $600 mountain bikes I see have Acera or Altus rear derailleurs. For example, the Cannondale Trail 29er 7 and 5 have Acera and Altus rear derailleurs respectively. Is the X5 not considered better than either of those? My understanding was that the X5 is SRAM's equivalent to the Deore. Is that incorrect?

Sorry for all the questions. Just trying to figure out what the best buy is. Am I much better off going with this for $150 more? GT Karakoram Comp 29er with Deore/Alivio? GT Karakoram Comp 29er Mountain Bike - 2014 - Mountain Bikes