Originally Posted by
Andersper
The way I see it, the only real upside to starting out with something dirt cheap and upgrading it is the opportunity to learn some mechanical skills. If you plan to have someone else replace your components, I can't see the why you would want to ride something you weren't happy with in the first place.
It's also hard to tell what you will like and dislike in advance. I'm replacing the handlebars on my Wabi Classic after riding the hell out of it for a month, not because they're broken, but because they're not comfortable for my particular hands on longer rides.
The upgrading process is part of what draws me into this hobby. Like I read elsewhere in these forums, the hobby within the hobby. I don't have all the equipment or knowledge to perform various upgrades but I'm eager to learn :-)
Originally Posted by
bleedingapple
OP, I'd like to know what upgrades you are thinking about. That would settle a lot of things. Steamroller is a pretty nice choice. I've owned 2 surlys and loved the crap out of each of them. I still kinda want a TT just cause they are fun. I finally got myself a Bareknuckle and howtdamn this bad boy is fun.
Honestly, I'm not 100% sure at this point, which makes me lean towards the middle of the road with the Kilo TT. It gives me an option to get started sooner and get my feet wet, so to speak. Then, after having some time with the bike I can see what I might want to upgrade. I'd guess in the long run, spending more up front would save me money. But then again, performing upgrades gives me a lot of opportunities to learn a lot.
I really appreciate everyone's feedback!