Originally Posted by oldwinger14

For 20+ years, one of my passions was teaching people how to drive high performance sports cars on race tracks and road courses. Many of the novice drivers I worked with wanted to either upgrade their existing car with 'go faster' modifications or buy a newer/faster car with hopes & expectations that they would become better & faster drivers. My answer to each and every one of them was....
"Get more seat time in what you have. Chances are excellent that you will never exceed the capabilities of your car. Once you have a clear understanding of the capabilities of your car and, more importantly, your own capabilities, then you should be able to seriously consider what your next step would be."
I think the same thing holds true with bicycles. Buying a newer, more expensive, faster bicycle does not necessarily mean that you will instantly become a better, faster rider. Get lots of time with what you have. By gaining that knowledge and experience, it will make you more capable to make a much more intelligent decision on what your next bicycle will be. Just my .02.....have fun!