my 04 pista now has nothing stock but stem and fork. and soon, those shall be gone as well. i guess what im trying to say is that you arent stuck with what it comes with forever. and it starts off pretty sweet. the only thing i really had to change about it was seat, seatpost, and the chainring. i still feel kinda like a chump buying a bike from a store like that, but ****in-a, man, it was the right price at the right time. i guess if i had more money and the right opportunity, i would have gone a different direction. its all about situation, and if your gut is telling you to get the pista, i say go for it, unless theres something else thats really catching your eye.