Originally Posted by leonardotmnt
It all depends on whether you think shifting a little faster is worth $2,400 though. To many people it's really not. Or if you think it's worth buying a better derailleur which certainly isn't the cost of a new bike.
The derailleur was just one example. I agree that to many people the extra cash isn't worth it, or doesn't exist anyway. I am only trying to say that, in general, higher end parts perform better and last longer. Justifying a $400 bike is fine, but you can't say it is the same quality as a $1000 bike. I've owned a cheap mtn bike, and I have never regretted moving on to a better bike.