I would suggest getting the recreational bike with the best frame and geometry, then wear the components out with time and replace them with LX or better,.... or if you're impatient like me, swap the parts out when you buy the bike, or hawk them on ebay. One last thing, if the mountain bike is going to be used a lot for touring and road riding, it is often suggested you buy one size larger than normal for the longer effective top tube and slightly less upright position, mind you this varies a great deal by model.