Oh, and on the subject of pedals, I've got a set of Diamondback Bigfoot platform alloys that I'm pretty pleased with. On the cheap too, about $20 on Amazon

Well, that's about what I thought... I was able to rob some good metal pedals and a saddle I like off of my redline bike though.:) total cost: 0

THAT's what we like ;)

I'm wondering if I should switch to a 9 speed setup when mine wears out (its almost gone), or if I should stick with 8 speed. Can I buy a 9 speed chain for my 8 speed cassette? I'm also having some trouble with chain slip under pressure... any suggestions?

So basically this is where I sit now... I fixed the chain slip problem by cleaning and adjusting the rear derailleur. I currently have about an $80 budget for improvements. Any suggestions? I thought about getting some ergon, esi, or odi grips.

For $50 you can snag a Deore Shadow M592 rear derailleur. Fantastic piece of equipment, highly recommended. Much more precise. You'd need new shift triggers to go with it since it is direct connect, meaning no barrel adjuster on the derailleur itself. Then, you can replace everything else in the drivetrain one by one as your budget allows

Does anyone have any opinions on cheaper suspension seatposts like the sette that's around $20 from pricepoint? Also, is a 540 mm bar going to be wide enough for my bike (lots of single track riding)?