Ceramic bearings, carbon this and carbon that, XTR all equals less resistance and less weight which equals less energy output which equals faster lap times.
Most people upgrade as a shortcut to going faster because they don't have the time or motivation to train more or they have goals that require certain equipment. What I've found is this is exactly how an "arms race" occurs.
Imagine two buddies about the same age and same fitness level are at a bar one night drinking beer and eating onion rings. One starts complaining about how fat he is and the other nods in empathy. They both raced BMX as kids and agree that MTB riding would be a good way to get fit, so they each buy a bike and start riding together.
One has $350 bike already and the other comes onto this forum and gets advice and decides to buy an $800 bike. In the beginning, they are both having a blast. Neither of them can make it more than 3 miles without taking a fitness break. They take pictures, go back on the trail in certain sections, try the rock section three or four times before moving along and high five each other when they finish the trail regardless of how long it took to get through.
They are each losing some weight, having fun and not paying much attention to the fact that there is such disparity between their bikes.
Then, they do a group ride. They are with the slow group and this time it's just a little more intense. No stopping, pedal, pedal, pedal. The friend on the $350 bike is puking by mile three. The friend on the $800 bike hangs back with his buddy. He feels fine. Then the fast group laps them. Defeated, humiliated and realizing they are in terrible shape, they both decide to train harder.
The guy with the $350 bike is married and drives an hour each way back and forth to the office. The $800 bike guy is single and works from home. 350G also has a lot of family commitments during the week and MTB is his way to relax, have fun and get away from the wife and kids on Saturday mornings. His calendar doesn't have a lot of openings during the week. 800G goes for a 10 mile road ride everyday after work.
They show up to the trail the next week and the difference in fitness really starts to show. 350G is frustrated, not having fun and over the next couple of months the gap gets worse and worse. 800G is having a great time, 350G is having an awful time. They both agree that 350G's bike is holding him back.
He goes and drops 3k on a lighter, better equipped bike. Now he can keep up with his buddy again. They are having fun together again.
They decide they want to enter an amateur race together in 6 months - just for fun. 3kG with his renewed vigor decides to get up early, ride 10 miles in the mornings and finds a way to put in another 10 each day after work. He's seeing the pounds melting away. His wife wants to bang him more often because he's no longer a fat slob. His confidence goes up. He's got more energy, he's more alert at work. Things are going well for him in a lot of areas. He finishes ahead of his budddy at the race. His life is better ever since he bought that 3k bike.
Then his buddy goes out and drops 4k on a bike ... Wash, rinse and repeat
Most people upgrade as a shortcut to going faster because they don't have the time or motivation to train more or they have goals that require certain equipment. What I've found is this is exactly how an "arms race" occurs.
Imagine two buddies about the same age and same fitness level are at a bar one night drinking beer and eating onion rings. One starts complaining about how fat he is and the other nods in empathy. They both raced BMX as kids and agree that MTB riding would be a good way to get fit, so they each buy a bike and start riding together.
One has $350 bike already and the other comes onto this forum and gets advice and decides to buy an $800 bike. In the beginning, they are both having a blast. Neither of them can make it more than 3 miles without taking a fitness break. They take pictures, go back on the trail in certain sections, try the rock section three or four times before moving along and high five each other when they finish the trail regardless of how long it took to get through.
They are each losing some weight, having fun and not paying much attention to the fact that there is such disparity between their bikes.
Then, they do a group ride. They are with the slow group and this time it's just a little more intense. No stopping, pedal, pedal, pedal. The friend on the $350 bike is puking by mile three. The friend on the $800 bike hangs back with his buddy. He feels fine. Then the fast group laps them. Defeated, humiliated and realizing they are in terrible shape, they both decide to train harder.
The guy with the $350 bike is married and drives an hour each way back and forth to the office. The $800 bike guy is single and works from home. 350G also has a lot of family commitments during the week and MTB is his way to relax, have fun and get away from the wife and kids on Saturday mornings. His calendar doesn't have a lot of openings during the week. 800G goes for a 10 mile road ride everyday after work.
They show up to the trail the next week and the difference in fitness really starts to show. 350G is frustrated, not having fun and over the next couple of months the gap gets worse and worse. 800G is having a great time, 350G is having an awful time. They both agree that 350G's bike is holding him back.
He goes and drops 3k on a lighter, better equipped bike. Now he can keep up with his buddy again. They are having fun together again.
They decide they want to enter an amateur race together in 6 months - just for fun. 3kG with his renewed vigor decides to get up early, ride 10 miles in the mornings and finds a way to put in another 10 each day after work. He's seeing the pounds melting away. His wife wants to bang him more often because he's no longer a fat slob. His confidence goes up. He's got more energy, he's more alert at work. Things are going well for him in a lot of areas. He finishes ahead of his budddy at the race. His life is better ever since he bought that 3k bike.
Then his buddy goes out and drops 4k on a bike ... Wash, rinse and repeat