Off topic: What kinds of things do people do improperly? (wondering if I can learn something here) (I already know I shouldn't be shifting under load, but sometimes it happens ... )
I mean, I can't use my bike to its potential. I know that. Every bike I've ever owned could be ridden much harder by a better rider. But I can tell when the shifting works better. I can tell you that a 1x drivetrain has made shifting a lot less annoying, more reliable, and I don't have to worry about chain slap. And the ridic expensive Eagle allowed me to get the 1x, because the granny gear is pretty much the same as my old bike. While I'll never use my bike to its full potential, my bike is still the one whose behavior on trails I liked best. I mentioned the drive train. Dropper posts are expensive, and I'm not great about using them, but with my old QR setup I never dropped at all because I'm a total princess about having my seat height exactly right, and it was too annoying to deal with on the ride. I sprang for a ratchet upgrade because, yes, I noticed the difference. Etc etc.
So, while I can't use my bike to its full potential, I still am aware that many of its expensive features - down to the frame itself - improve my riding experience. I guess I'm confused. I see "Can you use the bike to its full potential?" as a question unrelated to "Can you tell the difference when you spring for higher end frames/components?" And to me, the latter seems more relevant.
Are you just saying "Yes, but you don't *need* it" in a different way?
