This could be a wee bit controversial but anyway....If budget wasn`t the issue,where would most people draw the line at upgrades?FOX or RS,XT,XTR,XO? I`M not comparing manf,against manf,just where do you stop?For the majority of us all that top end gear won`t make us trail gods overnight

What level of kit do you reckon the majority of riders should buy (honestly)regardless of budget to sensibly upgrade their bike without going to extremes?Its so easy to get sucked in to spending way too much with the idea that our riding will be magically improved with all the must have gear.The top/fittest riders are so fortunate in getting to use and abuse all the bling to maximum effect but for joe ordinary it could be an expensive learning curve and a lot of "wish I hadn`t bought that now"moments.

If budget isn't the issue then is there a reason not to use the best?  Are you asking what would be the most suitable kit?.  If so then it really depends on what your riding consists of.

 "What level of kit do you reckon the majority of riders should buy (honestly)regardless of budget to sensibly upgrade their bike without going to extremes?"  Well as XTR is the extreme then I would have to say XT.

Well all the expensive stuff I've bought has been a waste of money,  either of not noticed a difference or I've plain hated using or it's worn out really quicky,  so I stick to cheap end of the scale and they side all seems to work fine as they aren't playing the weight game.

It depends on the individual item it's price relative to the lower end products,  for me LX Mech's,  Sram Attack shifters,  Deore chainsets are a MUST Square Tapered,  X0 Mech's are CRAP and just a waste of money,  I went RS for the forks but money no object I'd of likely went Fox,  which is best ?? dunno my RS's are perfect though,  took alot of setting up Fox single air woulda been easier!!

Budget is always the issue,  but if I was a millionaire I honestly believe except for maybe the forks I'd be riding the same bike with the same setup.

 Its the rider not the bike!!!!!!

I stop at XT. I really don't think I'll benefit from the extra that the really high end stuff offers and its a lot cheaper. I can still feel I've got the best - the sensible best that is.

Because in every hobby you've got the best you'll ever really need, and then the absurb money level above that. Great if money is no object, but for most of us thats not the case. I could afford XTR etc, but then I couldn't also go on holiday, or afford a new pc etc. You have to stop somewhere - and XT is a good point. 

Hmm, interesting really. I chose Fox forks because I think they offer the best performance  / weight for my sort of riding.

However, I rarely stick anything above LX level on my drivetrain as I know that regardless of price it'll get bent, broken or bashed clean off on a pointy rock!

Snob value is a huge factor too; point in case with my new Hayes Strokers. They're not flashy, have a er.... 'agricultural' sort of image yet out perform many more 'bling' brands at half the price.

I agree with Dylan in that some top end kit is just too damn flimsy for the sort of riding I do.

Also bare in mind there will also be some skinny 12 yr old on a knackered £200 Saracen who will whip your @rse, flying past you in the air at 6 feet, tail whip and then whiz back up the hill and do it again (in my experience anyway!). 

I'm not 12!

Got to hate 12year olds.

XT to XTR price jumps up stupidly for no real benefit anyone could notice unless your already winning or nearly winning races.

I'd be scared stiff to ride my bike with that kinda expensive gear on it.

XT and LX do for me, I do think that one day though when I splash out on a dream bike I would bling it up with XTR (currently the Cove Hummer). I still actually think the old XTR (and XT for that matter) looks better than the new stuff too.

Each to his own though if you can afford it why not, personally I've never been one for destroying gear even though I've ridden all over the UK, so I would have no problem buying XTR or whatever. Though you can guarantee that after saying that, the second I put XTR or similar on, it would get trashed......

XTR shifters & mechs have performed better and longer on those bikes I have had them on. Subtle touches like 2 way shifting & multiple changes really do make a world of difference once you get used to them.

Then again, I really like dual controls with a rapid rise mech

Other stuff varies.  I've got Fox Forks on one bike & RS on another and whilst there is a performance difference it's nowt like the £300 price difference. When the Fox wear out (and they will) I'll probably go for RS again simply because the value for money is unbeatable.

Another bit of so-called 'bling' is tha Chris King headset. I've been through a few headsets over the years but the CK ones have never let me down.  There is one in a frame I sold to a mate that has been in 4 frames in the last 9 years & still feels like new despite being ridden in all weathers, with minimal (if any) maintenance and is currently on a 30 mile daily commute. IME they just outlast everything & do  not deteriorate in performance.  Is that really bling or good value, hard wearing, high performance engineering?

Then there's Thomson...... 

Headset wise,  FSA XL2's last for ever for me for £20 can't see a reason to spend more, £7 to replace a bearing if need but haven't had to yet and only the lower 1 goes generally anyway,  same bearings in use for 4years here with zero maintenance and haven't had to remove play in atleast a year.

Tommorows job is sorting my bike out,  too much mud,  front and rear pads destroyed by the mud in no time to

Thomson seatposts aren't really super high-end. There are many seatposts far more expensive than them, they just aren't as good.

Thats kind of the point - as daftpunk says even XTR isn't really the top of the tree. Custom stuff is stupid expensive.

As for the Chris King bit - I've found my Hope headset flawless for the last 5 years. Since it costs half the price of a Chris King I'd be happy with that already but it shows no signs of letting up yet. Chris Kings are good, really good, but headsets at half the price are better than half as good.  

I don't just buy bikes/bike parts to ride; I buy them to look at too.

In terms of function, almost every "high end" component I've bought has out performed it's cheaper alternative to the extent that I wouldn't now want to downgrade......until that is, you hit the mud! then it almost makes no difference, so long as it holds together. 

Of course individual components have foibles specific to them that I may or may not like. I run an LX front mech one bike and hate it, because it picks up stones really easily and jams up, leaving me unable to shift. This has never happened with my XTR. 

I would also add that at an amateur/enthusiast level new and shiny makes you quicker. Fact.  

I agree that all top end stuff i've bought has outperformed and out lasted the lower end stuff.

As for drivetrain my shifters and derailliers are all XT where as i only use Deore chains and cassette's as i'm not too bothered about the weight difference and i feel that lifetime is pretty similar. 

There is a lot of inverse snobbery about top end gear in MTBing, I suspect it is mainly down to the green eyed monster. I wonder if the same is true of other sports, do table tennis players sneer at other players bats?

IMO you can't beat quality, I don't think anyone would say you have wasted money on thompson seatposts/stems and easton handlebars. XTR is better than XT is better than LX, XT is probably the best compromise for quality and price for most of us, its what I have. As bits break I will probably replace them with XTR if I have the money at the time, if not I will stick to XT, which is perfectly good its just that XTR is better.