+3

I have an entry level bike and am outgrowing it, but now I know what I want in a high-end bike and I'm in a more comfortable frame of mind to shell out k's of $$$$.

Plus, I've learned to ride on lower end components, so I can appreciate the better ones; I've fallen/crashed and banged up my frame and not fretted about it; I learned a lot on it (still am learning). Overall, an entry level bike was a good ROI for me.

Good luck!