The bike has the perfect balance of weight and handeling versus the Rocky and The Specialized. It may be a little too flexy which would result in future cracking, but C-Dale offers a lifetime frame warranty. I would definately reccomend this bike to the person who wants a super light quick handeling XC bike. It's a little short along the top which makes for a compact fit. Awesome paint scheme.
Nothing needs to be upgraded.
For the price, it doesn't come with bar ends or pedals, but I guess those are real personal choices. Specialized M2, Klein Attitude, GT Zaskar. I pinched the Mosquitos on my first ride. The bike works great and does what you want it to. So far, no mechanical problems with any of the components or the frame.