Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about working within your budget. For most us, the rider and training is going to make more of a difference than the bike IMO. Keep on enjoying it, and count the number of FS folks you pass.
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This is the only correct answer here.
On a positive note, riding the HT and racing the HT you are going to become much better at line choice and being smooth vs. if you started on a FS. Even small skills like bump jumps over roots and stuff on the HT can set you up great for the time when the FS can fit into your budget.
One cheap’ish upgrade you can look at since you are stuck on the HT for a bit is to possibly getting at least a rear tire insert. The wider the tire you can fit and the lower the psi you can get to without destroying a rim will make your HT much less teeth rattling. The difference in ride quality from lets say like a 29x2.25 tire on a 21-25mm wide rim @ 18psi vs. 29x2.4WT on a 27-30mm wide rim @ 14psi is night and day. With inserts, even better. Inserts are cheap’ish and you can start out with just a rear.
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Like these…https://www.vittoria.com/us/en/bike-accessories/tire-inserts/air-liner-mtb. I plan to get some for my fat bike too!
Brian Matter, (ex)pro and coach, agrees. At a recent camp he discussed how much equipment impacts riding including the benefits of not worn-out tires and inserts.
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I have a really hard time adding a ton of rolling weight to my bike. I landed on these with some success. They’re truly just rim protection though and don’t tune a tire like a full on insert.
Just installed the Vittoria for my Scalpel. Only mistake I made was not lining up one of the holes in the liner with the valve stem, so checking sealant is going to be fun.
Install was mostly simple, but getting the last bit of bead on was a test of time. I sure as heck am not getting a tube in there anytime soon. 
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The Tubolight SL insert is only ~50g and is a really nice insert for shape and volume. Providing the tyre bead security and similar feel to the added ramp up/tyre pressure tuning as a CushCore.
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touche’!
Has your remote arrived? I pulled the trigger (no pun intended) on one for my bike. Unfortunately the Barcentric Dropper Remote wasn’t really a great fit for my set up. Certainly didn’t look or feel as nice as the pictures on the Wofltooth page made it look.
My shipping will be a few weeks though.
Yea I’ve got it. It only arrived the day before my last race so just went with my old setup which was horrible really. It was a PNW Puget. I thought I’d be able to fit this quite neatly with the twin-loc but it wasn’t the case. I’m debating whether to have the joystick on top of the grip or below it. Either way it will be miles better than what I had. Only problem is my cable and outer are too short so will have to internally route another
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I’d love any photos as you play with the set up if you’re able. Sounds like you’re going through similar to me.
That was what I raced with at the weekend. Absolutely terrible, not at all within reaching distance. I had wondered why the shop had put it there but really it was the only place they could put it with the controls as they are.
I’m debating whether to put it here. It means I can leave my controls as they are. The more I think about it though, the less I’m liking it. I think I really want it under the bar and that will mean moving my brake lever in a bit to allow it to fit. Or I may go with sram level ultimate brakes and that should give me the space I need as it doesn’t have the bar brace that shimano does.
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Orbea’s Squidlock may be a good solution for you. I have it on my Oiz & it works very, very well for me. It’s a different application on my bike as both my shock & fork are really only 2 position but have it set up so the first position is both fork & shock wide open, the next is shock locked & third both fork & shock locked.
That bar brace is a real nuisance. That’s been an issue for me too. Does it not fit in the middle there pointing downward below the brake lever?
Do you mind telling me how wide the clamp is on the Yep?
Another new option. Now with 3-pos.
I’m tempted by the idea. Though I get along fine with the TwinLoc lever, I sure like the clean look of the TwistLoc. That combined with the Yep lever would be pretty stealthy (if they fit together).
ETA: I can’t actually see it as available anyway for sale. Please let me know, anyone, if you see it available.
From the article, some big pluses; cheaper, 3-pos option, presumably more reliable with no button release. Potential negative/deal breaker depending on individual preference; both a bit thicker and a bit wider. I haven’t seen a picture of it with Shimano brakes yet.
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This is what I use. So good. You can figure it about a million ways on your bars. I have mine setup above my twin loc. Very natural and easy
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I have not used it myself, but played with it on a couple friends bikes. I know the CB stuff gets some deserved shade, but this is a really clever and effective design that is more adaptable than most.
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I would have had no idea it even existed but my older spark I bought second hand had it and I thought ‘hot damn this is clever’. so when I got my new to me spark, I switched levers to that. Works great, no issues. Not a complaint at Whiskey 50, Gunni Growler, local races etc.
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Do you have it mounted above the bar? Or above the TwinLoc, but below the bar?
Above the bar just over the twin loc at an angle towards my thumb. You can rotate it basically 360* how you want it.
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Nice. Sounds like a good option.
I’m trying to move away from the over the bar thumb/dropper remote. Hence the appeal of the Yep/TwinLoc, Yep/TwistLoc, or even TwistLoc and under bar dropper remote appeal.
It’s cool to see other people finding things that work for them though! Always good to come across more ideas.