that ‘dale seems very nice for the cash.
Their CAAD frames are rated as being some of the best alloy frames going & claimed to be better than some carbon ones.
Just looking at the last part of the post, if I go with the build up option. What’s worth spending extra cash on?
Frame is most important thing (of the bike itself) & worth spending money on – anything else can be upgraded over time if you feel the need. No point having nice components hanging off a frame made out of marzipan 🙂
Good wheels make a difference to ride quality, but for any really noticable difference you’d have to start parting with $$
As mentioned, fit is important; moreso than on an MTB as you tend to be in the same position for extended amounts of time. Shops can help a lot here.