The first round for my hardtail upgrades were for contact points: a shorter reach stem, better flat pedals, and adjustable seat height. The second round consisted of just one upgrade, a Rockshox Judy Silver TK air fork. The third and final round was a 1x9 conversion from the stock 3x8 system. I replaced the riveted 3 speed crankset with a repurposed drive side 175mm crank and a 34 tooth narrow-wide chain ring, both of which were leftovers form other projects. Out back, I bought a curated 9 speed conversion kit from JG Bikes via Amazon, consisting of a Sunrace 9 speed 11-40 tooth cassette, Shimano Altus shifter and Altus rear derailleur, along with fasteners and a cable. The installation was quite easy.
Costs and Specifications
Initial purchase: $560.00, local bike shop
Wake aluminum handlebar, 720mm: $28.94 (2020 price), Amazon.com
KS eTen external cable dropper post, 100mm travel: $129.00, Worldwide Cyclery
RockBros resin flat pedals: $34.99, Amazon.com
Wake aluminum stem, 45mm: $9.97, Amazon.com
Rockshox Judy Silver TK 100mm travel air fork: $169.00, Worldwide Cyclery
JG Bikes 9 speed conversion kit: $99.00, Amazon.com
FSA drive side crank and Snail 34 tooth narrow-wide chain ring: $0.00, already owned.
