Is it just me, or is it kind of getting beyond out of control!!! We all have the choice obviously of what you want to ride, and how much of your pay cheque you throw at your bike.. I admit Ive thrown more than my fair share and assume alot of others here have as well...

My point of all this goes to the fact that Id *LIKE* to have Record EPS... I also like my Cannondale... unfortuneatly, my 2010 Liquigas SuperSix HiMod is not internally routed so it kinda knocks having EPS out of the game, unless I get a new frameset... well I really like the Cannondale Supersix EVO.. great they make a Di2 version... sorry you can't get that as a frameset.. you need to buy the entire bike!!! I know I'm picking on one particular model here... but its turning into you can't just "do this and that" anymore.. you need specifics now....

Sooooo anyone wanna buy a brand new Di2 group

New technology will always cost more initially. I think that's justified. By how much more, that's the question.

However i've noticed a cost escalation in the 'base' prices of fairly standard items. Maybe it's because cycling is the new golf? All those rich old dudes desperate to buy status objects and create the illusion of youth and vigour...

Marketing men are cynical, plenty of old rich dudes are gullible and desperate. That equals higher prices.

There will always be a way around it though, you just have to look harder/further and not be obsessed with brands and the latest 'must haves'.

I like the golf analogy as I golf as well.. the good thing with golf is you can buy the absolute best equipment and have your bag done for about $2300 cdn dollars.... that won't even buy you a frame/fork these days (Depending on what your looking for)

Example Competitive Cyclist - I roughly calculated a Dogma 2 with Super Record EPS, Bora wheels, and an SRM crank was pushing OVER $20000!!!!! THAT is insanely out of control!!

What about country club fees or greens fees, gold carts/rentals etc?

$2300 on clubs doesn't actually get you on the course.

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Neither does entering a race... I can get a green fee at a nice course here for the same as an entry fee for a race here in some cases...

$20k is pretty extreme, and given it's a Pinarello it is in fact a rip-off.

Canyon do an Ultimate SLX with full 7900 (save for a Fulcrum crank - no great compromise) for £2450. Switch to something like FFWD wheels and you have a genuine pro peleton level bike for £3k.

Right but to go for a ride, it doesn't cost you an entry fee. to play a round of golf tourney or not, has a fee involved. Last time I rode up to Lockport it didn't cost me a dime..

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I was actually considering starting a similar topic along these lines.

As with all things, the people who actually buy these expensive items are partially to blame. Nobody's being forced to pay these extortionate prices, they do it willingly. Probably the same reason people buy Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis etc.

Buy yourself a $1.5k road bike add another $500 for a used Powertap, train your ass off and your bike won't make jack sh*t of a difference

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Do you suffer more when you train, or cannot train?

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Actually a ride through Winnipeg will cost you more than a dime.. it generally costs you your wheels, your back, your wrists LOL
Remember those aren't potholes out there... those are craters....

Costs have escalated, theres no doubt in my mind about that. But..you dont have to have the latest and greatest to enjoy our sport. Its as expensive as you want it to be. If you think you need those Campy Bora's to keep up with your chums then cool. But you dont have to have them. I recently bought a 10 year old Prinicipia alu frame, built it up with some 7800 dura ace. Its one of the best funnest race bikes I've ridden. The frame cost me £180 and the parts came off my old Colnago C40. I have as much fun on that as my mate on his Dogma with super Record.

And one huge difference compared to golf, I cant go play Augusta National but anyone can experience riding up Alpe d'Huez.

I guess it's a choice. I would rather spend on bikes than cigs and booze (or boats, or snowmobiles, etc.). Also, the proportion of such expenditures as a percentage of total disposable income are not the same for everyone.

I was pleasantly surprised by my cousin who started cycling about 6 months ago. At the foot of an alpine climb he picked up the 8kg Pinarello I sold him and compared it with my 6kg Parlee which probably cost 5x more and said "well yours is a bit lighter, but it makes no difference really".

I was going to let him try mine for part of the climb, but after that decided not to in case he changed his mind.

The price of anything is relative to what you are willing to pay or what it's worth to you.
The 8kg bike, or the 7kg or the 6kg usually don't matter for the most part. You will still beat your buddies if you are in better shape. The bike can be a one time cost and it will return a lifetime of good physical activity and enjoyment taking you to different places where cars sometimes can't go.
Golf clubs? not so much

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IMHO, cycling is probably more affordable than ever these days. Yes, the top of the line equipment is extremely expensive, but the gap between a $6000 frame and a $400 open mold frame from ebay is pretty damn small. Component groups, like Rival, Chorus/Athena, and 105, offer exactly the same functionality as Red/Super Record/DuraAce, for a lot less money. Same goes for wheels; the technology to make a relatively light weight and truly aero carbon wheelset has become very cheap if you buy from a smaller company as opposed to Zipp, Reynolds, etc.

There are several bikes on this forum that are sub 6.8 kilo while costing less than $2000.

I theorize that the top end stuff may be getting more expensive because companies have realized that people are willing to pay for the exclusivity of the "best of the best", rather than being content with a bike that doesn't have the same social cache but performs just as well. There will always be people out there that cannot stand having less than the newest, "bestest" equipment

Cycling has actually gotten cheaper in Australia, mostly due to our strong exchange rate.

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