I have been competing in road races and tris for a couple of years. Now I am ready to make a serious investment by purchasing a new bike. If I am going to spend a $1000 on a bike I want to get the best deal I can. Is the price of a new road bike negotiable or can you get the dealer to throw in some upgrades or extra parts?

$1000 is almost bargain basement in the racing/tri world of bicycles. For a bike it is midrange, but the racing/tri market bikes start closer to twice that, though you can race pretty well on bikes in the $1k to 1.5k range. Bike shops have sales on at intervals and the sale prices can be pretty attractive IF they have what you want/need on sale. Trek 5200 knocked down from 2700 to 2000 for example. They may only have two of these, and neither will be your size or color. Sometimes they are amenable to ordering one at the sale price, if you are aware of such. So you have to haunt premises, be aware of the store cycles. For example bike stores are gearing up for xmas now and sometime soon most will have a 'sale' which will be known to those who use the store but if you never go or buy there you will be unaware of such and not be on their email or post mail lists. LBS determine their selling price and people who are customers tend to be appreciated, but bike companies also have rules about how their products can be sold so this limits the LBS freedom of pricing. The LBS also has to stay in business, and compared to Performance is a low volume high cost operation whose wholesale cost may be more than Performance retail price at any given time. Trek, Cannondale, and many other smaller bike manufacturers strongly discourage mail order sales which is why most mailorder companies have a very limited selection of bikes in their catalogs. So you can expect some considerations or extras, but wholesale changes or benefits, no. Typical would be any stem change out needed to fit the bike, saddle swap on a close $ for $ basis, pedals ditto, tires ditto, perhaps a cheap computer and or
water bottle/cages/ under seat bag, $off on Camelback, helmet, shoes, jersey, shorts etc etc. But don't expect considerations to be much more than 5%, they just can't afford it. Their gross margin is only a few hundred out of which expenses have to be paid. Now if you want that high zoot Trek 5900 or Litespeed Ghisalo with 10spd N Record gruppo and Ti Speedplay pedals at about $6k..... Steve

Thanks for the input. What you said makes sense. I realize my price range is on the low end but I can't afford nor see myself paying that much for something without a motor. I actually have a schwinn worldsport from the 80s that serves me fine but my wife has been borrowing it. In order for us to enter the same races we need another bike. We do it just to stay in shape and finish. I was looking at a 2001 allez vita spec -reg. $1300 now $999. Already a good deal but was trying to educate myself more before I spent the money.
They offered lifetime service and all I pay for is parts.

Owen, I dont have much to add on top of what sch already has. What I do recommend is what you've already found out. Buy a left over model. You should get between 25 and 30% off any old model. If they will not deal go somewhere else.

I got them to lower my $2500 + tax bike to $2200 out the door. Ask if they can do any better on the price. Say you saw it another shop for less but don't tell them the price. See what they say. Doesn't hurt to ask! I know on my bike another shop said how low they could really go but the shop I made the purchase at beat it without knowing the other offer I had.