Ultimately, my goal is to justify getting a Mouton. But I believe I can get a road bike replacement for a little bit over $1K. When my body fat is below 9% and I have the fitness level to say "I can't go faster because of my bike", I will get one.

I also believe Bike Fridays are overpriced for me. They might be a good fit at a reasonable price for others, but all I want is a steel frame similar to this image: