Originally Posted by
lmcq784
It's an all-carbon bike... of course they'll cost a bit more, even just for the frame... And the SRAM Rival group is on par with Shimano 105... so it's not a bad group. $3k is a little steep, but there is a big jump from aluminum frame to carbon frame. Like others mentioned... people who want a fast(er) road bike who aren't used to a drop bar are probably running out of options, and willing to pay a premium.
Another factor is demographics. I've been noticing more of these kinds of bikes showing up on my club rides. Many more bike enthusiasts nowadays with discretionary income are the aging "baby boomers" who may no longer want to lean over so much when they ride or are less comfortable doing so, but still want a fast road bike.
As someone like myself who is approaching the big "five-oh", bikes like these make more and more sense. Recently I switched from a drop bar to a to a moustache-type bar and riser stem on my 'cross bike.