cyccommute 

So rather then look at this in a logical manner, you're just going to stick with your original (erroneous) premise that Trek is trying to rip you off? Let's look at the Trek line, shall we? The Sawyer ($1540) says, quite clearly, that has a frame that is made of Platinum Series chrome molybdenum steel. It also says that the Lane ($1210) is made of Platinum Series steel. The 520 ($1480) is listed as made of "butted chromoly" but not of Platinum Series. The Belleview ($740) says that it's made of CrMo steel but doesn't list it as 'Platinum Series' steel. The Atwood ($490), the 700 ($380), and the 820 ($370) all are listed as being made simply of "steel".

Now I can see the Sawyer costing more than the Lane or the 520 because there's more work and materials involved in making the frame. But are you really going to argue that Trek is trying to pass off a $1200 bike that is made of the same steel as their bikes that are around $400? The parts on the $400 bikes aren't that bad nor are the parts on the Lane that good to make up an $800 difference in parts. If the Lane were as much of a pig as you think it is, the lipstick on it would have to be of a much higher quality. People who shell out $1200 for a bike aren't that stupid!

On the other hand, if the frame material on the $1200 Lane is the same as the $400 bikes, why isn't Trek ballyhooing those frames as being made of "Platinum Series" steel? They are in the business of selling bicycles and part of selling bicycles, as in selling steaks, is selling the sizzle.

Then there is the usage of terms. The term "Hiten" or "high ten" or "high tensile strength" when applied to steel is mostly meaningless. Those terms were used back in the bike boom era of the late 70's and early 80's as a marketing term to differentiate low strength steels that had been used to construct bicycles from better quality steels that were being used on more expensive bikes. Although Helmart wasn't the force then it is today, Sears, Penney's, Wards, Western Automotive, and a whole host of other places were selling 'bicycles' which were every bit as BSOs as today's BSO offerings from Helmart. What the metallurgy of the steel was...or is...is mostly unknown without some fairly sophisticated materials analysis. However, all of those terms refer to a steel that has a higher tensile strength than weaker steel alloys used for frames of old (and of cheap bikes now). By definition, a iron product that has chromium and molybdenum added to it is a "high tensile strength" steel.

As with most conspiracy theories, you've taken a little kernel of misinformation, fertilized it with a modicum of misunderstanding and watered it with a vast quantity indignance and now have a giant beanstalk of outrage. Chop down the beanstalk with the sharp edge of logic and go about your merry way.