Originally Posted by
Bacciagalupe
Or, you could just talk yourself out of something you don't need and offers diminishing returns.
How so? I'm sure the graph on diminishing returns will see a line dropping much faster over time on a $1,300 bike than on a custom steel or Ti bike.
I'm pretty sure if I dropped $4000 on a ti bike, and the frame broke or it got stolen, I'd remember that purchase price pretty quickly.
That's a risk we all take with our bikes. I'm sure you'll be equally upset whether it is $1,000 or $5,000 bike.
Plus I can do literally anything on my $1300 steel touring bike that I could do on the $4000 ti bike.
Different strokes for different folks! Sure, either bike can do the same things. Some people will be very much satisfied with the $1,300 touring bike and will never look back. Others will always see such off-the-rack bike as a compromise... yeah, it does the job fine but possibly that person never liked the color(s) the manufacturer chose for it; or s/he puts up with certain components but simply won't upgrade because, again, if "it ain't broke and does the job, don't fix it." Furthermore, a stock frame cannot easily or cost-effectively be upgraded to have certain features: custom material (e.g., rust-proof) and finish, little longer/shorter chainstay, a few more braze-ons or disc brakes, S&S couplers if one wants to travel around the world, etc. That person will undoubtedly prefer and will benefit from having a custom bike with everything s/he always dreamt of having. If that person can afford it and knows s/he will much happier that way, I'd say, go for it!