Originally Posted by
mstateglfr
ETA- $1575 is a tough pill to swallow. As each year passes, I find that building up a touring bike is a better deal as it allows you to spec exactly what you want and the cost difference is negligible to non-existent.
https://www.rei.com/product/122462/c...es-adv-11-bike $1300 gets a better crankset, higher level derailleurs, 10sp bar end shifters, HyRD hydraulic brakes, quality wheelset with TA hubs, and racks.
Spot on. $1575 for a bike with an aluminum fork will sell only because it has the Trek name on it, which, for some reason, still convinces people to overspend by $300--$400. One can build up a "classic" (and better) frameset with better modern parts for less. Even a "last year" frameset from any number of companies could be built up better for less than $1575.