Originally Posted by
TMonk
Venge Expert (I forget the year) - $900-something. Team deal that I bought at cost at end of the season. This was pre-pandemic when there was enough supply for most elite teams to get team issued bikes. I've put another $1500 or so into it (used carbon wheels, narrower carbon bars). The bike is a total POS and rides like crap, but it's fast and holds speed wheel (latex tubes, aero bits all over)
2022 TCR Advanced Pro - $5k or so. Bought the frameset on a labor day deal, and a brand new complete Ultegra Di2 12-sp group from the shop. The other stuff I either already had or was bought used
I also have a track bike, a TT bike and a MTB. So let's just leave this at road
That's awesome! I can totally relate to upgrading with used parts, there is definitely great value in that.
Starting a build from scratch with a nice frame is the way to go, I was trying to do something like that as well with the ALR 5, but ended up getting the whole thing.
5K brand new isn't crazy, especially with Di2 groupset and carbon around the clock. Gotta look amazing.
Would you happen to have a picture by any chance?
Originally Posted by
TMonk
I'm just gonna add a couple of global notes here:
1) No one will argue that 10k (or even 5k) is past the point of diminishing returns for bikes. Peak value is a couple tiers below top component spec, 105 level for Shimano, Rival level for Sram etc
2) Performance is one (of many) reasons to spend money on bicycles
Yeah, I totally agree. No reasonable person would argue that.