In 1985 I could finally afford to buy a decent bike to replace my Schwinn that my parents had bought me when I was 12, I looked in magazines and talked to friends and co-workers (some Campy fans among them) who had nice bikes and took the advice of a co-worker who said to check out the bikes from a shop who sold a number of different brands and would let me test drive them. Further he suggested looking at a bike I never heard of before, ... Trek.

Arriving at the shop and after looking at the bikes I was impressed with the fact that Trek sold a line of bikes which effectively were the same bike except equipped with drive trains from 3 different manufacturers. They sold a model 400 with Shimano, a 410 with Campy, a 500 with Sun Tour, a 510 again with Campy. Before arriving I was really leaning towards Campy equipped bikes because the friends I had talked to left me with the impression this was the best. Until I road the bikes. When the salesman asked me which bike I liked, I said the 510 although I really didn't, I just didn't want to appear to be the newbie that could not appreciate the obvious superiorority of the Campy drive train. But I didn't fool the salesman, he suggested I try another bike, a Trek 600. I was sold, smooth as silk, it was equipped with Shimano 600, which I learned later was a high quality group second only to their Dura Ace. I still own and ride that bike, along with a newer Ultegra STI equipped Trek, and a couple of MTB and a street cruiser for going to the grocery store. One of my Campy friends mentioned how quiet and smooth the 600 was (and still is) I noticed when he bought a new bike a few years later it was Schimano Ultegra equipped. I don't know anyone who rides Campy today, nor have I seen any bikes in a shop equipped with it.eing in yo

One problem I see is that people with a lot of money might be able to buy an expensive bike, but do you really want to own a bike that is far above your ability. People aren't going to be impressed, they'll look at you as a fool, kind of like being in your race gear and being passed by the guy in cut off jeans, a T shirt, and no helmet smoking a cigarette.
you are not going to impress anyone with your bike, oh, they might look at it out of interest, but you will only impress them with your riding.