Actually $1200 today for a touring bike is cheap though you can find the Fuji for about $800 which is as low as your going to find a touring bike. The Trek for $1200 is the best deal out there for a low end touring bike with half way decent components; and if you look around you may be able to find last years model for about $800. Even the Rivendell Atlantis with just frame and fork goes for $1400 thus a complete bike will run about $3000...though this bike would be far better looking and last longer then the Trek or Fuji, which it should since it cost almost 3 times more!