At 170 pounds, I need all the help I can get...
Anyone have problems with Mavic Ksyrium?
...even if it is Italian.
"This summer, I helped a friend shop for a boat; he ended up with a 22 ft. or so Boston Whaler (to the tune of $74k). I also helped my mother shop for a car; she opted for the BMW X5 (the ""sport package"" + GPS added some $6k).
So do I feel bad about fondling $4-6k bikes, with plans to get one some time this year? Nope. As long as it gets ridden a lot, I think it's worth every penny. The last UberBike I bought was my '88 steel Spectrum, and it has nearly 40,000 miles on it and still going strong."
Yes, but let's take a look at your uberbike and compare:
You probably went to Kellogg, probably brought your previous bike along. He measured your body, looked at your position on your old bike, took some measurements there, and talked to you about what you'd like to keep and what you wanna change.
Next, based on the kind of riding you told him you like to do, he selected a tubeset, or most likely a mix of tubing, to provide the ride you want. Geometry? Custom, just for you. Finish? Take your pick, any color(s), any scheme you want. Special fittings, braze-ons, etc? Sure, just ask.
Then, he probably spent the better part of a week constructing your frame, mitering and prepping the tubes, filing and sanding the lugs just so, and skillfully brazing it all up so it's built strong and dead-on straight.
For that you pay a premium, and rightfully so. The man's a Master, and deserves to be compensated for all the hours of effort and decades of expertise that went into your frame.
Now, compare this to an off-the-rack Cannondale that gets TIG'ed up in an hour and a half, if that. Flat black? Love it or leave it. Size? Hey, we got XS-S-M-L-XL, take your pick. Custom options? Maybe the dealer will let you swap tires, or bar tape.
So, how can C'dale justify a price tag similar to Kellog's? Ask the guys in the Marketing division...