I tend to buy late model used or a discontinued model at a discount as a starting point and go from there.
Bike below was purchased 2 weeks old from a fool in Utah who bought the wrong bike while in Omaha on business(in 2006). The dealer wouldn't and/or couldn't take it back after the guy rode it for a couple weeks.
I forced the guy to give me the dealers name and I convinced the dealer in Omaha to transfer the warranty to me as original purchaser (Trek has a lifetime warranty on plastic bike frames) and I would rid him of this annoying, unhappy customer who was calling him every day to complain about the bike.
He gladly agreed.
That said, 10+ years later NOTHING on the bike is original. Not even the seat post clamp. Originally a Madone 5.2 Ultegra 6600 it's now DuraAce 7800T (triple) currently running wheels (not pictured here) off of a Madone 6.9 with ceramic bearings added.
Rides like a dream, max investment (mostly used parts for upgrades purchased from people I know who have TOO MANY BIKES and WAY to many parts), maybe $3500 tops. Rides like a dream, usually about 75-100 miles a week on average(25 mi. today). The triple crank and upward pointing stem are a sign that the rider is in his seventh decade on this earth.
That said, I'm looking around now for a good, used Cerv
