It depends on what you mean by performance. By going high end over mid range my road bike has electronic shifting, weighs 3 or 4 lbs or so less, has deep aero wheels with smooth and quick tires, and rides just like I want it. Plus I enjoy seeing it and riding it. It's the same with cars, watches, household furnishes, and so one. What we need for satisfactory functionality versus what we want can be substantially different. I've got an SUV that I use to transport my dog and carry things. It's functional. But it has a top spped of 176 and handles like a quick sports car. I rarely use it to its potential but I enjoy it.