prj71

No doubt we are being gouged by the bike industry but you can get a decent road bike for less than $5k.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...rCode=grey_red

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...olorCode=white

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...?colorCode=red

SoSmellyAir

Yes, all decent bikes, but not really an upgrade to my current bike.

livedarklions

Define "can get." When I check my size on all three of those,I get a "not available" message .

pgjackson

I haven't noticed any significant increase in prices. There is a general lack of availability, but prices are about the same that I remember.
However, I have noticed that Tiagra groupsets are pretty common on $1000+ bikes. You used to only find those on entry level bikes under around $400. The 105 was the standard for anything approaching $1000.

JimInPT

Oops; I misheard that one - all these years I've been tipping the veal and trying the waitresses. Glad I got that sorted.

dkatz1

I'm 70. I thought I wasn ancient (or at least getting there), but NOT average.

Flip Flop Rider

you missed a few chain lube threads

writespeak

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm in a similar situation except that it's been closer to 15 years for me. I used to be active in the local bike club, doing both road rides and off-road rides. I've since moved to another country and been busy with another life, but I brought all 3 of my bikes with me.

If I were to go on rides with the local bike club on my bikes that I bought around 20 years ago, would I stand out right away, or would people have to look more closely to see how old the bikes are? I would dust them off, of course.

PeteHski

Interesting question. I think a lot depends on what kind of club it is. But you will see a LOT more carbon frames and wheels than you ever did 20 years ago. But you will also still see plenty of steel, alloy and titanium bikes too. I don’t think you will stand out like someone would on a Penny Farthing! Your tyres will look very skinny though.

pgjackson

The three big things that I see that have changed are:

1. Hydraulic brakes. Used to only see those on cyclocross bikes.
2. Slightly wider tires. 28mm instead of 23mm seems to be the norm.
3. Improved tire technology (more puncture resistant). Don't really need to put tire liners in any more.

Honorable mention: Tiagra groupo on expensive bikes. 105 used to be the standard for anything over about $500. Tiagra was for entry level bikes. Now they come standard on a lot of $1000+ bikes.

Me2gingko

Wald baskets are back...

prj71

Best to check with LBS.

I ordered a Domane SL5 in April and it arrived in two weeks.

I was just at two different Trek Bike stores over the weekend. Both had stock of Domane, Emonda, and some mountain bikes in varying sizes and colors.

livedarklions

Good to know.

SoSmellyAir

I saw the same at my local Trek store. I am not interested in a Trek road bike but my wild guess is that Trek has the best logistics and so its bikes are getting restocked faster (at least at its own brand stores).

Camilo

I think my 2021 ETap will be obsolete sooner than my stuff from 10 to 25 years old, unfortunately.

Jax Rhapsody

Shimano probably redid the pecking order again.

Jax Rhapsody

I think the Evergiven has a small hand to play, too. Last I heard it was pretty much impounded where it ran aground, and it's big enough to block the canal.

Jax Rhapsody

Yeah, yeah, I'm usually on top of that.

pgjackson

I can't fathom spending $1000+ on a bike with Tiagra. Sounds like manufacturers counting on consumers who don't know what their buying. Or, maybe there is a shortage of 105 parts so they are dipping in to the Tiagra line to fill the void.

livedarklions

Jeez, I think it's been very common for Tiagra bikes to be priced over $1000 for several years now. And frankly, I think it's quite reasonable for someone knowledgeable to decide that Tiagra is good enough. I find the differences between 105 and Tiagra pretty marginal, outside of the number of gears, the functionality is about the same. I also think it's a clear step up from Sora, and much better than Claris, and not just in terms of numbers of gears.

badger1

ikr! The joys of teh Biek Forms. Just for a larf, spent 3.5 seconds sniffing around Giant's U.S. archive. Furthest back I could get was 2013: a Tiagra Defy that year listed at -- wait for it -- 1075 U.S. $915 got one a Sora bike. Also found that a 2012 Trek 1.5 w/Tiagra listed at 1209 U.S.

Perhaps somewhere in the antedeluvian murk a new bike with full 105 listed for $500 U.S., but I'm not about to start looking.

livedarklions

I'm thinking someone who hasn't looked at Tiagra since you could find it on a $400 bike (when the hell was that?) probably doesn't realize how much better today's Tiagra is than that era's.

OTOH, maybe OP has gotten Tiagra confused with Claris or Tourney. My impression is that for a fairly long time, Tourney is on the $400 bikes, Claris is on the $800 bikes, Sora is on the $1000 bikes, and Tiagra starts at about $1200. A little more gets you 105, then a really big jump to Ultegra. Whether those numbers will be about right after the shortage is over is anybody's guess.

pgjackson

My first bike was a 2010 $300 Fuji Newest. It had Soro. Sold it after a few months and got a 2010 Felt Something. Paid like $500 and it came with 105s. It was stolen a couple of month after I bought it. Took the insurance money and got a new Giant Defy for around $700. It also came with 105s. A year later I bought the Rossetti for $1500 (without wheels). It has SRAM Rival. Guess I'm say that about 10 years ago the 105 was pretty standard on anything over about $500.

livedarklions

I'm going to be that guy and say either your memory is faulty or you paid well below msrp on the Trek. Here's the 2010 Trek 3 with Sora, sticker price $750: https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/...spx?item=19426

​​​​​​Here's the 2010 Defy 2 with Tiagra, $1000: https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/...spx?item=19426

2010 Giant Defy Alliance with Tiagra, $1400: https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/...spx?item=19423

There really should have been a bike called the "Felt Something" .

guachi

Was this at a Trek corporate branded store? The ones I've seen have been far better stocked than non-corporate stores, which have mostly been barren when I've gone in.