How much $ was your bicycle?

[KarefulKactus15]

Just as the title says, what did everyone spend on their bicycle?    I personally don't own one yet, but I've been looking. Any certain brands and styles of bikes that you guys prefer?

[aschmidt2930]

Just as the title says, what did everyone spend on their bicycle?    I personally don't own one yet, but I've been looking. Any certain brands and styles of bikes that you guys prefer?

What kind of distance do you anticipate biking? I bought a trek 7.2 hybrid for about $400, and I've been thrilled with it.  I personally think a little extra money is worth it over your standard mountain bike, there really is a huge difference.

[Jack]

Other than bikes bought for me by my parents, all of my [way too many] bicycles were bought used for $100 or less each.

[Hotstreak]

I have a basic commuter that was $400 brand new.  Upgraded tires to puncture resistant at one point for $45 per tire (I believe).  It's 10+ years old now and still works.  Steel frame so it's pretty heavy.  I don't ride more than 30 miles at a time so the weight is no problem.  I tend to think lighter frames make riding easier, but not necessarily better.  My bike has no suspension.

I would recommend you at least get a mid range bike like mine if you are going to be putting miles on it, so that you get reliable components.  Obviously they are a lot cheaper used.  I like the "commuter" or "city" style because I can sit fairly upright, which feels good on my low back.  It's fine on pavement, or packed gravel/dirt.  Very difficult to turn in loose gravel, bark, or mud, so I end going very slow.  If you spend lots of time off-road it may be worth it to get a full on mountain bike (new starting at $500ish), but the tradeoff is that it's going to be heavier.

[BigHaus89]

My hardtail mountain bike was $550 brand new from REI. I commute to work with it sometimes, but mostly take it up mountains or cruise around town with it.

[cchrissyy]

I have a Specialized Vita Elite, and I definitely took the approach that the cost was spread over a decade of use, and it was worth it to buy something I really liked so I'd get more use out of it. I wasn't going to pay for "fancy" or "likely to be stollen" but I shopped in the $500-800 price range.

[Northwestie]

30 yr old Lotus Excel frame - but completely rebuilt it - originally about $500.

Bianchi - 10 yr old steel frame, carbon forks, Campy components.  Also rebuilt drive train.  $1,200 originally.

Litespeed titanium mountain bike - front shocks, integral rear frame shock.  Free!  Given to me by a friend.

Steel frame single speed - British (can't remember make) - $250 - purchased at charity auction -



-----Really depends on what you want to do - commute on decent roads?  Recreational road riding? On trails/dirt roads sometimes?
Best thing you can do is go try some bikes at a local shop and get a feel for the differences.  You can get a new, pretty decent daily rider for say, $600-$700.   That said - there are always used ones on Craigslist if you are ok about maybe needing to do a bit of work.

[tardis]

I bought a new Avanti bike here in NZ for around $900NZD or about $650USD which was the low end of the price range of the better bikes.  I am living in a rural area so the local used market was useless and I didn't have a car to pick up anything further afield.  I'm happy.  It was my only vehicle for a long time so I ended up biking a minimum of 50km a week, and I wanted something that could do gravel (rural roads) so I was happy to go and pick exactly what fit my requirements.

For the previous 8-sih years I was using a $99 Canadian Tire special mountain bike, mostly to do road riding for exercise or toodling around town or the local preserve trails on the odd weekend.  Honestly, it was fine and very reliable for what I was doing, but the new road bike is more fun, shifts better and is much lighter, which all means I can go further and see more.

[bluecollarmusician]

80's Schwinn bikes make great commuters.  Bought my traveler for $45 with brand new tires....

[LiveLean]

As a 10-year-old in 1980, I wanted a Schwinn Scrambler BMX bike which cost $165, which would be $482 in today's dollars. Parents agreed if I contributed half. I was mowing lawns at that point, but even then scraping up $82.50 was tough.

I locked that bike wherever I went, unlike my two buddies (brothers) whose parents gave them the bikes, which were promptly stolen. Parents bought them new ones. Those kids, spoiled rotten all childhood, never got their acts together from what I understand.

I so valued that Scrambler that I kept it until 1997, my late 20s, long after I outgrew it, figuring I'd give it to my son one day. Ultimately I gave it to a family member.

In high school, I bought a 10-speed bike, paid about $100 at a going-out-of-business sale. This was 1986 or so. I was never a kid who left my bike in the driveway -- not wanting it to get stolen. But I came home one day to see my new 10-speed lying on the driveway mangled. Mom had been out on it, left it in the driveway, and then backed the car over it. She was in a hurry (obviously) so she didn't even stop to survey the damage. She felt bad about it and thankfully there was no frame damage, just the front wheel.

More recently, I was into triathlon for 7 years before I spent big money on a tri bike -- $2,500 on a Cervelo P2. I really hesitated -- it's just a freakin' bike, after all -- and I marvel at triathletes that spend $10K or more.

[deeshen13]

Got a red 1977 schwinn world traveler off of craigslist for 50 bucks. It's a beauty.

[Jeremy E.]

$3,000....
but to be fair, after my last car died, I bought this instead of another car, and no longer own a car, so while a $3,000 bike is still unmustachian.... I'm only deserving of a few face punches.

[frompa]

I paid as much as $2k+ for a few -- my speedy Trek road bike, my CAT trike, my young adult kids' touring bikes -- and, as little as $400 for a used mountain bike, and around $700 for my 20+ year old Cannondale touring bike, this last of which remains my most used bike.  My touring bike taught me the value of a well made bike, and given the life span of these two-wheeled creatures, I think each one is worth every penny.  They are beautiful and practical machines. 

That being said, our local bike co-op refurbishes old bikes, and sells them CHEAP.  Such bargains!  What matters most is that the frame suits the intended purpose, and that they properly fit the rider. Good luck in your search!

[bluecollarmusician]

Got a red 1977 schwinn world traveler off of craigslist for 50 bucks. It's a beauty.

I like this comment.  After thousands of miles, a couple of tires, and a tune up mine is still going strong.

[Knapptyme]

Other than bikes bought for me by my parents, all of my [way too many] bicycles were bought used for $100 or less each.

^This. My craigslist searches usually top out at $100 max. I do upgrade them with better tires, racks, fenders, or whatever I want the bike to be able to handle. Highest value on any bike might reach $160. Like others have said, it depends on your skills working with bikes and intentions for use. Even so, I'd say buy a cheap bike for the interim. See what you like, where you'll ride, then invest in what you really want.

[letired]

mid-80's Lotus Challenger mixte from craigslist - $85 (;_; it was stolen a few years ago)

Similar but less-well-fitting steel frame bike from the 80s from the bike refurb shop: ~$200 (overpriced in retrospect, but it gets the job done)

[beastykato]

I spent ~$450.  I got a Diamondback Overdrive 29er.  I personally think it's crazy what some people spend on bicycles!  I have bought motorcycles for less than some people pay for their bikes. 

That being said I wanted a new bike, I'm sure you could do much better for $500 if you look at some top named refurbished/used bikes.

$500 is my personal limit for a bicycle.  At the end of the day they all have 2 round wheels, just make sure they are decent enough quality that you won't be breaking things or having to adjust gearing constantly.

[HPstache]

Craigslist Specialized rockhopper circa '98.  $150

[kudy]

$600 craigslist road bike - couldn't help myself after riding a $25 bike for > 2 years.

[KarefulKactus15]

Thanks for the perspective!  I do technical maintenance work for a living so I think craigslist would treat me well. 

There is such a wide range in prices for bikes.   I see walmart bikes for 150$, seems like brand name bikes are 400-700$ new   then we start the insanely price 2-10K price segment.


Does quality and reliability scale proportionately with price?  If not, what is the sweet spot for price?   I see Trek 7.2 and 7.3 on craigslist frequently.   I've rode a 7.2 and liked it.

I'm just starting to bike,  I ride local bicycle only trails for leisure, no commuting or road riding at this time.  A guy's adult son that I work with just got killed riding his bike on the road so my whole view of the statistical safety of biking on the road is skewed ATM.   

[RethinkTheRatRace]

Bought my first adult bike a few months ago after finding this forum. Scoured Craigslist and got it for $60. It's a Ross Mt. Rainer (not very popular late 80's mountain bike) with street tires. It worked great as a commuter for a couple weeks and then I got hit by a car. Back to Craigslist, and I searched for "bike" in the yard sale section. Went to a yard sale that had "men's road bike" in the description on Craigslist and it was a beautiful Fetish Cycles road bike with solid components. Tires just needed to be aired up. Offered $100. Guy said he wanted closer to $200, so I gave him my number and told him to call me if he changed his mind. I didn't even make it back home before he called me and gave me a free car rack with it.

Not questioning your commitment to riding a bike, but for myself, I wanted to buy a cheaper bike and be sure that it was a lifestyle choice I was going to stick with before I dropped money on something I ended up never using.

[KarefulKactus15]

Bought my first adult bike a few months ago after finding this forum. Scoured Craigslist and got it for $60. It's a Ross Mt. Rainer (not very popular late 80's mountain bike) with street tires. It worked great as a commuter for a couple weeks and then I got hit by a car. Back to Craigslist, and I searched for "bike" in the yard sale section. Went to a yard sale that had "men's road bike" in the description on Craigslist and it was a beautiful Fetish Cycles road bike with solid components. Tires just needed to be aired up. Offered $100. Guy said he wanted closer to $200, so I gave him my number and told him to call me if he changed his mind. I didn't even make it back home before he called me and gave me a free car rack with it.

Not questioning your commitment to riding a bike, but for myself, I wanted to buy a cheaper bike and be sure that it was a lifestyle choice I was going to stick with before I dropped money on something I ended up never using.

The commitment is very low ATM, thats why I'm wondering how the cheaper bikes perform.   From what I see, A good used bike from yesteryear should serve me well at a low price.

[ketchup]

Trek 7.2 FX on Craigslist for $300 about four years ago.  GF got a Giant something on Craigslist last summer for $50.

[FunkyStickman]

Does quality and reliability scale proportionately with price?  If not, what is the sweet spot for price?   I see Trek 7.2 and 7.3 on craigslist frequently.   I've rode a 7.2 and liked it.

I'm just starting to bike,  I ride local bicycle only trails for leisure, no commuting or road riding at this time.  A guy's adult son that I work with just got killed riding his bike on the road so my whole view of the statistical safety of biking on the road is skewed ATM.

Yes, quality increases up to a point, then it levels off and you get lightweight racer-type stuff. You're going to find decent "lifetime" bikes go for $600 new, and most bikes over $1000 are selling you more than you need.

Another option is to build your own. I built a Surly LHT (a $1400 bike new) by buying the frame, and using used bike parts to finish it out. It's fully decked out and has 5000+ miles on it, and I only put $800 into it.

Pound for pound, though, the best deals are 90's Treks and Peugeots. They're old enough to be pretty cheap (people dump them to upgrade to new carbon racers) and new enough that you can still get modern parts for them.

I just rebuilt an '82 Peugeot, but had to get new cranks, bars, wheels, etc. for it and ended up spending about $600 to completely rebuild it ($300 for the frame/fork/headset/brakes, $300 for wheels, cranks, bars, gears, cables, and odd bits)

[Laserjet3051]

Bought my 2006 Klein Q Pro V road bike new (in 2006) for just under $2000 including taxes. Sweetest Lupine paint job, cable routings inside the tubes, cleanest welds in the industry, make for a beautiful bike that also rides exceptionally well. No regrets at all and 10 years later the bike is still running strong and used frequently.

On the other hand, bought my daughter's uber-classic (90s?) steel framed Terry bike, and near-new hard-tail Trek MTB, each for $100 on Craigslist. Restored the Terry to show-quality, could easily re-sell it at a profit but want to keep my daughter pedaling into the future. Trek MTB is still DH functional, though typically used for less agressive pursuits.

So many great deals on CL if you know how to look.

[big_slacker]

Does quality and reliability scale proportionately with price?  If not, what is the sweet spot for price?   I see Trek 7.2 and 7.3 on craigslist frequently.   I've rode a 7.2 and liked it.

I'm just starting to bike,  I ride local bicycle only trails for leisure, no commuting or road riding at this time.  A guy's adult son that I work with just got killed riding his bike on the road so my whole view of the statistical safety of biking on the road is skewed ATM.

Yes, quality increases up to a point, then it levels off and you get lightweight racer-type stuff. You're going to find decent "lifetime" bikes go for $600 new, and most bikes over $1000 are selling you more than you need.

Another option is to build your own. I built a Surly LHT (a $1400 bike new) by buying the frame, and using used bike parts to finish it out. It's fully decked out and has 5000+ miles on it, and I only put $800 into it.

More than the OP needs, or anyone? I'm no bike snob but if a bike was a major mode of transpo and I'd be using it for years I'd say more like the $1500 range for the sweet sport before you start spending on that last 10%. This will get you a solid bike in whatever frame material you want (I like steel or Ti) with decent components that will last you forever.

Passionate debate can ensue on this comment, I know some here will say you go on CL and buy an 80's 10 speed or an old trek 8 speed MTB and anything other than that is financially wasteful. I'm over 40 and know that diff between climbing a big hill on a pig vs a thoroughbred though. YRMV. :D

To answer the OP:

Commuter/Road/Gravel bike-Motobecane cross titanium: $1650 and a free (but worth $400) wheelset, so just over $2k.
Full Suspension mountain bike-Santa Cruz 5010: $3000 new but spent another $500 in upgrades and another free $400 wheelset. So $3900. Pre MMM but MTB is one of my true passions, I'd have spent this anyway.
Wife's in town bike/My secondary MTB-On One Inbred single speed special edition: Built frame up, I had a wheelset in the garage already, total cost was $600.
My town bike-Free (but worth $285) no name chinese beach cruiser.

[MoneyCat]

My bicycle cost $100 from Walmart.com and then I put it together at home. Five years now and the bike is still going strong.


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[letired]

More than the OP needs, or anyone? I'm no bike snob but if a bike was a major mode of transpo and I'd be using it for years I'd say more like the $1500 range for the sweet sport before you start spending on that last 10%. This will get you a solid bike in whatever frame material you want (I like steel or Ti) with decent components that will last you forever.

Passionate debate can ensue on this comment, I know some here will say you go on CL and buy an 80's 10 speed or an old trek 8 speed MTB and anything other than that is financially wasteful. I'm over 40 and know that diff between climbing a big hill on a pig vs a thoroughbred though. YRMV. :D

I think mileage massively varies on a bunch of factors, and especially if you are new to biking, you have no way of knowing. It really depends on who you are, how well the bike fits, and what you use it for. Personally, I think this means going cheaper is the way to go.

My $85 craigslisted Lotus (12 speed?) from the 80s was my forever bike. I put ~$100 into lights, a basket + bungies for the rack, new tires, new brake pads, etc. I rode it near-daily for 6+ years and it was my primary form of transportation during that time. It fit me really well and was perfect for my 8 mile round trip commute with a bunch of hills. Then it was stolen out of the back yard and I've been sad ever since.

But, for someone doing much longer rides, or trying to carry heavier stuff/groceries, or trying to transport children, or something else that I did not use it for, the Lotus probably would have been massively insufficient.

The replacement for it doesn't fit me as well (still working on adjusting everything), so the ~$200 I spent on it was not a super great use of $$. But the money I put into a sturdy rack + panniers was well (if not efficiently spent) great because it handles my grocery shopping beautifully.

[snogirl]

My bikes now are free from the dump or my friends or bought cheap off CL or yard sales. It's my side gig but really enjoy riding each & every one of them before they get flipped. My current rides were free ...a Raleigh 3 speed tourist & a lawee-designed Univega Arrow  Pace 12 speed. Schwinns are my favorite and currently have 7 in my basement 73 Suburban, 74 Sprint, 77 Continental, a couple of stingrays and a LeTour Tourist with Brumel fenders & 1987 World Sport.
I do have a women's specific Trek tri bike I paid $200 in hopes to flip for $400 plus use a Trek 4500 mountain bike for trails. Its nothing special.

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[ender]

$50 for my commuter.

$700 for my road bike.

[BlueMR2]

My MTB, which is my all weather beater bike was $150.  My good road bike (pre-mustache) which I ride maybe once a year was $4500.  My intermediate road bike which I use on nice days that I'm traveling longer distances (and was my wife's until she gave up riding after a nasty crash) was $1300.

[kendallf]

I think these sort of posts skew to answers from people who've spent on the low end of the scale and then confirmations of that as "all you need."

My answer is it depends.  To the OP, I would lean toward a sub $100 older steel road bike.  At least in my area, these are abundant and can be great for daily riding, commuting, and even things like racing if you stretch it a little.

To answer the question, my main Calfee road bike was a used CL purchase for $900.  I'm currently riding my Surly Straggler up through Michigan on the DALMAC ride; that frame was $500 but travel couplers, generator hub wheels, etc probably have pushed it to around $1500. 

I spend crazy amounts on bikes by mustachian standards but much, much less than my friends because I'm willing to buy used and work on all of my own stuff.

[MrsTuxedocat]

I bought a comfort hybrid bike -- it's a hybrid bike that's super comfy to ride. It was $550 five years ago from a bike shop. I use it for errands, groceries and for fun. I wish my work was closer and I could ride to work.

I would really advise you to get an used bike, because they are many fees that are essential when biking that the bike does NOT come equipped with including: kick stand, water bottle holder, fenders, lights, etc. All of these really add at least $75+ to your purchase price.

[Jeremy E.]

I'm attempting to sell my bike, and afterwards I'm planning on buying this,
http://gosondors.com/sondors-thin-ebike-pre-orders/

[undercover]

$800. A Trek 8.5 DS. It's a hybrid so I can throw some slicks on it for riding around town or put some knobbies on for light mountain biking. Purchased new. Should last me forever :)

It doesn't matter what you spend as long as you use it.

[darkadams00]

Bianchi Volpe (CL) - $300 + $325 fixes/improvements = $625
Surly Crosscheck (CL) - $500 + $200 fixes/improvements = $700
Public C7 (LBS new) = $600
Trek 7.5FX (CL) = $400 + $125 improvements = $525
Motobecane Cafe Noir (CL) = $350 + $125 improvements = $475

So up-front costs are mostly in the $500-$700 range for us. Most of my improvements are related to commuter/utility needs - rear racks, quality platform pedals, Gatorskin tires, seats (missus has a finicky fanny apparently), bells, phone carriers, bottle cages, and bike trailer hitches. I prefer to buy a CL bike in the $300-$500 range and then add on the commuter parts that I prefer. Given that most of these bikes have been ridden 1000s of miles, the buy used, quality bikes and fix/upgrade as needed approach has worked well for us. Much better use of funds than most of the cars I've bought over the last decade or two.

[DollarBill]

$1400 for a Cannondale Delta V 500 but that was back in 1993 and I still beat up the trails today.

[ketchup]

I'm attempting to sell my bike, and afterwards I'm planning on buying this,
http://gosondors.com/sondors-thin-ebike-pre-orders/

Wow, these have gotten better and cheaper since I last looked into them!  It says pedal assist range of 30-50 miles which seems absurdly fantastic; any catch I'm not noticing?

Also, I can't seem to find where it says how they charge; can you take the battery pack off to charge it (to charge it at the office, etc)?

[Jeremy E.]

I'm attempting to sell my bike, and afterwards I'm planning on buying this,
http://gosondors.com/sondors-thin-ebike-pre-orders/

Wow, these have gotten better and cheaper since I last looked into them!  It says pedal assist range of 30-50 miles which seems absurdly fantastic; any catch I'm not noticing?

Also, I can't seem to find where it says how they charge; can you take the battery pack off to charge it (to charge it at the office, etc)?

$200 shipping is a pretty big catch, plus to get the fancy computer it's another $100, I don't think you can take the battery pack off to charge, or at least it would be a big hassle to do so, it just plugs into wall to charge though. This is one of the cheapest ones I've found though, even at $800 after shipping and computer. My boss lets me bring my bike into office and I keep it in my cubicle while I'm at work, maybe you have a cool boss that would do the same?

[Edubb20]

I bought a 7 speed SE commuter new for about 270.00, grabbed a helmet, tire pump and a high quality U-lock and ended up spending close to 370.00. 

I've been riding between 17-34 miles a week for the last month. No major complaints thus far.

[big_slacker]

I'm attempting to sell my bike, and afterwards I'm planning on buying this,
http://gosondors.com/sondors-thin-ebike-pre-orders/

That's pretty damn sweet, if you only go 8-10 miles each way and only one significant hill that would require pedal assist the range wouldn't be an issue. Charge every night and call it good.....

[hankscorpio84]

Paid around $300 for a K2 Alturas hybrid about 10 years ago.  I have used and abused it in every way, shape and form.  I just gave it a new bottom bracket, chain, freewheel, and rear derailleur, probably spent around $100.  Put new wheel bearings in a few years ago.  Should be a good, comfortable ride for another 10 years.

[BTDretire]

This year I bought my first bike in 40 years.
I saw it at a yard sale, a 1996 Trek 820 with a green fade paint job.
The price was $40, so I offered $30 and got it.
I then ordered a wide seat, a sprung seat post, and mirrors.
Nothing was wrong with the seat, I just needed a wide seat for my comfort.
 Worked my way up to several 20 mile rides, then it got hot and I haven't been out.
I'm retiring at the end of the year, so, I hope to ride much more in 2017 and beyonddddd!

[markstache]

• Fuji Gran Tourer SE (~ 1980 or so). Got the frame for free, upgrade the wheels (including a dynamo hub), seat, and brake handles. Probably $300 all told. It helps to build your own wheels.
• Bike Friday Silk (folding bike). At $2500 it was pretty spendy, but I was able to get some overtime that I probably wouldn't have tried for otherwise. Perhaps in 20 years it will pay for itself with respect to saving money on taxis and hotels when I'm at conferences, but until then, I'm glad I get to bring a bike with me.
• Surly Steamroller (single speed). At $500, I got it for a good price, vis-a-vis retail, but it is purely a for fun purchase.
• Bike Friday Haul-A-Day: $1400. It allows my wife to leave the car at home most days while still transporting the kids (5 and 3) along with groceries, etc. Since it adjusts, we can share it (despite an 8" difference in height). Compared to a car, this thing is a steal.
• We have spent about $700 on two kids bikes from Clearly. I'm sure many people would roll their eyes at this, but clearly, we are a cycling family, so having a decent bike for the kids fits with our goals, and I expect to recapture a fair amount of this on resale.
• My wife has a Trek hybrid that cost somewhere around $700, I think. A perfectly nice bike.

Something I like about bikes is the range of types and prices. You can ride a dump find or splurge a little and get something that meets a certain need or aesthetic sense. You can save a little money doing the work yourself or get the benefit of the knowledgeable folks at the local bike shop. Riding improves health, connects you with your surroundings, decreases wear and tear on public resources, and has positive benefits to the environment compared to almost any other mode of transport. So many things to like.

Just remember: keep the rubber side down.

[gooki]

MTB $400
Touring bike $400

Both purchased new.

[frompa]

I chuckle at reading this, because in my cycling crowd I'm definitely a cheapskate, but here I look pretty spendy.  Perspective is always useful.

[FunkyStickman]

More than the OP needs, or anyone? I'm no bike snob but if a bike was a major mode of transpo and I'd be using it for years I'd say more like the $1500 range for the sweet sport before you start spending on that last 10%. This will get you a solid bike in whatever frame material you want (I like steel or Ti) with decent components that will last you forever.

Passionate debate can ensue on this comment, I know some here will say you go on CL and buy an 80's 10 speed or an old trek 8 speed MTB and anything other than that is financially wasteful. I'm over 40 and know that diff between climbing a big hill on a pig vs a thoroughbred though. YRMV. :D

Don't want to start a flame war! :) But your $1500 "sweet spot" is waaaay over my price range.

There is very very little a $1500 bike will offer that a well-built $800 one can't. The main difference would be losing a pound or two, or adding an extra cog in back. I've ridden thoroughbred carbon bikes (a hydraulic disk Ultegra Merckx comes to mind) and it was nice, but not "3X the price of my LHT" nice. Not even close. My LHT was built with Deore and lower parts. It will probably survive the zombie apocalypse.

Case in point: I can buy a Tiagra groupset with 10 speeds for less than half of what an Ultegra setup costs. You know what the functional difference is? An extra cog and 1 pound. That's it.

I've never bought into the hype of buying higher-end groupsets. They're not worth ridiculous amounts of money for the little benefit they offer (in my opinion). Wheels make a pretty big difference, but even then, stick with ordinary aluminum rims for longevity and cost.

I do not, will not, and cannot recommend buying into hype for expensive bike parts. I've ridden them, they're really not that much better than lower-end stuff like Tiagra or Deore. If you'r racing, fine... ride what you can afford. But if you're just riding to go places? I think it's a waste of money.

Bianchi Volpe (CL) - $300 + $325 fixes/improvements = $625
Surly Crosscheck (CL) - $500 + $200 fixes/improvements = $700
Public C7 (LBS new) = $600
Trek 7.5FX (CL) = $400 + $125 improvements = $525
Motobecane Cafe Noir (CL) = $350 + $125 improvements = $475

This is in line with what I've seen with people who build their own bikes. I can't imagine spending much more than this on a build unless I'm going whole-hog on frills, or some expensive piece that isn't really needed.

You can easily build a fast 10-speed-group bike with decent wheels for well under $800, all new. You can usually find last year's groupset at discount, too. It's not that hard. I like old bikes, but the truth is, you can still build a very nice new bike without breaking the bank if you pick the right parts.

If you just want to buy one, straight-up, well... yeah, you'll spend $1500 getting one from a shop that has what you want. Build it yourself and save $700.

[GuitarStv]

My winter bike is an aluminum 2012 Giant Escape.  I bought it used for about 3-400$.  My spring/summer/fall bike was a Nashbar TR-1 steel touring bike, and I bought it new.  After shipping it came to about 800$.  (Both in Canadian dollars.)

[morehipsterthanu]

$2,000 for a 2016 Trek Superfly 7 that I just got.  Yeah, a little pricey I know, but I funded the purchase from selling off other things I didn't need/no longer used.  Also, with the particular bike I bought, the shop threw in free tune ups for life and a lifetime warranty on all parts of the bike except tires and chains which I think is a great deal.  Forks, shifters, derailleurs and other parts tend to break from time to time and if anything breaks or needs to be replaced, I'm covered.

[Apostrophe]

$3,000....
but to be fair, after my last car died, I bought this instead of another car, and no longer own a car, so while a $3,000 bike is still unmustachian.... I'm only deserving of a few face punches.

I have the same bike, and use it for commuting every week. Great bike!

I installed a performance chip in mine, which removes the speed limiter, and have switched out the tires for Schwalbe Big Apples and converted the rims to tubeless. It's an ideal commuting setup, and I generally average around 23-24 mph on my commute.