Buy Buy, Baby: A $30,000 Bicycle

According to owner Steve Rex, who sells bikes upwards of $10,000, top-of-the-line customization ensures that you get a perfect fit, and a great design based on your fit and how you use the bike. A fitter will analyze how you pedal, measure your capacity and flexibility, and create the most powerful and aerodynamic cycle they're capable of.

Saunders says he has sold five of his Tier 3 bicycles, which cost as much as $30,000, over the past two years. They are one-of-a-kind machines built to the dimensional requirements of the rider.

"People are incredibly adaptive," says Saunders, "and bikes are usually built with this in mind." The cycling industry, he says, is modeled on the idea that avid cyclists will come back and spend money on accessories, tune-ups, clothing and the like. When you buy a high-end custom bike, though, the philosophy is reversed. You spend money upfront, leading to more enjoyment and time working out. "If you train 500 hours a year over the course of the typical 20-year life span of the bike, you'll learn that it practically costs you nothing," he says.

Divide $30,000 by 20 years, and you get $1,500 a year, or $125 a month. A good gym membership.

Once you come to terms with Saunders' rationale, you'll be flooded with an array of options. First, you'll need to choose a frame. Saunders' top-of-the-line bikes feature Parlee and Serotta frames made from aerospace-grade carbon fiber. The whole bike weighs only 12 pounds, less than Lance Armstrong's Tour de France racer. Stock bikes that cost $1,000 weigh closer to 20 pounds.