Do I live in a different world?

[400bhp]

And, didn't I read somewhere that Specialized lifetime warranty has disappeared on newish purchases?

Also, stuff like "lifetime warranty" is often not worth the paper it is written on. People are arguably paying a premium for such stuff.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

I think you'll find Rose is an established brand.

I never suggested that Rose was not an established cycling brand. I was making reference to brands with an established UK presence

I was stating that when considering the ownership costs of a bike ( not just how much it costs to purchase) that you need to consider hidden costs.. If I break a specialized frame I can take the entire bike to any dealer to inspect.... You can't do that with rose you have to cough up out of your own pocket for the shipping to return the bike from the UK.
Many online bikes from established European manufacturers can offer lower prices as they do not need to provide a support structure, store spares, pay UK business rates and taxes..
Yes they offer great value, but equally so do brands with a presence in the UK if you need that support and security.