I bought my first bike last year, it was a Trek 2.1 road bike. The LBS worked with me some. They gave me a 10% discount on the retail price and I paid cash. It also came with a free total bike fitting. I would think they have some room to work with you, although it may not be much.
Also, Trek will run specials every now and then, where they may offer a % off. Sometimes it varies by bike though.
If you’re looking for a good investment you’re in the wrong sport…buy gold instead.
And depending on the level of equipment you purchase, a couple thousand dollars is the norm to spend on this sport. I can promise you that I have more than made up in savings what I’ve spent on beer for my LBS, I know how much they paid for my SWorks Transition and I know how much they made off me for that transaction.
It’s like having a friend thats a bartender… your tab may be $20 at the end of the night but you’re still going to tip like crazy, it’s almost break even.
Like everything in life, it’s all about relationships.
Concerning the gold comment. Hmm … if you read my comments closely I don’t think you or I have any disagreements.
Concerning the spending couple thousands PER YEAR (which is what was in my comments) on equimpment is the norm … hmm maybe on slowtwich but not in the normal world. So in order for me to get a lower discount, I have to first spend a couple of thousands PER YEAR and then take time out of my life to take my LBS manger/owner/worker on a date and pay for his tab? Again, wouldn’t a hooker be easier and cheaper ? 
The Hooker…
Easier - Yes
Cheaper - Depends on whether you marry her or not.
Yea, I cant say that I would recommend trying to get a deal on the SC right now. There are currently only 200 available to distributors. I work for a distributor and we cant even get as many as we would like.
As they are saying it will be difficult to get much of a deal on those bikes, this time of year. Where you might get something is trying to get a discount on accessories or a fitting.
the way I look at it is like this…Im spending the money already, whether I do it at a place where I have a relationship with someone or not, but for the price of two 12 packs of Hoegaarden throughout the year and an hour of my time on a friday night after work I’ve managed to save myself a SUBSTANTIAL amount of money and made some friends along the way. I don’t get a deep discount on things at my LBS because of the beer, it’s because of the *relationship. *We talk shop, discuss technology, training, even occasionally ride together.
“Dig your well before you’re thirsty” as they say. It never hurts to have friends. But that’s just the philosophy of a guy that gets his bike stuff much cheaper than you 
isnt the p4 having a design change? it was proven less aero then the p3. Id wait if your set on a p4. Trek has tested there SC with and without people on it and the numbers show its the most aero bike to date.
Even trek’s aero data show that the P4 is much faster at all but the higher yaw angles (beyond 15 deg). The faster rider would usually face lower yaw angles, so wouldn’t trek’s data ‘prove’ that the P4 is a faster bike than the p3?
… in any case, the trek has got a winner in the SC. I imagine that the demand will be high enough that retailers won’t feel the need to entertain negotiations (at least initially).
agreed. I.m gonna buy the bike stuff if it costs me 2200 or 1600 in the case of a mt bike discount I got this year. Now I’ve never asked for a discount or haggled over the price but I get a reduced rate because it just makes good business sense to keep my money in their store. Plus these are the people I race and ride with their is a friend aspect.
And in all honesty the sport can be as exepensive or a cheap as you want it to be but the more you spend and take part in the community the more likely it is that you will get an item under msrp.
If your some random dude buying a 300 hybrid, don’t expect to pay less than retail though.