I see a couple carbon fiber motorbecane'sfor cheaper than the trek:
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...rtalpro_09.htm
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...pro_carbon.htm

Op stated in the beginning that the motobecane is an ultegra/105 mix.


I think there are good bike shops and bad bike shops - and everyone's rosy picture where they buy a bike and have really good results and a happy relationship ever after doesn't always happen. IT didn't the one time i bought a bike at a local bike shop. But I've been lucky enough ever since to be able to do any work I needed or the BF can. So I've bought most of my bikes online ever since, and I'll unapologetically state that I've saved a ton of money. Op probably knows the bike shops around her and can recommend a good one to her friend.

I helped a friend last week - she just bought a new surly LHT from a LBS a couple weeks ago, and while being fit on it she told them that she didn't think she could use the brake levers, it was too long a reach - they said they thought it was fine, and she should ride it a while to try it out. She rode it a while, came back and told them it was too long a reach - they wanted to charge her $70 labor on top of the price of the new levers. So she bought the levers herself and I put them on for her. $70 to change brake levers on a bike that you've bought new from a shop is a bit much.

I will say that possibly local bike shops in the DC area can get away with things like that - because there are still a lot of people in the area who are making reasonable amounts of money and can afford bikes - and realize that they have to spend a lot of money on bikes and their upkeep.