I purchased a Giant OCR C3 carbon bike in March of this year. Riding the bike is a dream.
My old bike is a 1986 vintage Guerciotti SL/Dura Ace bike. Over the weekend I rode my old bike just so I could feel the difference between the two. Although it rode like a finely tuned, precision timepiece, it really gave my body a pounding. It transmitted every little bump in the road directly into my body. Also the riding position was too extreme for an "alte kahker."
The only other bike that I considered, before buying the Giant, was a Specialized Roubaix. They are both excellent bikes and very age appropriate.
Friday of this week I will be upgrading this bike to Dura Ace (using components that I purchased at very attractive prices on ebay.)
How did I convince myself that it was worth spending the $$$ on a carbon bike. I used the same "logic" that my girlfriend in high school used when she would try to convince herself that she was still a virgin