I raced in college the same time as the OP (we might have raced each other, for that matter), but I had the opposite problem with trends: I liked everything about bikes and thought it would all catch on and last forever. Neon fade paint? Awesome, dude. Weird handlebars? Got your Scotts right here. Painted drivetrain components? Ooh, Sante! When SIS and Synchro came out, I thought there could never be anything better than gear selectors that CLICKED! I was, apparently, an idiot. And still am.