I've yet to ride a carbon fiber bike - and God knows I've tried a few - that offered the superior ride quality of my early 1980s Columbus SL frame Ciocc San Cristobal. The carbon fiber bikes I've tried were certainly very light (thanks mostly to all the carbon fiber goodies hung on them) but felt like dead plastic and were downright harsh on our washboard south Louisiana roads. The lightest carbon fiber frames reportedly offer an eye-popping two-pound weight savings over my Columbus SL frame. Not being an elite pro cyclist riding in Le Tour de France, I think I'll gladly take the extra two pounds - and the durability and comfort - of a quality lightweight steel frame over carbon fiber.