The gearing trends are just to make it easier - My kids noted something of importance when looking at my 1960s year books - They said hey where are all the fat people - We are heavier as a population now days and so need exotic gears to pull through - The bikes are lighter in weight and have more gears - But the riders themselves are heavy and just not as strong - I can remember as a 20 year old pulling chain in the the low hills of the Dolomites and having very old skinny guys kicking my arse on the climbs - It was not their bikes but they themselves were tougher and stronger - Oddly here I am shaving grams off my bike when I can - But the real killer for me is that 42" waist line - Look I don't know where I am going with this but I agree with you on the "Tall C&V bikes"...