No troll here......I'm 55 years old, just started riding a steel entry level bike 7 months ago. Have apx. 2500 miles of riding in and already started thinking (dreaming) of N+1.

Rather then asking a question on carbon frames elsewhere, I really wanted to hear the perspective of the 50+ crowd. People who aren't easily swayed by mass marketing and have been riding for years on every type of bike imaginable.

I do value your opinion and have read every post on this thread, thank you.

New carbon bikes do look attractive, and I could be easily influenced by the latest and greatest, hoping for minor miracles that lead to improved performance. But, are carbon bikes really worth the money? Are cheap carbon frames better then cheap steel or aluminum frames? Is there really any ride differences between frames? Is there any advantage with carbon for non racers, people like me who ride under 20mph?

Also, as a long time fishermen (hence the screen name), I've fished with graphite rods for over 30 years and understand how and why these fragile rods break. I would think problems that affect graphite rods would also effect carbon bikes, where the material doesn't hold up well to direct impacts, even minor ones. These defects usually don't show up right away and are often not visible, but eventually lead to failure. This is why I don't understand the attraction to carbon bikes, especially for people 50+.

While I keep working on the engine, I'm still dreaming about N+1 and what that would be. I'm not ruling out carbon, but I want to understand what the benefits are, if any.