We are all easily swayed by marketing. That is what it is designed to do and many times older people are easily manipulated by scams and to good to be true offers. This is especially true for financial products that offer high yields but also very high risks.

Fortunately, major bicycle companies provide credible information on their web sites and many shops offer test rides. I find that selection gets down to budget and price. And CF is not always the most expensive as can be seen in Ti bikes from Seven and steel bikes from Serotta.

Cevelo has some very good technical information on its web site showing the effect of weight and aerodynamics on frame design. And HED has excellent tools on its web site to compare and contrast wheels. Consumers have a lot of tools on the web to compare different value propositions to match against the needs.

I have a new 2012 Cervelo R5 that has the CF technology from the California Project. The frame is 880 gm for a 58 cm frame and extremely stiff which yielded a sub 15 pound bike. In general, I would only recommend this bike for advanced riders. At slow speeds it produces a harsher ride. But at higher speeds it is very stable and handles rough pavement well. I love the fact that the frame does not deflect on the first pedal stroke of an acceleration which is one of the most important pedal strokes when one is trying to create a gap from the rider behind. So not all stiff frames light weight bikes are good for all conditions. That is why we have N and it is large.

If anyone questions CF strength, then do not fly on airplanes - especially, modern later model commercial airliners.