Hey there Brundle_Fly,

Purchasing any decent road bike these days, should be considered as a major investment. Most race-ready carbon fiber road bikes are very expensive. If you plan on ever joining a road bike club, or perhaps participating in races, then a carbon fiber road bike just might be exactly what you'll need to suit your purposes. That's only due to the fact that carbon fiber bikes are light in mass, and tend to be more easily accelerated. Carbon fiber framed bikes when constructed properly are very strong and durable. As a matter of fact, some have been tested and found to be stronger than steel with an even longer fatigue life.

The only problem that I can see with carbon fiber, is that it tends to be stronger and more impact-resistant in some areas, more so than others. You might race your carbon framed road bike all day over questionable terrain, and the next day do a club century. However after the century, you return home, set your bike against a fence, the wind blows it down, and you find that your bike now has a crack in the top tube. To this extent, I find carbon fiber bikes kinda quirky. OTOH, there are several MTB companies who are making DH racing MTN bikes. For a carbon fiber MTB to be accelerating over roots, rocks, and crevices in a DH racing situation, leaves little room for quirky tendencies.

That said, I still feel that there are essentially three pet peeves about carbon fiber. They are as follows:
1) Questionable Impact-resistance
2) Loss of frame integrity due to scratches, gouges, or abrasions
3) Damage to CF frames, due to extended exposure to uv radiation ( direct sunlight)

IMHO, if you're NOT going to join a road bike club and particpate in road races, then an aluminum, chromoly steel, or titanium road bike, might perhaps render you longer and less worrisome service.

Of course, if money is no option, then it doesn't matter anyway. You can just as easily replace or repair your carbon fiber road bike, as often as needed. IMO a carbon fiber road bike, might last you twenty years or twenty weeks. Neither period of service time should surprise you.

- Slim