I see more steel bikes than I can count that have been ridden hard for generations. So far I have not seen any carbon bikes that I can say that about.

I have broken steel and aluminum frames, cheap ones and expensive ones, either by riding or being hit. I have been hit three times on steel frame bicycles, one was a head on collision with a jeep at 25mph. Each time was on a different bike, of the three bikes only one broke and it was a very tiny crack in the seat cluster.

Then there is this blog.

http://www.bustedcarbon.com/

Though it may happen, I don't believe we will see very many carbon bikes graduate to C$V.

My personal experience trumps statistics, charts and sales hype. At least in my mind. I have ridden carbon, steel, ti and aluminum. As long as it's my money being spent there is only steel. Of course if everyone is drooling over carbon, it makes more steel more attainable for me and I have to love that.