The second comment in this thread caught my eye

I just donated my longtime softride. I admit I finally got too self-conscious at bike transitions amid the "the carbon fiber grass is greener" propaganda. I just did these events for fun but it finally got into my head. I swapped Softride's old base model, Solo (mid but decent components for the day, and <gasp> three chain rings), with a Trek Madone 4.5.

The initial gain was now I had a lighter bike and could throw it on any roof with one arm.

The carbon fiber is more responsive in feeling power immediately in your 'go' - think Buick to a BMW in terms of road response/feel. But now think of Buick compared to Geo Metro in terms of weight, road noise, and feeling _every_single_crack_ in the road, right up my spine and into my ears. I had to peel myself off the squirreley carbon fiber after my first long (for me) ride. My low back hurt that bad. My time slowed proportionately. I could have gone on a diet if it was all about a lighter bike.

I also had to reorient my trust-points with regard to speed and turns. Softride was the Beamer of grippy turns in my opinion. (they probably all stick the same ) Something about gravity and force pushing into a frame that gave was like stretching a rubber band, almost. Body kinetics seemed to transfer into bike response rather than <first impression> throwing a piece of plastic around like a hackey sack between my limbs. There was something solid yet stiff and grounded in the old ride.

<nostalgia>

BUT, I rode that thing for 10+ years. Probably not unlike growing up on a banana seat steel cruiser where the brakes were a safe back-pedal away, and then graduating to a tri pro aero ride where touching the breaks could very well mean being launched!

And maybe I exaggerate a *little* bit

Not gonna lie tho - if I'm ever in the market for a hitch or bike rack, imma get a softride! Bet it's the smoothest hitch in town!


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Ibuprofin, it's the new heroin