Speaking of marketing- What I find so interesting is how consumer mags write up bike test reviews. You'll see tow bikes with the same component yet one gets a very positive report to the, say, braking. But the other with the same part gets a poor report. One bike's brakes were called "powerful, solid and well modulating" and the other was "flexi and not inspiring". I've read similar about the handling of bikes.

But it is the job of the marketing depts. to make one believe that there is a large difference between their bike and the other brand's bike. And that this difference will be important and make a difference in your life. So using terms that have no ability to be quantified is the norm. Andy.