I agree with a lot that has been said. What I don't much care for are absolutes. Reading the transcript with Sheldon and Petereson makes it seems that they suggest NOBODY except for the pros needs a fast, modern, ultra-light racing bike. Also they clearly feel that retro-style style bikes are necessarily better than new racing bikes because they're lugged steel. Yes, carbon fiber is mostly resin (ie: plastic) but what's wrong with that? It lasts forever and makes a nice, light frame. Plastics made the space program possible. Plastic keeps my leftovers fresh. The wings of fighter planes are glued carbon fiber. Aluminum is nice too. So is Ti and so is steel. Different strokes for different folks. Clearly local bike shops tend to push people to spend more money and many people do end up with a more expensive bike than what they need. This is mostly because people are not well-informed before they go into the store. While I disagree with the way many LBS's do business, I do not blame them - they're in business to make money; monkey see money, monkey take money... The customer does not HAVE TO buy the $5000 Klein. And hey, Sheldon/Grant, that Klein would feel a lot more comfortable if the LBS took the time to really fit the bike to the customer, which most do not do...

So while I do agree that not everyone must have a racing-style bike and wear spandex, many people actually want to ride hard, and race, and train. I do some local races, and ride every day. I ride a either a carbon fiber racing bike or my steel cross bike with the 700x38 tires. In either case I ride in spandex with clipless pedals. This setup is very comfortable and I have ridden more than 120 miles non-stop on both bikes with no comfort issues. This works for me. But clearly, the newbie casual rider would feel more comfortable on the hybrid with fat tires and upright position - at least at first.

And what about those 16 spoke fancy wheels? Well, they're partially right about that. I personally don't use 12/16/20 spoke wheels because I like my wheels to last forever without having to true them every 200 miles. But no, Sheldon, they are not inherently bad. They are expensive. They are not always lighter. And not everyone needs them or wants them. But some people do need them or want them - and are willing to pay the price for them. Plus they've been building them in large numbers for only a few years. The manufacturers may figure out one day how to make them with long-lasting hubs, make them lighter, cheaper, and much stronger. And when that happens they'll be really popular. I support things that makes the bike industry better and more popular. Yes, let's keep the classics going like lugged steel frames and 650bx40 tires for people who like/want/need those kinds of bikes. But for the more-than-casual rider, such as local racers, group riders, and pros, let's push the technological envelope. Let's find a way to make it cheaper, more durable, and lighter all at the same time. There's room for everyone at the dinner table... Retro-grouches, pundits, old-timers, commuters, and techno-weight-weenies.