Originally Posted by
BigAura
Nice visual! Thanks.
Personally I don't fear carbon, and I do own/ride a carbon bicycle, at times. Maybe you're right in that the duty-cycle of carbon bikes has improved greatly in recent years. As I've said, I'm ready for a functionally equivalent (or better!) touring bike made of carbon. It might be closer than I've been surmising
In my personal opinion, that bike already exists! Most of the current crop of carbon cyclocross bikes are rated for tougher conditions and abuse than a carbon road bike, for example. Thicker layups, stronger transitions between tubes, etc.
Niner makes a carbon "adventure" / CX bike with front rack mounts, and the price isn't egregious:
RLT 9 RDO 2-STAR APEX 1