Originally Posted by Happy Feet

I dunno.
I am a year round commuter, long distance tourer and basic all around bike guy and I don't always think those things are better solutions (even though I use a mix of them for various applications). I would say most people don't even know different and are attracted to new tech for a bike they ride a handful of weekends in the summer and are completely dependent on the lbs for guidance and servicing. Most wouldn't know how to adjust indexed shifters or disc brakes and have bikes so expensive they dare not try anyway. While clipless is great for longer rides they require two shoes for local commuting etc unless you want to walk around in cleats which some places don't even allow in the door... Not everything new is better all the time.

I think Grant gets it that for a certain class of people what is needed is not a CF go fast tech advanced bike but rather a simple, dependable, reliable, understandable machine. I get that too as I regularly rebuild bikes and enjoy something I can completely strip and assemble/service myself. From an aesthetic perspective I also like the classic look.

One can suggest Riv owners are posers but from what I see on the weekend scene that also extends to a lot of new road bike owners as well - most of whom do not look remotely fit enough to need the advanced technology they are riding.