Originally Posted by
jade408
Is it just me, or has with bike industry gone a little too far on the carbon fiber hype cycle. So first off, I am biased against carbon fiber bikes because I think they look kinda weird. And I have no speed aspirations, or race aspirations so it is way outside what I need or want.
But the biggest issue I have at the moment is that bike consumers have been brainwashed into thinking the carbon is the best thing since sliced bread for every bike purpose.
"Hi, I am choosing between 2 commuter bikes. One feels really great and holds all my stuff, but it is steel. The other bike is 2X more, doesn't hold my stuff, and doesn't fit. The carbon bike is nicer so I should get it right? I can compromise on the fit so I can get carbon? Carbon rules!"
Or of course the carbon fiber bottle cages for crusing around town - gotta save 10 grams, even though a full water bottle will outweigh any of those gram savings.
Is there a carbon fiber bell yet? Because if you bike doesn't have 100% carbon components, it sucks.
Is anyone else over the carbon fiber hype machine?
Over the top emotional ranting. Its natural since cycling and c&v is a passion, so its an emotional response to an emotionally appealing activity.
While its a natural response, it can also be suppressed and easily recognized as overly biased.
Who cares if someone buys components based on weight and offsets that with water?...really not sure what thats even supposed to show since, you know, water is required regardless of how much a bike weighs.
Friends at work have bought carbon fiber disc brake bikes in the last 8 months and neither of them need the bikes. They like riding, want something that looks current and works well, so they bought carbon disc road bikes. One is even di2! eek the horror! I can ride faster than them, longer than them, and ride more often than them, but none of those things is important here. They like what they bought and who am I to judge that? The bikes get them out riding and that is whats important.