I certainly have carbon fiber bikes - two of them, and they're great racing bikes that have done well for years. But this one? Last year I went to the local shop ride and rode off the front on this 1972 steel beauty, and wound up talking for almost two hours with the folks afterwards who wanted to know everything about it! Steel isn't out of favor, it's just not what the industry as a whole wants to sell. Technology is available to make great bikes out of many materials, but Carbon Fiber is still cutting edge and is a sure thing profit maker. My Peugeot is much heavier than my carbon fiber bikes, but it's a joy to ride - lively, quick, and in the end, it's what you enjoy.