Originally Posted by
zymphad
It's interesting to see that the new innovations have made bikes more uncomfortable. Aero and tube shaping requires the carbon to be more rigid and stiff. Hydraulic brakes forced wheels and hubs to be reinforced with more spokes to withstand force on rotors. Forks are more reinforced on both sides to make them even to address again, the force on the disc brakes. All these things have made the modern bike less comfortable than a vintage steel. It's interesting to see how cycling is going backwards and yet marketed so well as positives. People should ask more why 23mm on steel is more comfortable than 30mm on latest carbon.
And yeah I too have a latest carbon, but I think my road next year will lead back to steel as well, because I'm not as interested in super stiff rigid aero bike with super stiff fork and more rigid wheels.
Maybe you just bought the wrong model bike for your needs. My CF endurance bike is very comfortable and pretty fast. It’s semi-aero and not mega-stiff. Carbon bars and seatpost are far more comfortable than their alloy equivalents. Hope your next bike works better for you, but what it’s made out of is only part of the story.