If steel is real, then what is carbon fiber?
I've been looking to upgrade my AL bike to something more comfortable for long rides. I've been looking at all steel bikes around the $1500 to $2000 range (not that many). The trend seems to be to combine carbon with aluminum or steel to produce a better ride. Last I heard, an all carbon bike could be made stiff enough to rattle your teeth loose, known for it's stiffness to weight ratio. Has that changed? Does this carbon bonding to metal really smooth out the ride? How does it compare to all steel?