I just got back from a Backroads trip in Ireland, 6 days of riding on a new, titainium framed, carbon fiber forked "modern" roadbike. It was fine: the indexed, brake lever shifting certainly (my bike evolution never advanced beyond 70s Nuovo Record, and those are still the bikes I ride) made shifts mindless. Otherwise, I never really felt the thing fit properly, even though I was constantly making adjustments. And the ride quality was about on par with an old balloon tire bike, though lighter of course. Certainly not the materials, perhaps the design? Maybe its just too many years on classic bikes; I rode my 84 Cinelli both days this weekend and man, what a bike! It just feels right, though I admit I've had 25 years to perfect it!

My feelings are that steel roadbikes were pretty sophisticated for what they were; as designs have changed, I'm not sure they're perfected yet. I really dislike the mountain bike influences that have entered road bike design, which seem to make them cluncky over sleek.

But just get out and ride, it doesn't matter what; for me, if it was good enough for Eddy...