I find it interesting that all these people who have never ridden a CF frame, have such a strong negative opinion of them. As a shop owner, I ride 'em all - CF, Ti, AL, and Steel, both old and new. My favorite bikes are steel, but not because of the frame material, but because of the bike design. I like big tires, I like fenders, I like having a nice saddlebag or handlebar bag to hold all the stuff I'll need for a ride. Why stuff your jersey pockets full, or worse yet, leave many essentials behind rather than just have the bike carry the load? That one has always mystified me. If there was an affordable, readily available CF bike that would fit the above parameters, I would most likely own one, as I'm sure it could easily trim a couple pounds off my current steel rig.
I guess that would make me a "real Bike rider". I like 'em all. Granted I much prefer the looks of an on-topic Cinelli, Hetchins, or Singer to a modern Trek Madone - but they are all great fun to ride and have their respective strengths which I admire. Bikes are awesome!
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John Wood
Missoula, Montana, USA