This is not the first time I have seen a full suspension bike in steel. But for a good perspective on carbon, look up Foes' website and get Brent's opinion. I have owned 2 Foes' for a combined total of 12 years and they were superbly built, dead arrow straight, and all aluminum.
I think a lot of companies are going carbon because the perception is that it is better, and it is easy to sway people to believe it is expensive (thus, charge accordingly) when in fact, once you have the mould set up it is not nearly as involved as they would have you believe. The amount of man hours in welding one of my old Foes' (one of which now hangs up in my shop) is considerable and done by an expert. Real proof of cost. Personally I think a lot of companies are going carbon to not only offer something different (to help sales) but because it is easy to attach a high price to it and say "but it is worth it". I looked at a TOTL Rocky Carbon bike recently and it was $14999\. The parts spec was top notch, but when you do the math on the parts.....I can't see the value.
Jan. 30, 2018, 5 p.m. - Peter Leeds
This is not the first time I have seen a full suspension bike in steel. But for a good perspective on carbon, look up Foes' website and get Brent's opinion. I have owned 2 Foes' for a combined total of 12 years and they were superbly built, dead arrow straight, and all aluminum. I think a lot of companies are going carbon because the perception is that it is better, and it is easy to sway people to believe it is expensive (thus, charge accordingly) when in fact, once you have the mould set up it is not nearly as involved as they would have you believe. The amount of man hours in welding one of my old Foes' (one of which now hangs up in my shop) is considerable and done by an expert. Real proof of cost. Personally I think a lot of companies are going carbon to not only offer something different (to help sales) but because it is easy to attach a high price to it and say "but it is worth it". I looked at a TOTL Rocky Carbon bike recently and it was $14999\. The parts spec was top notch, but when you do the math on the parts.....I can't see the value.