I rode a carbon framed triathlon bike for years and loved it. I also have a carbon mountain bike that rides incredibly well. For the latter, I wasn't looking for carbon but the local shop had an incredible deal and I couldn't pass it up (turns out it was miss-marked, but they honored it anyway). My road bike is titanium and I love the ride and the feeling that it is indestructible. Anyway, I also did a bunch of research on using a carbon mountain bike frame and was convinced that they are essentially just as durable as aluminum bikes. I wasn't willing to pay up for one, but when the deal presented itself, I jumped on it. Not sure if any of that helps...