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  1. You may want to edit this. I looked up each of these bikes.

    The Brilliant has a frame of 4130 chromoly steel.

    The Priority has a frame of 6061 T6 aluminum.

    Both have the Gates Carbon drivetrain. The only “carbon” on either bike is the drive belt.

    Given that, I do appreciate adding the Brilliant. I like steel bikes and they’re hard to find now that everyone thinks aluminum is the only way to go.

  2. I think you can go even further and say there is a segment of $1K full carbon fiber bikes. These aren’t necessarily for enthusiasts, but Bikes Direct comes to mind. Kestrel in my opinion is great and later models can be had new for $1K or so. I picked up a new 2016 Kestrel RT-1000 for $1000 flat in March and have loved it. I am not sure if I could ever pay more than $1K knowing the deals you can get on Nashbar, Bikes Direct, Jenson depending on sales. Yes buying from a online retailer hurts LBS and you can’t try the bike beforehand but if I can buy a full carbon online for what I would pay for a moderate aluminum bike or buy a titanium bike for what I would pay for a nice carbon bike, sorry I am going online

  3. There are some major innacuracies in this article that stem from long held urban legends and out of date information about carbon that goes back to the early days of using the material in bikes.

    Carbon bikes these days are incredibly strong and are every bit as durable as aluminum and steel frames. Everyday falls and crashes are not necessarily the end of a carbon frame; not anymore likely than any of the other frame materials… Um, my full suspension mountain bike takes scrapes to the frame, regular OTB crashes and impacts from babyhead sized jagged rocks in rugged phoenix arizona trails, without issues.

    Additionally, carbon is VERY repairable – sometimes more cheaply and DIY than steel. Lookup carbon fiber repair – there are numerous reputable companies that have been making cracked and broken frames not only safely ridable again, but stronger than they were from stock.

  4. It is nice to see some carbon fiber bikes for sub $2k prices. I always counted them out of my reach until now. I have always loved riding bikes, but I need help picking out a real nice one to ride. Websites like this make it easier to pick them out. Its nice to see the specs and prices from an expierenced biker all in one place.

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