Does my bum look big in this?

Being a cyclist we are often forced to face our limitations in the public arena.

All that tight lycra doesn't leave a whole lot to the imagination. So some of us over compensate by riding $10,000 bikes or by wearing $500 carbon soled Italian machine crafted plastic shoes.

I mean its amazing if you managed to take an objective step back from time to time and take a reality check. I mean carbon is the 6th most abundant element in the galaxy (see table below) coming in just after oxygen and general stupidity so how come it costs so much? (hmm maybe the answer is in the question)
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carbon is the 6th most abundant element in the galaxy
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So ask your self in normal life would you pay $500 for a pair of "crocs" just cause they glued some old vinyl 45's to the bottom so you can't walk properly in them? So why is it we can't wait to do it when they print DMT on the side (I have to admit to having a pair of these BTW)


Anyway the over abundance of stupidity in our galaxy might explain it, along with how companies have now managed to find away to sell carbon wheels to us for $4000, that'll disintegrate shortly after they roll over the slightest pothole or stone, and are only covered under warranty if you weigh less than 101lbs, don't race on them and have never removed them from their original packaging.
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Ten most common elements in our galaxy by mass, estimated spectroscopically^[5]

Z	Element	Parts per million
1	Hydrogen	739,000
2	Oxygen	240,000
8	Stupidity	10,400
6	Carbon	4,600
10	Neon	1,340
26	Iron	1,090
7	Nitrogen	960
14	Silicon	650
12	Magnesium	580
16	Sulfur	440

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Its a Topsy turvy world in cycling. Where lighter and more fragile is the coolest, but its generally only affordable by ageing, over weight, middle aged business men (of European descent) with erectile dysfunction issues from riding on carbon Fiz'ik saddles for hours

No wonder we are all suffering from feelings of inadequacy.