u/Dull_Function_6510

It is my understanding that the roman elite families carried a lot of weight during the roman period. Various Patrician families were important during the republic and into the empire. In the aftermath of the fall of Rome and the establishment of the barbarian kingdoms were these families eradicated? Did they evolve into the various noble houses of Europe? Did they simply lose their status and become unimportant to history?

I am genuinely curious after what everyday functions and lives of people changed in the decades surrounding both before and after the fall of Rome and how families changed how they operated day to day.

Hey all, I have a road bike already. I think its a Kona Tonk steel road bike. I have been doing a lot of training on spin bikes lately and was interested in getting involved in more competitive cycling, maybe joining a local group. I have been looking at upgrading but just have some questions

Do I need a carbon bike to actually be competitive? Is my current road bike usable if I wanted to ride with a group? I have been looking through facebook marketplace and is there good brands to look for and good ones to avoid? I have been seeing a lot of Treks. If anyone else has any advice please let me know. I do not have a ton of knowledge and am just trying to understand my best options. Thanks all