Originally Posted by
shoota
It's all about the model. The STs are very nice riding bikes. The SRs are miserable. I've had both and can verify that claim 100%.
Yes, short-wheelbase racing bikes, whether steel or aluminum, can feel miserable, especially if you're looking for a sport-tourer-like ride.
If you can find one, try riding a Rigi some time. They weren't kidding when they came up with that name. They built sub-track-bike-wheelbase steel bikes with a split seat tube so that the rear wheel could poke through. Those were truly miserable, beyond even the steel '80s-era Italian criterium bikes and the Cannondale crit series bikes.
My hardest-riding bike ever was a Columbus SL/SP Bianchi Specialissima Supercorsa. My aluminum bikes, most of which have wheelbases around a cm longer than the Bianchi's, feel smooth compared to that bike.