Originally Posted by sbuckaroo

I think this is an excellent point. Indeed since I have only picked up biking two years ago (at age 55), and since I only tried steel, I am totally oblivious to what other frames could ride like. All I know is that (from what I read) that steel bikes absorb road imperfections better and are more resilient. Besides, I have to confess I dig how "clean" those older steel frames look
I usually ride in a trail nearby leading to Washington, DC, and the pavement is not that good. That is why I opted for steel. Would buying a used aluminum bike allow me to get a feel for this kind of frames or would it give a bit of a false feeling? the reason is they probably would be more affordable instead of buying new. I see a few older aluminum bikes on craiglist or facebook market place but as opposed to steel I didn't feel confident figuring out how good they are.