Originally Posted by
nathand
How do the aluminum-frame Multitracks (7500/7700) compare with a similar-year steel version? There's a 1999 7500 for sale near me, cheap, built in the USA, in the right size and I like the color, but I haven't seen a lot of love for them the way people love the steel frames (and I do have a steel-frame 730 that I enjoy riding nearly daily for my short commute).
I went through several aluminum-framed hybrids after my steel 1995 Trek 700 was stolen. None were MultiTracks but there was a Gary Fisher Nirvana and a Jamis Citizen among the bikes I acquired and sold. IMHO, aluminum-framed hybrids lack the responsiveness of a steel rigid frame, at least on paved roads. I had zero joy with any of the aluminum frames while riding on streets, and was growing despondent until the joy returned when I picked up an old chromo Giant Rincon. If you plan to ride gravel paths with it, an aluminum frame might be worth a try though.