seems most the options for frames on the cheap are all alum. Nashbar has a cyclocross frame pretty inexpensive of their own and a redline one as well, both are alum however. I buy alot of stuff from nashbar though and have always done pretty well price wise, they frequently have a good discount coupon code floating about. For a steel bike the Double cross is pretty hard to beat ,I debated getting one, more for a commuter. Surly crosscheck is an option I guess about the same price wise. Voodoo wazoo is nice looking rig that's steel might find an 08 on closeout soon perhaps.