as far as going faster is concerned. unless you're on the very very top echelon of competitive riders, chances are you won't get any advantage at all with respect to that. i used to ride a cf frame and it was a bit harsh, especially on less than ideal roads. when i made the switch to ti, i noticed the difference IMMEDIATELY. I've ridden (more than 500 miles) aluminum, cf, and ti. my personal preference is in ti. extremely comfortable ride, without hindering my ability to go fast or for looooooong periods of time.