Actually, my favorite color is blue, but turquoise is pretty close

That GT was aluminum. I actually wanted the steel version of the same frame (some type of Reynolds I think, and lighter than the aluminum) but the retail was over $800 (I think $600-700 for aluminum) and I got the aluminum one on clearance for $150.

I only own two bikes now - the Tsunami and the Specialized. Despite my love for them, I only see the need for one bike for each purpose at a time. The highest number of bikes ever in my possession was 4:
- Road bike
- Track bike
- Mountain bike
- Downhill mountain bike
At that time, my brother owned 3 bikes, my dad 2, and my mom 2. We had quite a stable!

Nothing wrong with Bikesdirect bikes, especially if you are competent enough to assemble and maintain them yourself. I disagree with their business model and advertising tactics, but there's nothing immoral or illegal about them.

I suppose I'd have to favor titanium for road bikes. It's reasonably light, has a great ride quality, and doesn't rust. I have come to realize, however, that there's more to a bike's characteristics than the material. The quality of that material, the quality of assembly, and the quality of design are all major contributors.