Having re-read my post I thought I should qualify my statement: Being a part of the "Steel is Real" crowd is akin to loving Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Heavy Metal music, or Monty Python. You either get it, or you don't... your approval (or lack thereof) has no bearing on my love affair. As for newbies I always suggest they ride as many bikes as possible before laying down the cash. It matters not to me whether that bike is steel, aluminum, carbon, or titanium; what does matter is that they love it. When I suggest a steel-framed bike as an alternative to the bike he or she is considering, I always add a disclaimer saying that my love for steel is personal and warn them with the iconic acronym, YMMV.

For the record, there are more aluminum bikes in my garage than there are steel ones... and one of them has been my ride all this week.