Originally Posted by
tjspiel
A steel frame doesn't automatically guarantee a better ride. It guarantees that a magnet will stick to your frame and not a lot more.
Well put.
There are wonderful bikes out there made of all frame materials, and there are awful bikes out there of all frame materials. An '80s gaspipe bike won't ride as well as a well-designed aluminum bike, all other things being equal. And all other things are rarely equal.
At the moment, I've got a steel road bike and an aluminum hardtail mountain bike - and I like both of them a lot (that's why I bought them!) My next bike, likely as not, will be either titanium or CF. If you're shopping for a bike, ride a bunch of them (test rides are free, after all), and buy the one you like best that meets all your needs.