Nashbar is doing something right. I've been riding one of their aluminum Frame (accented e) road bikes for years. Nice smooth ride, goes where it's pointed, great durability. I think the ride is so good because the tubing is heavy wall and small diameter. So the frame is heavier than is popular these days, but the thick-wall tubing makes a nice stiff frame and dampens the vibration. I go almost as good on the Frame as I do on the carbon Trek.