In the interests of clarity: I'm not necessarily saying "steel is bad" or "don't buy steel." I'm saying there is no reason other than aesthetics to
restrict your choice of frame materials to steel.
Originally Posted by
Bob Ross
I don't see any particular reason not to go with steel these days, other than lemming-like adherence to trends.
Steel road bikes aren't as common, so you have fewer opportunities to test ride.
Restricting yourself to steel reduces your options. (Though that may not necessarily be a bad thing.)
In the case of the Masi vs most aluminum road bikes: Lower cost for equal functionality.
I've used a wide variety of bikes, and currently own both steel and aluminum. I really don't see any difference between the two based on just the frame material.