Started on ordinary Aluminium road bike and it rode OK. No harshness and the bike weighed in at 19lbs. However that bike started working once I changed the OM wheels to Handbuilts and lost 1 lb. Next bike was a lightweight Race geometry Aluminium bike with mainly Ultegra and weighed in at just over 15lbs-- That bike worked from wheeling out of the shop and is still my favourite. So when you talk aluminium- it should be qualified with the Build quality of that frame.

Then so impressed with a road bike that worked- I went CF Respectable quality in a TCR-C but not impressed at first. In at 16lbs and the only good point was it went up hills. Took over a year to sort it out and is now my normal ride- but if I am out for a fast ride- a harder ride (Don't do hard nowadays) or just want to enjoy the ride-It is back to the race Geometry Aluminium.

And there is a difference between a light and a heavy bike- If you don't believe it--Try both for a century ride with hills.