Well, my decision was easy to make when the guy at the bike shop reminded of one true problem with steel. It rusts. I'm riding in anything and everything, salt/sand, snow, sleet, freezing rain. Anything from short 10 mile hops to 200+ mile one day rides. I know what the underside of my current Cannondale looks like and when he added steel rusting into the equation...it made my decision very simple. I know I don't have the money for Ti or carbon fiber.