I´m absolutely no expert on the pros and cons of the various types of bikes (steel vs ti vs aluminum vs whatever else is out there), but I decided that when I bought my touring bike that I´d buy ti because of its durability and weight and because I wasn´t planning on buying another bike in this lifetime. I don´t regret it. I went with a basic setup from Habanero cycles (http://www.habcycles.com) and can honestly say that it was one of the best buying decisions I´ve made. The customer service was phenomenal. I had some glitches that were entirely my fault due to ignorance and they walked me through them with undeserved patience. I didn´t know much about touring in general when I made my first trip, but the bike was a star. Now that I´m home, I´m at that point where I actually feel like (insert geek music here) the bike and I are one. Good luck on whatever bike you choose and don´t forget to post pics.