Originally Posted by
spare_wheel
I'd skip the alu and just go carbon.
You can buy Taiwanese carbon frames on ebay for $300. Nashbar and Bikesdirect also sell Taiwanese carbon frames for $500-600 (with a warranty). Nashbar also sells $200 alu-carbon frames.
http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...82_-1___202337
I have a bike built up around this frame and its lighter and more responsive than the older carbon frames I have from orbea and trek.
In the end, I probably agree w/ spare_wheel. Unless the aluminum frame/fork combo is highly engineered (i.e. Cannondale, Klein, or custom/small batch build), I don't love aluminum frames on road bikes. Too stiff, unforgiving, no panache.
In road frames, in general, I have a preference for CF or Ti (find an older litespeed frame/fork ?) or high end steel, even if older (pinarello, bianchi, peugot, etc).
My $.02.