Shokhead - Steel bikes are more comfortable due to the material used. It is more compliant and provides better damping to vibration. Like steel used in certain other applications, it just happens to have the right "mix" of properties to provide a superior ride. The cheap items you list are the same cheap items they would throw in on any less expensive bike. Have to pull the cost out somewhere and these are easy items to do it with. As far as geometry goes, unless you are talking compact frames, the geometry between titanium and steel, for instance, is remarkably the same. I haven't compared to aluminum and graphite so don't know about them. But longer wheelbase and chainstays will result in a nicer ride, regardless of the material. Can't comment on the headtube, but a shorter seat-tube would be stiffer and give a less comfy ride. That is one reason why 51 cm frames and smaller are so stiff.