I believe I am that "someone." My reasons or needs for a bike might be somewhat different from yours, so I am not the final answer to the steel vs. aluminum dilemma. I buy bikes based on longevity-or length of time I actually own/use the bike, rather than lightness or intense interest on features each model provides. Steel frames are a proven metal for long term use under somewhat harsh conditions at times. I gave away a steel frame bike from the 1960s recently. I never seen a aluminum frame one from that period-or dated a few years later. Granted that aluminum processing has improved by leaps and bounds. But steel is still a more proven one. So I choose steel whenever I can. Plus I can "Cold Set" the frame when necessary-which is something you cannot do with aluminum-for now or in the future upgrades or parts replacement. For more information on this topic:

http://www.brompton.co.uk/uploads/ow...l_june2007.pdf On Page 27-Aluminum Components section

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

From Brompton Bicycle Official Website FAQs page:

http://www.brompton.co.uk/content.asp?p=14&l=1

Why do your bikes have a steel frame?

Steel is actually coming back into favour with many quality bicycle manufacturers; for all the perceived advantages of other materials, steel continues to offer an often-unbeatable combination of rigidity, strength, versatility and longevity.

Carbon fibre and other composite materials have a role to play in creating top-end racing bikes, but such materials lack the robustness to withstand the rigours of Brompton daily use. While cutting the weight of our bikes down is important to us, it can not come at the expense of durability.

Many manufacturers use aluminium in their frames but we currently do not. While it is lighter than steel, aluminium is also much less stiff and the frame of an aluminium Brompton would have to be considerably thicker than our current steel frame - the weight saving at present would be marginal and the folded package bigger than our current configuration.

I look for quality and potential long term life of a given product (in this case bikes) over frivolous and short term usage. I look for dependable service rather than recreation since I could be (and has) used bikes in the very early morning for emergency rides. I depend on bikes to get around in a hostile area. While I know nothing is 100%, I have never been let down by a good steel frame bike. And in the world of folding bicycles, Dahons and Bromptons never let me down. And I still have a wonderful comfortable ride whenever I take one of them out (I own both brands).

See my links to my photos etc. below: