i hear you, but i actually broke one of those a few years back that i was spring training on. a bianchi, so not crap. always break them on the seat tube right above the bottom bracket.

prefer aluminum though. twitchier, more responsive, crisper cornering, feel the road better, and also these days cheaper than, or at least comparable to, a good steel frame. plus, recyclable. I just recycled one a month ago.

steel is a good ride too, softer, more forgiving on the back (fortunately mine's good anyhow) but it's usually too heavy to race on.

The Hun is always either at your throat or at your feet. Winston Churchill