Quote Originally Posted by fatbottomedgurl View Post
Steel is flexible for a smoother ride. Aluminum is lighter but a stiffer less forgiving ride. Carbon is light and forgiving.
BFG, all of this is not necessarily true. It depends on the tubing and the manipulation of it (diameter, wall thickness, butting, etc.), the geometry of the frame plus where each type of tube is used in the frame. There are carbon and steel bikes that will also beat the crap out of you because they are so unforgiving. Some of the newer aluminum tubing is getting good reviews. Plus, a rider's weight makes a huge difference in how each materials' ride characteristics are perceived. These days, such generic statements really don't apply.