Does a different bike make that much difference in riding?

[Bike Writer]

Perhaps the new bike flexes less than the old one...?

I don't know much about the properties of steel versus aluminum but my old bike was steel and my new one is aluminum. I would think that steel flexes less than AL but what do I know

[zoom-zoom]

Ooh, are the wheels better/lighter wheels on the new bike? That could account for the difference, too, I'd think.