Frame Material, what to choose, opinions please

[BrianCRPS]

I am getting a new frame but am having a hard time deciding on what I want to get. I am looking at an Airborne Blackbird and a Velo Carbon frame. The Blackbird is aluminum with carbon seat and chain stays the Velo Carbon is all carbon. If anyone has any experience with these specific bikes and can offer opinions that would be great as well. My main questions are what are the feels of these bike materials going to be. Also what about a titanium bike 3/2 with carbon seat stays? This is not in my budget but was hoping to save up for a bike like this. I currently ride a steel frame and fork. What are the different ride qualities that I can expect from the different frame materials as I have spec'd them above? I will be buying either the Airborne or the Velo Carbon this weekend. Thanks

 

[Insight Driver]

It bears repeating here: Ride qualities are not the characteristics of the material, they are the characteristics of the design! An aluminum bike, for example, can feel dead just like the ride attributed to carbon fiber. If you ever rode an older steel bike you would say they felt rock solid like a modern aluminum bike. A titanium frame can be as flexible as a steel frame or as rigid as an aluminum frame. The differences in diameter of tires makes a difference in feel, after all! I wish people would get smart about choices in frame materials. Get the material that floats your boat, but get the ride you want from the way it is designed!