While durability is a great practical reason to ride a steel bike, the thing that draws many people is the ride quality. There is a reason that springs are made from steel. It has a natural elasticity that translates into a smooth but lively ride. While geometry plays a role as well in how a bike handles, a nice steel bike hugs the road or trail through corners. Over a long ride, you don't get beaten up quite as much. Steel is best suited for rigid or front suspension bikes but is overly heavy when built into a full suspension bike.

Aluminum

This is currently the most common material used for bikes. You can get an aluminum framed bike starting under $300 and going up to many thousands. Just as with steel there are different qualities of tubing. Aluminum is inexpensive for the weight. This attracts a lot of people who want a light bike. The downside to aluminum is that it has a limited fatigue life and has a harsher ride than the other materials. Over time aluminum will fatigue and developer stress cracks. For most people they don't keep a bike long enough or ride hard enough to exceed the fatigue life of an aluminum frame, but I have had a case where I personally went through three aluminum frames in three seasons. Aluminum is a soft metal so the tubes need to be oversized for strength which tends to lead to a harsher ride than steel or carbon fiber. Over a long ride this can lead to discomfort and more fatigue in your body. Because it is wieldable and machinable, aluminum well for light weight hard tails, road bikes and full suspension bikes.

carbon bicycle rim

carbon mountain bike rim

carbon road bike rim