[habnds]

I would be very suspicious that some combination of different tires and different geometry between the bikes your comparing is much more responsible for that perceived difference than the different metals. Wearing cushioned running shoes instead of indoor soccer shoes would have a bigger effect i would guess.

[thefz]

Ride an alu hardtail fast and hard, then tell me how your joints feel. Steel flex is real.

[henriquez]

Or ride a carbon bike (without crashing) and tell me how much better you feel.