I'm not that old, or have a super long history with cycling. But out of the handful of bikes I've ridden, I def prefer double-butted steel (over straight-gauge Hi-Ten, straight-gauge 4130, 90's aluminum, modern aluminum, modern steel gravel bikes) whether I'm going all-out, or cruisin. And even between 2 double-butted steel frames from different tubing manufacturers made for the same use-case more or less, they've felt different enough to me. At least that's how I felt after having put the same components on two steel framesets, and putting them both through about 2k miles each. One frameset was definitely more enjoyable, while the other felt lacking to the point where I wished it were the other bike.
I have two relatives who have raced bikes in the past at high levels, and both owned stores. One of them was a stronger racer who didn't care about gear as much. The other was still a heavy hitter, but wasn't as naturally talented, and enjoyed the nuances between components way more. He and I seem to agree on things.
I do know that tire pressure and width make a huge difference in plushness, but I still prefer a springier ride-feel from the steel I like, vs. even a modern steel gravel bike with 42's with lower PSI. I had such high hopes for that ride, but man, it just felt kinda muted and leaden, and I missed my steel road bike.
But yeah everyone will have their personal prefs, subjective interpretations, and theories about what works for them and doesn't. Gimme that springy lightweight steel any day.
I have two relatives who have raced bikes in the past at high levels, and both owned stores. One of them was a stronger racer who didn't care about gear as much. The other was still a heavy hitter, but wasn't as naturally talented, and enjoyed the nuances between components way more. He and I seem to agree on things.
I do know that tire pressure and width make a huge difference in plushness, but I still prefer a springier ride-feel from the steel I like, vs. even a modern steel gravel bike with 42's with lower PSI. I had such high hopes for that ride, but man, it just felt kinda muted and leaden, and I missed my steel road bike.
But yeah everyone will have their personal prefs, subjective interpretations, and theories about what works for them and doesn't. Gimme that springy lightweight steel any day.