I believe the saying goes, "Sturdy, small and cheap. Choose two." It depends on what you consider to be "cheap". You can get any old tripod for $20. That's very cheap, but you may sacrifice the sturdiness and size. If you're willing to pay around $100, then the possibilities open up a bit more.
I have to say, I like the Velbon Ultra's as well. I have a Velbon Ultra Maxi (before Maxi F). I own a very sturdy Dynatran carbon fiber tripod, but I use my Velbon much more often. The Maxi is still sturdy enough for my XTi + 28-75mm lens when fully extended to eye-level, but it'll likely show it's weaknesses during a very windy day.