Originally Posted by
lenA
I gather that the last of the mainstream steel frame era might not necessarily be the peak of that material's engineering.
lenA,
Perhaps not but modern mass produced steel frames are a mature technology, how "good to go" need it be?
A new custom Waterford, and others, is Peak.
Peak quality = Peak $.
Same w/ guitars & hammers I'd imagine.
The Soma Stanyan that I snapped up last week meets my Fit & Requirements but was mass mfg. in 2011, straight & clean.
I've seen & ridden some "Golden Age Classics" that were at best dicey in construction and some of amazing craftsmanship.
BTW
Have a competent shop check alignment for you, there are a lot of rusted/crashed wrecks as well a dusty diamonds out there.