Originally Posted by
thirdgenbird
it means it was a lower end bike in its day.
it looks good though! if your wanting another ss or fixed bike i would save up and get a nice aluminum track frame and build it up as your "good" bike and keep this one, throw fenders on it, and keep it for poor weather.
what size is it and where are you?
thirdgenbird is right about the stem shifters, but i'd have to disagree about getting an aluminum frame. for your applications, i'd suggest staying with steel. steel will provide a more forgiving ride than aluminum. aluminum, although generally stiffer, will give you a harsher ride especially on rough roads. as a general rule, i'd say aluminum is more for the track and steel for the road. aluminum frames are going to generally be more expensive than steel too.