The Rivendell folks themselves say that, if you don't want lugs or custom sizing, buy a Surly LHT (Long Haul Trucker). If you DO want/need custom sizing, then Gunnar makes high quality steel frames that are less expensive than Rivendell. In fact, the American Rivendell frames are made by Waterford, and Gunnar is part of Waterford. Even going the Gunnar approach will put you over the $2K mark. You can get a complete LHT for well within your budget.