Originally Posted by Bob Ross

I would bet it's even more expensive than $500...but more to the point: While in theory a tube can be replaced on a lugged frame, has anyone ever successfully had this sort of repair done?

I ask because a friend of mine broke a toptube on one of his vintage lugged steel bikes (can't remember the brand...a Merckx I think?) and he contacted seventeen different framebuilders about doing exactly that sort of repair.

None of them would take on the work.

Mostly due to scheduling...but still, if you can't find someone to do the repair, it's kinda moot that in theory the repair is possible, no?