There has been a small Gardin on consignment at Livermore Cyclery (the one in Livermore, not Dublin) for quite some time now. It even has a bent top tube to make the standover height shorter. This is a real bike - Columbus tubing of some sort - and may well be what you are looking for. 7-speed drivetrain if I recall, definitely Shimano. Give them a call at 925-455-8090.
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"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney