OK, a bike from 06 officially qualifies as "older" now, not "newer". Is it carbon or AL or Steel?

I agree with all of the above - I have a set of wheels I rode 70 miles on yesterday that are 20/24, I have a set of wheels I've put about 6k miles on that are 24/28 and I have two pair of 32/32 wheels. I'm 6'2" 220 and I assure you I worry much less about the 32/32 wheels so the real answer is "it depends"

Classic wheels from the 70s and 80s had pretty noodly rims and they needed that many spokes. It's not as necessary as it used to be.