Originally Posted by
randyjawa
I publish MY "TEN SPEEDS" just for people like the OP, new to the vintage bicycle interest and seeking a fast track to learning. With the OP's question in mind, I offer
Vintage Bicycle Quality, an article focusing on what to look for when trying to determine a bicycle's quality level.
Hope it is a help.
I recommend Randy's link above all the time to new people looking for vintage bikes. It's very helpful.