rekmeyata

Actually I disagree with 1988, why you scream? Because sales was close to an all time low in cycles in general, lugged steel frames were being made by machines instead of handmade, silver brazing gave way to brass brazing, steel frames was slowly taking a back seat to aluminium frames. So no, 1988 was on the downward slope not the peak, there is no one year that was pinnacle in steel bikes, there was a period between 1978 and 1985 that was however.

I still say the current generation of custom steel lugged bikes are superior to the days of old, and that was the discussion, steel frames. However if you bring into the discussion the component world then the most reliable time for components was between 78 and 85 (especially Suntour), combine that with very well built steel frames and low cost and you have the best of both worlds except lacking in artistry that was supreme back in the 70's with chrome frame stuff; today you get the best of what modern steel can offer over the older steel while going back to the days of artistry, but you get less reliable components and pay a lot more for both the frame and components. There was never a perfect time when all 4...artistry, high end steel, reliable components, and cost...all peaked together.

Heck in 1989 a lot of steel tubing manufactures gave up on their high end tubesets and bicycle manufactures reduced their line of bikes that offered high end steel frames to just one model instead of several if they offered it all because sales were so dismal in 88.