Bikes aiming for high performance, aggressive riding positions will most likely have a mediocre label if used for a brevet or loaded touring. I personally would be physically uncomfortable touring on a steel frame constructed with "good" thinner walls and smaller diameters, if the geometry caters to aggressive riding. By the laws of reciprocity, you give a nice, robust frame to a road biker and it will be too heavy (or too flexy, or too (...)...). Just like prescription drugs, steel frames come with a purpose.

But to answer your question, good bikes have matte colors and discrete branding, while mediocre bikes have logos bigger than themselves and lots of eye-catching color choices, typically with a metallic finish.