Originally Posted by GregU

I think if you eliminate the steel requirement, you can really get a nice C&V lightweight frame. Assuming you are under 5'10" and 175lbs, look at an old lugged, bonded aluminum frame bike. They are nice and light, made of aluminum tubes that were the same size (diameter) as steel tubes, so they will be noticeably lighter than steel frames from the period. The knock on them was that they were "whippy" or "flexy", but that is a really an issue for bigger frames (> 56cm) or heavy riders. Otherwise, it is a nice, comfy ride.

I'm actually both over 5'10" and 180lbs and did Erocia California, which is a long (85 miles) gravel ride with a couple of hard climbs on my Vitus. It's a really great ride.

The downside is that you'll have a problem getting more than a 7speed rear freewheel, as I don't think you will find one wide rear spacing > 126mm, and I don't know if you can get them widened to 130mm. Some people will just put the wider rear hub on the bike since the tubes will flex. I'm not sure I would, though.

You can look for frames Vitus (Vitus 979) and Alan, which includes Guerciotti. Attached are two pictures of my Vitus 979 with 7speed Dura Ace, the first is how I got the bike and the second is configured for Eroica California.