Originally Posted by
Arrowana
Most of the State frames I have come across have not had great alignment. The 4130 being made of steel lets you safely bend the frame into proper alignment, unless the alignment issue is one dropout sitting higher than the other. The 4130 also gets you more tire clearance, plus rack and fender mounts.
The main upgrade on the Black Label is a full carbon fork. Carbon shaves weight, dampens vibrations resulting in a bit smoother ride, but is less impact resistant, and is less recyclable than a steel fork. It is essential to use a torque wrench on the stem bolts when dealing with a carbon steerer tube. If you crack the steerer tube, you need a new fork.
Plenty of people use track bikes with aggressive geometry as their everyday bike. I'd rather prioritize tire clearance and fenders.
The 6061 Black Label V3 has road bike geometry and clearance for 38-mm tires, as well as the lighter frame and fork.
I did a search and found some reports of frame alignment issues, but all the reports concerned their steel bikes. I wouldn't worry about the alignment of the aluminum Black Label bikes.
Good tip on the torque wrench. I hope the OP takes it to heart when the bike arrives.