now a moot point, but to get back to one of the original questions; I used to figure the cost to replace a main tube to be a minimum of $120 (plus the ruination of the paint or chrome) and that's assuming you can find a frame builder/repairer who'll take on the job. Price has probably gone up (and up again) recently, so it's a repair that should be reserved for a frame you really just have to preserve. It is a wonderful thing to see it done by a craftsman who knows how: and proves again how "steel is real".