If you ever find a Reynolds 531 or Columbus tubing frame in your size, grab it. But you'd want to know if it's straight-gage, double butted, or triple butted. Straight-gage can be rather stiff, and triple-butted could potentially be a bit whippy. That's the high end of the steel vintage market.

At the low end are American-made frames, usually welded, not lugged, that take 1-piece cranks and weigh too much. Best to avoid them.

In the middle are various grades of chrome-moly steel.