As per my posting of being raped by a local bike shop this morning with untrue and horrid statements about steel frames.... My girlfriend (significant other that owns 50% of everything), and I went to my favorite bike shop that stock NOS bikes. God knows where he gets his stock, but we were looking for a 50 or 52 cm bike in lugged steel of course. Every month he has 5 or so new old stock steel bikes. This day he had a 50 cm Benotto in black and white motled paint job with all campy for $700 (NOS! from about 1980). We couldn't handle the 50 cm part because the top tube was a bit on the short side and Marta wasn't in love with a five cog rear even though I was. The other bike was a Giordana Capella in a 52 cm size. This frame has made in Italy engraved on to the rear roof style brake bridge and highlighted in white paint. The stickers say Oria Special TC 0.8 tubing, and the salesman warned me that Oria Special is a low end Columbus tubing without much pedigree. Anyway it's double butted and has care in construction and lugs, with an attractive red paint with white fork. The headset is Campy unspecified type and the seat binder bolt is also Campy. The equipment is a suede black Turbo saddle and all Shimano 105 with index downtube shifters and a 7 speed rear 13-24 with a front Shimano 105 42/52. The brakes are anodized 105 aero cable routing. The rims are odd and say Matrix Titan 700c, and they are dark grey black anodized. The overall feel is compliant ride but with a very precise handling... this is the result of good race geometry and a 38.5 inch wheelbase. What I wasn't prepared for was the incredible shifting of that generation of Shimano indexed 7 speed with the canted cog teeth. The shifting is the most effortless I have ever encountered and I have tried modern 10 speed Campy and mid level Shimano STI 9 speed. An effortless nudge and you are in absolute perfect sync with the next gear going up or coming down. I would have loved to have the Benotto but for $500 out the door got Marta a very race worthy NOS steed indeed. Anyone know about the Tubi Oria special TC 0.8? The bike weighs in just one hair under 20 lbs with clipless Look pedals that I just put on, so it's definitely on the light side, and I think that's why the frame is not on the stiff side. This is Marta's first road bike, after years of one speeds, Mountain bikes and three speed. What a treat for your first, huh? Garth Libre