I don't think we are as out of the mainstream, bohemian or outre as we would like to believe. Its all very romantic to think we are the champions of the past, of Reynolds 531 and Columbus Sl, keeping the memory of Fausto and Eddy alive but seriously there are a lot of people riding vintage steel, they just don't obsess over it like we do (or participate on this list). Take a look at other cycling related blogs, forums, lists etc. a good many of them have vintage sections, and a surprizingly large number of everyday cyclists are either discovering for the first time or rediscovering the joy of riding vintage steel bikes. The whole messenger/fixed gear movement seems to revere classic steel (and subsequently is helping to drive up the price of steel frames and pista components, but thats another rant). There will always be the competitive group who are very much into the latest lightest frame or component looking for any edge in a race, I wouldn't expect them to be riding vintage steel (or modern steel for that matter). I would say at any given organized ride I've been on about 10- to 15 percent of the bikes are classic steel, and of those a good percentage of them were high end bikes in their day.
Marty Eison
Frisco, Texas