Dang, if I were only two inches taller, I'd slap down a bid hard on your bike! I'm 5'8" and the tallest bike I can ride is a 55cm.

Mike, sent you an email.

I went and measured it....it's 21.5 inches from the top to to center of the crank, so I guess it's a 55-56 cm.....

Old with new
 

I went through the similar dilemma. I had a Cannondale that got a pronounced bottom bracket creak due to age. In looking to replace it, I began to consider a steel frame. I was looking for a complete new bike and realized that my old Bianchi with down tube shifters had recessed brake bolts. Long story short, I just got a new gruppo and put it on the Bianchi. Plus some wheels off craigslist. Here is my '84 Bianchi Specialissima with a '99 Campy Carbon Gruppo. Only thing is that I kept the original cranks as the bottom bracket I got was the wrong size. The front derailleur is the newer one now also.
Something to consider if you’re attached to your current frame.
-W
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Mike, sent you another email.

I agree this is the way to do it. One tooth at the front will make the difference. If you swap out the cluster at the back for smaller gears then you'll compromise anither ratio that works for flatter roads - especially on 6 speed.

Don't rule out the cheap 2nd hand option. You can get quite a good used bike that has STI levers rather than downtube shifters. They don't call them suicide levers for nothing.

Steel frame fan... :D

Not my bike but I'm saving for the De Rosa frame. (They still make them in steel)

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If anyone is intersted, I'm asking 2200 for my Lemond......

I had dug up an old 6 speed freewheel with a 28 tooth low gear. The marriage between the old chain and the old freewheel wasn't great, but the gear range was very usable for the big climbs on each end of my ride (not big by tour standards, but big for my out of shape legs!).
Going to order up a new freewheel and install a new chain and see how that works out for now.
Thanks for your help on this.
BTW, I had looked at pricing for MikeZ's bike and that is a pretty good price for a low mile high end bike. The Campy Chorus did get good reviews on the bike forums I checked.

Very smooth and rideable too. I miss being able to do so. Bad backs suck....took it around the block yesterday.