CassidyAce
Senior Retro Guru
You will, indeed, find the bike hierarchies in the catalogues but, if you want a bike that you enjoy riding, don't just look at the tubing and components, look at the geometry too. And think about what purposes you want the bike for. A bike is never just good or bad; it is good for a given purpose and a given rider, or it is not. If you look at the bikes that their owners enjoy riding and wouldn't want to part with, you'll see all sorts: https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/one-bike-what-is-it.477851/. In other words, look at the catalogues for guidance, and then find what works for you.
And avoid the BSOs. (This article should be part of the National Curriculum: https://www.southcoastbikes.co.uk/No_BSO.asp)
And avoid the BSOs. (This article should be part of the National Curriculum: https://www.southcoastbikes.co.uk/No_BSO.asp)