The thing I always HATED about the early standard frames (and some early 2000s S&Ms) was how the chain stay was lower than the axle. There is a pic of the first standard in the Taj bike history thread. Horrid thing that made you grind the frame more than the peg. Its good to see that they have sorted that one out.
I never liked the pieced top tube on the STA, it always seems like a bit of metal you dont need. But having said that, if you are remaking the STA, it has to have it. Its nice to see a frame that doesnt look like every other frame out there. You can see its an STA a mile off.
The new standards look good.
(Have I said that I hate chrome frames
)