The question probably sounds a bit tarty, but is there anything significant I need to know between Reynolds 853 and Tange Prestige JPN (heat treated)?
I currently ride an 853 Inbred but like the look of the Genesis Altitude (853) and Kineses UK Virsa Prestige (Tange Prestige JPN), apart from blowing its own trumpet the Tange website doesn't really say much about it.
Being a rather weighty non-racer I'm not interested in something that's ultra-light with paper thin tube walls, a bit of extra durabilty at the expense of a few extra grams is fine, I don't want something that dents because you drop you allen key on it or because the bike's been blown over in a bike stand and caught itself up in the lock.
I know that 853 gets stronger as it's welded, so you can use a bit less material, but saving a few grams isn't a huge selling point for me. I suspect that any two steels ride much the same.
I thought of all this and ended up buying a new P7 with 631 tubing today 🙂
I wouldn't get too hung up, personally; how the bike 'feels' is as much about the ideas and CAD designs of the person behind the frame as it is the material from which it is made.
Apart from that, as a sometimes technogeek I do fully appreciate where you are coming from!
I doubt whether you'd be able to tell the difference between either. why not just go for the cheapest?
