As the title!

The number refers to the amount of pixie dust per gram of the tube – measured in pixels (confusing, eh…)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_Cycle_Technology#Steel

Different alloys
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_Cycle_Technology#Steel

DOH, too slow, clubber wins lol..

Reynolds Tubing Comparison

Grrr…

Can I be the first to say that 853 is the bestest?
(although I prefer my Truetemper OX Platinum, obviously)

The number refers to the amount of pixie dust per gram

853 rust resistance is also dependent on the position of the Reynolds sticker.

Can't say that I ever noticed any difference between my 853 inbred and the standard DN6 tubing one…

Oh and my 853 sticker was placed extremely accurately – used a laser guide and measurement device to locate the correct position in line with the tubing axis and mean deviation of top tube intrinsic centre-point.

I knew all this didnt google it or anything, it just took me a while to type it out..

Reynolds 525 – cold drawn. The 525 is a range of cold drawn chrome-molybdenum tubes, all precision butted, using either seamless or welded raw material. The material is suitable for TIG welding and brazing, with lug or lugless construction. 525 will be found in frames with combinations of all 8 tubes, 3 main tubes down and seat tube and seat tube only. The decal will clarify the tubes used by each builder. We recommend 631 or 525 forks for use with 525 road and touring frames. Reynolds also use the 520 decal for Reynolds chrome-moly tubing made under license to our specification

Reynolds 531- cold drawn. This material, originally introduced in 1935, was the tube which set the standard for road and touring frames for many years, and is still requested by many riders today. Reynolds make 531 frame tubing to special order only, as our innovative 631 air-hardening steel has allowed Reynolds to update this range

Reynolds 631 – cold drawn.Following on from the success of 853, Reynolds have added 631 to the range of AIR HARDENING STEEL tube sets. This seamless cold drawn steel tube will allow the benefits of this new steel to be used in the manufacture of a wide range of frames and is now considered a worthy successor to our legendary 531 tubing. Like 853 it is suitable for TIG welding and brazing and in the heat affected joint areas will gain strength, to ultimate tensile strengths in excess of heat treated chrome molybdenum. The strength to weight ratio of 631 is equal to that of many aluminium frames, and it has an excellent fatigue life whilst providing a supple ride quality suitable for long distance events.

On road and touring frames we suggest 631 or 525 forks be used in conjunction with 631 frames. As 631 is only available in main frame tube sizes, we recommend the use of either heat treated CrMo (725) or cold drawn CrMo (525) seatstays and chainstays to complete the frame.

Reynolds 725 – heat treated.The Chrome-molybdenum steel is an industry standard similar to our 753 range of tubes and we use both seamless and welded raw materials for this range. The heat treated CrMo is precision butted on our mandrels and is offered in a wide range of tube sizes for all styles of frames. This material is ideal for TIG welding and brazing, with joining by lug or lugless construction. 725 is a material that allows thin gauge, tight tolerance tube, providing maximum weight saving for competitive use. Reynolds recommend 725 or 631 forks for use with 725 road and touring frames.

Reynolds 753 – heat treated. Due to the chemical nature of the material, manganese molybdenum, when heat treated, has to be joined with care. The temperature when joining the frame has to be kept relatively low, and we recommend silver and the use of lugs for this operation. As the use of a silver solder requires special skills, Reynolds have introduced a certification procedure for builders and will only sell this material to those who have completed the procedure. 753 is an ideal material for use in road and trach frames as it is a thin gauge, tight tolerance tube. 753 will only be available to special order for builders and Reynolds recommend the use of the heat treated CrMo seatstays and chainstays (725) to complete the frame.

Reynolds 853 This seamless air-hardening steel tube sets new standards for professional cycle frames and proves that steel still has a future at the highest levels. It is suitable for TIG welding and brazing, using lugged or lugless construction. The production process ensures tight tolerance, gauge tubes. The strength to weight ratio of 853 is close to that of quality titanium frames. A normal chrome molybdenum steel will lose strength in the joints after the heat has been applied.

This material (853) INCREASES in strength as the frame cools to strengths well in excess of the delivered values shown above. This unique air hardening property of Reynolds 853 provides additional stiffness through reduced microyielding at the joints, allowing stiffer frames with excellent fatigue strength (when compared to standard chrome molybdenum) and a superior ride quality from the finished frame. On road and touring frames we recommend the use of 631 or 725 fork blades with 853 frames.

We offer this tube set in many sizes for custom framebuilders, and is suitable for lightweight frames, strong/tall riders and has also been specified for free-ride and BMX frames due to its' high impact strength.

Reynolds 953 : Reynolds latest innovation takes steel alloys into a new league. By utilising a specially developed martensitic-aging alloy stainless steel that can achieve ultimate tensile strength in excess of 2000MPa, this has a strength-to-weight ratio that can take on the best materials currently used in the industry. The resilient ride of steel, very high impact strength (similar to armour plating) and fatigue resistance combine to provide an extraordinary material that can now be used in butted tubing.

953 have been developed using material from Carpenter Speciality Alloys. The strength of this material can be customised by controlling the amount of cold-work and heat-treatment – this allows us to optimise strength and ductility to suit the applications in 953. Reynolds also offer highly stressed components like the butted bottom bracket shell and rear drop-outs in the 953 alloy, along with fittings to complete a frame based on a high-strength precipitation-hardening Carpenter alloy and other weldable stainless steels. More information on these materials can be found in our FAQ's in the 953 section, and technical comparisons are shown under Technology/Comparative Properties on our website.

Reynolds will work with frame fabricators to provide recommended production techniques, so that the challenges inherent in using an extremely hard metal can be overcome. With wall thickness down to 0.3mm, frame builders will be handling very thin walled tubing, and 'best practice' techniques are similar to those used in titanium frame welding. It will be possible to manufacture TIG welded, fillet-brazed and lugged frames using 953.

Benefits: Ultra-strong steel, with anti-corrosion features from a stainless steel. And the legendary ride of steel.

Titanium Reynolds 6Al-4V. Reynolds manufacture mandrel butted tubing using seamless '6Al-4V'grade titanium tubing, as well as ovals and tapered shapes, using its' uniquely designed drawbenches. For framebuilders, this allows very consistent tubing profiles compared to acid-etched or mechanically polished 'butted' tubing providing close tolerances on wall thicknesses. Our 6-4 range includes seamless chainstays and seatstays, suitable for the best bikes in the world.

Reynolds specify a seamless 6Al-4V raw material, to ELI standard (Extra Low Interstitial gas content). Due the combination of the 6-4 material in butted profiles, our 6-4 tubeset has been the subject of favourable press coverage from professional riders and journalists worldwide based on their rider tests over long distances.

Advantages for the rider – a light, durable frame, with more cold worked titanium material at the critical weld zone areas. And increased strength- to- weight performance from the 6-4 material which has been cold-worked and then stress-relieved

Titanium Reynolds 3Al-2.5V Reynolds manufacture butted tubing using seamless '3Al/2.5V' grade titanium tubing, on its' uniquely designed drawbenches. For framebuilders, this allows very consistent tubing profiles compared to acid-etched or mechanically polished 'butted' tubing – Reynolds probably offer the tightest tolerances on wall thickness for butted titanium tubing anywhere in the bike industry using a combination of shaped mandrels and precise tooling.

Titanium has the advantage of a low density, corrosion-resistance and high fatigue life. Advantages for the rider – a lighter frame, with more cold worked titanium material at the critical weld zone areas. Plus increased strength- to- weight performance from cold worked tubing . And we also offer shaped tubing to improve frame stiffness .

Can't say that I ever noticed any difference between my 853 inbred and the standard DN6 tubing one…

Strike the heathen down.

Nope he is right its all bollards…. had a Ti Inbred and now got a Scandal now the only difference I notice is the Scandal is faster, once you factor in a long old seatpost and some nice chunky tyres how could you tell and difference?

The Scandal is faster I rekon cos the BB doesnt flex so much, but even that might be in my head.

Nope he is right its all bollards….

I know.. 🙄

columbus spirit
it's more niche than 853

Would it all make more sense on a racey road bike?

I might start riding my bikes without any tyres on the rims, and a table tennis bat instead of a saddle, just to get the feel of them better. 😉

I can tell the difference beteen 835, 953 and 520 frames, especialy when looking at the price tag.

531 is the only tubeset designed for bikes

853 makes you look cool, and makes you more attractive to boys and/or girls…FACT

it's true. 😉

simple – the difference is strength, pre or post-weld, or both. stiffness and density are the same for all.

use less if it's stronger, but risk dents or too much flex.

use more if it's weaker, but risk dead-feeling or overly stiff frames.

if the tubing dims are the same, there will be no difference in ride feel between cr-mo and 853. so to say 853 is 'better' is only true of the tube's properties, you can't say that about a frame made from 853 vs a cr-mo frame unless you know the tube dimension details.

you can't say that about a frame made from 853 vs a cr-mo frame unless you know the tube dimension details.

I'm assuming you use slightly thinner walled tubing on the 853 Altitude compared to the 520 version then James?

Pretty sure that some of the fairly recent Dawes tourers only had some 853 tubes and the rest was the standard 4130 gas pipe that many know and love.

James-o is bang on – all steel grades have the same stiffness.
Its just at what point they fail that differs – but importantly failure also affects fatigue performance and this is the real issue with frame design,a dn is the problem everyone is grappling with when it comes to CEN testing.

Another important issue is change of properties due to welding…

It is worth noting that here is no difference between reynolds tubing and other high grade steels of the same composition and thermomechanical history, they all fall under standard AMS or BS-EN grades, the sticker just makes you feel that you've got something special..

This Brand effect has less of an effect with aluminium as they have sexier sounding names already (like 6061 T6) although easton have tried to make theirs a bit more special but really they just use various grades of 6000 or 7000 series alloys.