Reynolds Cr-mo Tubes

[Alembicbassman]

Bought a Claud Butler Strada road bike the other day.

I'm guessing it's Mid 1990s vintage, but can't find a product catalogue with it listed on the web. I know Townsend took Falcon/CB over in 1991. I'm assuming it's a post merger bike.

It's a lug brazed Reynolds Cr-Mo tubeset with the attached sticker.

I've never seen this Reynolds sticker on anything before. They usually have a number, 531 631 520 etc...

Being double butted seamless Cr-Mo and lug brazed hopefully means it's a good quality frame.

Any ideas of what Reynolds listed tubes matches this?

I'm thinking 520 or 725.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

In the Reynolds hierarchy I think cro-mo is one down from 520. Doesn't mean it's better or worse, different steel tubing for different purposes. It will be slightly heavier but also tougher. If the the frame is in as good condition as the section in the picture (nice colour btw) it will build into a really nice bike.

 

[Alembicbassman]

Got an e-mail back from Reynolds themselves:

Hello Brian,​

​

Although your decal is not shown on our decal history, I would guess the tubing was made pre 1989 as around 1991 Reynolds started giving our Cr-Mo numbers e.g. 501/525 etc.​

Regards,​

Keith.​

​

The strike through Reynolds font was used 1989-1994. So I guess it's 1989-1990​

 

[Wobblers]

If it's double butted Cr-Mo, then it'll be 501 tubing. Plain gauge chromoly was 500. Reynolds 501 is roughly equivalent to today's 525 (which has had its metallurgy tweaked so that it can be welded rather than brazed - that makes construction cheaper). Your bike has a good quality frame, if not quite 531.

Edit: 520, 525 and 725 are all chromoly steel. IIRC, 520 is made in the far east and 725 has undergone heat treatment to increase its strength.