Reynolds 531 PRO tubing

[RecordAceFromNew]

I was made very aware of the importance of that when I encountered a rider walking with his no longer rideable bike on a local audax ...

!!!

(In this case, he should have spotted the rust before the forks snapped!)

Looking at the pic, the interesting thing is it seems perfectly round holes had been drilled into the blades at the crown (don't know whether it is fore or aft) which could not have helped their survival, evident by the splits at the holes. Having just examined my 531 fork blades they do have similar round holes, but much nearer the axle than the crown and on the inside surface, not fore/aft where I would have thought the maximum stress and strain would be.

 

[ColinJ]

Looking at the pic, the interesting thing is it seems perfectly round holes had been drilled into the blades at the crown (don't know whether it is fore or aft) which could not have helped their survival, evident by the splits at the holes. Having just examined my 531 fork blades they do have similar round holes, but much nearer the axle than the crown and on the inside surface, not fore/aft where I would have thought the maximum stress and strain would be.

That's the rear view. I imagine that the idea was to let any water out, but it probably had the opposite effect!

The exterior rust must have been visible for some time before the forks broke. It shows the importance of checking your bike regularly. Which reminds me ... I noticed that my front brake blocks have almost worn out - I must order some more!

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Fwiw Jobst Brandt has some interesting comments about rust and those vent holes from the brazing process.

 

[EYE-TYE-MAD]

That's the rear view. I imagine that the idea was to let any water out, but it probably had the opposite effect!

The exterior rust must have been visible for some time before the forks broke. It shows the importance of checking your bike regularly. Which reminds me ... I noticed that my front brake blocks have almost worn out - I must order some more!

To be honest, I think the holes are for gas expansion during brazing, but what is for sure is that they have been a major contributory factor to some heavy corrosion.

 

[531Man]

There is also 531-R tubing, which is also thinner & lighter than standard 531. Mostly used in the late 70s, earley 80s. At the time there wasn't much around that was lighter, don't know how it stacks up, weight wise, with 531 Pro though.

Sorry for reviving this old thread, but you say there was a 531-R.
Can you provide definitive references for that please.
I've been around a bit and that has never been quoted before.
Are you sure you're not thinking of 753R
I'm not being difficult here, I truly wish to fill a knowledge gap if it exists.
Thanks,

 

[biggs682]

531r is a new one for me.
Seen Pro , ST , MTB , SL and a couple of other versions but not R

 

[Jameshow]

531r is a new one for me.
Seen Pro , ST , MTB , SL and a couple of other versions but not R

Prob same a 531c thinner tubing??

 

[craigwend]

Sorry for reviving this old thread, but you say there was a 531-R.
Can you provide definitive references for that please.
I've been around a bit and that has never been quoted before.
Are you sure you're not thinking of 753R
I'm not being difficult here, I truly wish to fill a knowledge gap if it exists.
Thanks,

The poster hasn't been on since 2012...

 

[531Man]

The poster hasn't been on since 2012...

Prob same a 531c thinner tubing??

AFAIK the thinner than 531c was 531SuperLight(531SL) ,
Which became 531Professional (531Pro).
When Reynolds commenced heat-treating this, it became 753 T or R.
I was truly hoping for definite references for any sightings of a 531R, the 'probably' speculation doesn't do it for me.
I was excited, but I'll stand down now, disappointed.

 

[craigwend]

AFAIK the thinner than 531c was 531SuperLight(531SL) ,
Which became 531Professional (531Pro).
When Reynolds commenced heat-treating this, it became 753 T or R.
I was truly hoping for definite references for any sightings of a 531R, the 'probably' speculation doesn't do it for me.
I was excited, but I'll stand down now, disappointed.

Got me searching for it and then I came across the attached (either above or below) and the poster (maybe?) saw the 'R' for 'registered' & ass-u-me...
Could be wrong or...

 

[531Man]

Got me searching for it and then I came across the attached (either above or below) and the poster (maybe?) saw the 'R' for 'registered' & ass-u-me...
Could be wrong or...
View attachment 774170

That'll be it!
Doh,
Thanks for the simple and obvious to some (ie not me) explanation.
531R is in fact just ordinary 531(registered trademark)®.
Not that there is anything ordinary in the slightest about Reynolds 531®, of course!

 

[rogerzilla]

I have a 531SL track frame. It's about 1/4 lb lighter than it would be in 531C (or 531DB, which AIUI is the same thing). Possibly a bit lighter still, since my frame has quite heavy lugs.

 

[Jameshow]

I have a 531SL track frame. It's about 1/4 lb lighter than it would be in 531C (or 531DB, which AIUI is the same thing). Possibly a bit lighter still, since my frame has quite heavy lugs.

Isntvaoo 531 DB?

I would have thought it's the thickness of tubes and the butting that makes the difference?

 

[rogerzilla]

Isntvaoo 531 DB?

I would have thought it's the thickness of tubes and the butting that makes the difference?

I don't know what your first line means (typo?) but 531DB was an actual tubeset for many years (specifically the one where all tubes were butted, as there were also plain gauge and only-main-tubes-butted sets). In the 1970s they started to draw different gauges like SL and ST. The original 531DB was renamed 531C (Competition).