REYNOLDS numbers what do they mean?

[buzzy-beans]

I am sorry if this has been done a thousand times over, but when looking at various Reynolds frames what do the different numbers mean? 531 etc. and double butted etc. etc.

Sorry but I am new returnee to cycling and most especially vintage bikes................. Oh and that is something else, what does constitute a vintage bike because in classic cars strictly speaking it means built prior to 1930 so what year of build for a bike?

Many thanks

 

[raleighnut]

The numbers are simply a designation of the type of tubing, some people will say it refers to the added elements in the steel but that is tosh (Apart from possibly 531) for instance the 653 tubeset is a mixed set of 753/531c.

Butting refers to the tube being drawn thinner at the middle and left thicker at the ends for brazing/welding purposes.

I'd agree with you about 'Vintage' bikes, certainly nothing built after WW II should be called Vintage

 

[PhilDawson8270]

The numbers are just a brand naming of various alloyed metals, instead of referring to them by the standardised designations.

 

[midlife]

Whilst the numbers mean nothing what comes after does (a bit) but a bit of a mystery at times

SL special lightweight
Pro. Allegedly special lightweight
(C)Competition what 531 was called when Reynolds got bored

ST. Special Tourist (2 sorts)
R. Racing (no heavyweight cyclists)
DS. Designer select (mix and match)
MTB. Errr...for MTB

And there's more lol

 

[DaveReading]

Unless you're an aeronautical engineer, in which case a Reynolds Number is something completely different:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_number

 

[dan_bo]

refers to the material's Ultimate Tensile Strength. It does matter.

Higher the UTS- the lighter the tube can be made.

 

[midlife]

refers to the material's Ultimate Tensile Strength. It does matter.

Higher the UTS- the lighter the tube can be made.

531 has a UTS of something over 1000 MPa , am I using the wrong units to get 531?

 

[Drago]

The numbers are just a brand naming of various alloyed metals, instead of referring to them by the standardised designations.

Indeed, and not just the metals, but also the nature of the tubing. Hence 531, 531st, 531at etc. All the same material, but different profile, butting and construction types for each tubset.

 

[raleighnut]

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...s/materials/&usg=AOvVaw0DN6NTSPsOFatvdxiOqskF

 

[Drago]

The legend has it that the Universe will implode when Reynolds start using 4 digit series names.

 

[dan_bo]

531 has a UTS of something over 1000 MPa , am I using the wrong units to get 531?

probs

 

[buzzy-beans]

Unless you're an aeronautical engineer, in which case a Reynolds Number is something completely different:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynolds_number

Oh heavens above, with a daughter and son in law both of whom are masters degrees aeronautical aerospace engineers, I had better hold my head down from now on in their company!!

 

[mjr]

Vintage seems now often to mean any bike old enough to be accepted in the main Eroica category, which I think is 1987 or before.

 

[subaqua]

Rachel Riley could do it, possibly.

She does for some apparently .

 

[buzzy-beans]

OK and that is all exceptionally interesting news for me.

My next question is this: -
I recently bought a very light and stiff steel framed bike off Bigssy, it is branded as being a Shorter as in Shorter Rochford, it is beautiful, however it doesn't have any decals which suggest the origin of the frame material.

So apart from Reynolds 531 or similar and bearing in mind that this bike is arguably late 70's early 80's (but in total honesty who knows?), but bearing in mind the company Shorter & Rochford, what type of frame material are they likely to have used in the building of their own frames?