The only lose of stiffness steel tubing experiences with age is called yeilding or cracking as in fatigue induced failure. This should not occur in a well designed frame under normal use, though it might occur in a poorly fabricated steel or overstressed 753 frame. Under normal use steel frames do not lose stiffness with age though many shops probably used this as a sales pitch in the past
Reply-To: "Questor" <questor@cinci.rr.com> From: "Questor" <questor@cinci.rr.com> To: <fred_rednor@yahoo.com> Cc: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Subject: Re: [CR] 753 vs 531and the winner is.... Was: questions: 753R Peugeot Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2001 18:58:03 -0500
What is the general opinion of the durability and value of 753 vs 531 Reynolds tubing? I seem to recall being steered away from 753 frames by an LBS at the time because of durability concerns with the frames.
There was a difference in Road Team preferences over 531 vs 753 in the early 1980s. The Raleigh USA Team rode 531 to victory, but the Raleigh Factory Team in England used 753 tubing.
Mike Fatka (83-85? Raleigh USA Team Manager) has personally told me that the Raleigh USA team prefered 531 because it was more durable than 753 for an entire season. I wonder if 753 loses its rigidity faster than 531 under the same stress conditions?
What do you think of 753 with its thinner tubing? Has anyone encountered problems with it?
Regards, Steve Neago "Slip-sliding away in cold and wet Cincinnati"