[CR]Reynolds/Columbus tubing changes

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Avocet)

From: "Steve Neago" <questor@cinci.rr.com>
To: "Herb Langston" <langston@interaccess.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <l03130302b9df4e9c0282@[66.2.167.4]>
Subject: [CR]Reynolds/Columbus tubing changes
Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2002 00:58:52 -0400

"goodrichbikes" commented <I think it was Chuck Schmidt that talked about the rumor of Columbus making tubes for Reynolds.>

Well, lets see...

I own a Marinoni (Italian name, Canadian manufacturer) that is a hybrid of Columbus tubing advertised as Reynolds 531. The frameset was constructed in late 1982 by Marinoni for the Raleigh USA Racing Team when they were funded by Huffy Corp for the 1983 race season.

The strange thing is that the frame was labeled with decals as Reynolds 531 but actually constructed of Columbus tubing and used Raleigh custom lugs with silver brazing. Why the difference between OEM Raleigh decals applied and actual Columbus tubes used in construction of a Raleigh USA Team frame you may ask?

Marinoni and Columbus tubing was used to solve short term needs decided by Huffy to get the Raleigh Team USA on the road instead of waiting months for custom 531/753 frames from Raleigh Ilkeston plant in England. The Raleigh USA Team eventually did switch Raleigh Ilkeston 753 frames, but only started to do so in the later year's racing seasons. Marinoni specializes in and prefers Columbus tubing. Reynolds and Raleigh were owned by TI Investments which at that time was a major team sponsor and needed Raleigh/Reynolds sales marketing visibility through the frame decals. Huffy didn't seem to care whether the frames were made of 531 or Columbus tubing and was able to contract with Marinoni for the frames because Huffy franchised the Raleigh name and logo from Raleigh International in England. Even the Raleigh Team USA Manager did not seem to know the frames in the 1983 season were made of Columbus until he checked later.

This has been verified by my conversations with Mike Fatka (Raleigh USA Team Manager in 1982 - 1986) and sales invoices from Marinoni USA Sales Rep and the Marinoni Company in Canada. This particular frame was ridden most of the 1983 season by Marianne Berglund who won the Women's World Cycling Championships that year. The strange thing is that Raleigh advertised that she won races that season on a 531 frame when it actually was Columbus tubing.

Regards, Steve Neago "Who you are matters more than what frame tubing you are riding, in Cincinnati, OH".


----- Original Message -----
From: Herb Langston
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2002 3:45 PM
Subject: [CR]Re: Classicrendezvous digest, Vol 1 #1796 - 21 msgs



> "goodrichbikes" <goodrichbikes@netzero.net> wrote:
> >I think it was Chuck Schmidt that talked about the rumor of Columbus =
> >making tubes for Reynolds. I know that the reverse is definitely true. =
> >Columbus has always had difficulty meeting production dead lines and has =
> >had Reynolds draw some tubes for them. I wouldn't be surprised if =
> >Columbus hasn't returned the favor. I'd be very surprised if the two =
> >companies don't routinely help each other out with raw material =
> >supplies.
>
> One thing that always puzzled me about my old Benotto... was the Reynolds
> 531 tubing stickers on the seat tube and fork blades. Does anyone else have
> an Italian bike built with Reynolds tubing? Or have known of any? Or did
> the previous owner (a distributor) put the decals on after the Columbus
> decals dried up and flaked off?
>
> Herb Langston
> Evanston, IL