It's not that old for sure. What Terry at Reynolds has omitted is the fact that the "A" quality steel tubing was produced and spec'd for a long while after 531 was introduced as well. It must have been, there are bicycles that are 30 and 40 years younger than 1930's and they use that tubing.
Googling reveals that BS970 EN5 would mean that "A" quality is a good 1030 butted tubing.
http://www.interlloy.com.au/
David -- David Bilenkey Ottawa, Ontario, Canada dbilenkey@sympatico.ca
> -----Original Message-----
> From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
> [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of
> David Ross
> Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 8:45 PM
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: [CR]re: dating a Zeus
>
>
> I don't know anything about Zeus, but I did some research
> earlier this year on Reynolds "A" tubing (which, according to
> the tubing decal is the material used on the Zeus). Here's a
> quote from Terry at Reynolds (<TOPTUBES@reynolds-cycle.com>):
>
> "Reynolds "A" steel quality was used for bicycle tubes
> before we introduced 531. As it was the 1930's we no
> longer have exact information to the specification. It
> is shown as an equivalent material to BS970 EN5 or
> BS1775 CDS28."
>
> It's hard to imagine that the Zeus in question is that old, though.
>
> Dave Ross
> Portola Valley, CA