[CR] Frame Weight and Stiffness

(Example: Component Manufacturers)

Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:19:56 +0000
From: "Hugh Thornton" <hughwthornton@yahoo.co.uk>
To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR] Frame Weight and Stiffness


I have a mid-fifties 24" fillet-brazed Gillott frame with oversized top tube that I thought felt rather light when I lifted it, so I weighed it complete with front fork and Stronglight alloy needle bearing headset (quite light) and the total was 2.85kg.  Not bad for a 24" 531 butted frameset with Campagnolo dropouts, but not outstanding. Looking on the internet for comparisons, I came across this web page which has some information on frame weights and stiffness:

http://materials.open.ac.uk/bikeframes/bikeframe.htm

What is so interesting is how well the 531 butted frame compares in stiffness, though not in weight, to more modern frames.  It is not surprising that this material was THE standard in racing frames for so long.  It probably held the top spot in all European countries with the exception of Italy where Columbus seemed to be the tubing of choice for most top-end frames.  I remember some time ago that Reynolds advertised that 531 had won so many out of the last so many Tours de France (almost all, if not all, of them).  Does anybody remember when that was, or what the numbers were, or even have a copy of that advertisement?  Must have been in the late seventies or more likely sometime in the eighties when they had notched up a few more victories.  They really had an impressive record until aluminum and carbon took over. Hugh Thornton Cheshire, England