tange prestige vs reynolds 531 & 725?

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

tange prestige vs reynolds 531 & 725?

I had a handmedown prestige tubed bike that I wrecked in an accident. Now I'm looking at replacing it with a custom build-up of a used frame (531 and tange 900 bikes seem to be all that fit in my price range with the bars, saddle and wheels that I want) or a new taiwanese built 725 tubed bike....

Reynolds 725

As you look at buying a production-built frame featuring high quality tubes I suggest you do some homework...

Verify that ALL tubes are of the material you want. Just about every production frame uses as few as 1 tube with the remaining stuff being no-name 4130 chrome molybdenum or even worse the "fake" 4130 often called cromo.

Reynolds stuff is usually easy to work out, with the decal offering a couple of key phrases: "Butted Main Tubes and Stays" means that all 8 tubes are of the material. "Butted Main Tubes" means that 2 or 3 tubes are used. "Butted Main Tube" means that there is only 1 tube of the material, usually the down tube OR the tube to which the decal is applied.

Tange 900 was their second from the bottom tube. It is a seamed tube meaning it started out as sheet then formed and welded. ANY of the drawn Reynolds tubes are far superior.

Tange Prestige was the Japanese answer to Reynolds 525, showing the same (or similar) properties and tube characteristics.

I don't know how experienced you are in being able to pick out ride characteristics of various steels but if you do have the experience there is a MASSIVE difference in feel between Prestige and 900, a MASSIVE difference between 531 and 725 (assuming they are full tubesets), and a noticeable difference between 531 and Prestige.

Just for fun you should take a look at the pricing of one of the oldest and highest quality builders on the planet that very frequently offer a full custom frame, right down to your choice of paint, for less than what you would pay for a production frame. Bob Jackson Cycles http://www.bobjacksoncycles.co.uk/

Tange Prestige

Am I going to notice a difference?

--how would anyone know what you would ''notice''?

==assuming there IS any difference

"no"

wle