[RoadBoy1]

Hi Guys,

I have been looking for and finally found a steel frame in my size at a reasonable price and I am just about to pull the trigger on it. The frame I am looking at is a 60 CM Reynolds 853 frame with a 1" carbon fibre fork with a steel steerer.

Before I drop the coin I want to ask for opinions as to how an 853 frame rides. I have been riding for a long time and sadly got sucked in and away from steel but now I am back. I have ridden Reynolds 531, Columbus Brain, Tange 4130 and one or two other steels but this will be my first experience with 853 and I don't want to spend the money, build up a bike, and not like it.

My plan is to pull the Shimano 5600 groupset and wheels off of my CR1 to build up my new frame and then put the frame out for the trash. I will also probably give my Specialized Allez Compact to a kid I know here who is just getting into racing.

How about everyone, what is your experience with 853? Good, bad, don't have an opinion. Thanks!

 

[bigbill]

Hi Guys,

I have been looking for and finally found a steel frame in my size at a reasonable price and I am just about to pull the trigger on it. The frame I am looking at is a 60 CM Reynolds 853 frame with a 1" carbon fibre fork with a steel steerer.

Before I drop the coin I want to ask for opinions as to how an 853 frame rides. I have been riding for a long time and sadly got sucked in and away from steel but now I am back. I have ridden Reynolds 531, Columbus Brain, Tange 4130 and one or two other steels but this will be my first experience with 853 and I don't want to spend the money, build up a bike, and not like it.

My plan is to pull the Shimano 5600 groupset and wheels off of my CR1 to build up my new frame and then put the frame out for the trash. I will also probably give my Specialized Allez Compact to a kid I know here who is just getting into racing.

How about everyone, what is your experience with 853? Good, bad, don't have an opinion. Thanks!

Who built it? Is it welded or lugged? What are the angles? You can make just about any steel ride a certain way, the only penalty is weight. 853 is light stuff, I have a late 90's GT that is fillet brazed 853. It's a triple triangle frame so unless you bought a GT, I can't compare. As long as it was made well, the Lemonds in particular, it should be a good bike. At 60cm, it might not be as stiff as what you've been riding.

 

[Peter P.]

The steel formulation, when comparing ANY of the brand name steels, will have no bearing on ride quality.

Tube diameter will have the greatest influence, as small increases in diameter result in considerable increases in stiffness, although more stiffness is not necessarily a good thing.

I personally wouldn't worry about what material the frame is made of.

For what it's worth, I had a Salsa Ala Carte made with 853. After 10 years, it exhibited cracks at three joints. The ride quality of the frame was fine.

 

[Zeet]

CROMO 853 is a very strong type of steel. It's because of its strength that manufacturer's shave off more metal towards the middle of the bike's tubing, in order to make the bike lighter. That's the reason that you primarily see 853 on road bike racers and not other types of bikes.