Reynolds 531 Competition identification?
09-23-18, 05:37 AM
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Reynolds 531 Competition identification?
I recently purchased this Reynolds 531C bike and just after some info about the frame.
Frame has Superbe Pro rear dropouts and serial is KH101??
I know Reynolds was using older existing frames and renovating them around the mid 80-90's
Any info about the frame would be much appreciated?
cheers
Frame has Superbe Pro rear dropouts and serial is KH101??
I know Reynolds was using older existing frames and renovating them around the mid 80-90's
Any info about the frame would be much appreciated?
cheers
09-23-18, 05:55 AM
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Reynolds 531C
" I know Reynolds was using older existing frames and renovating them around the mid 80-90's "
HUH???
Reynolds provided those style decals from 1989-1994. Bike manufacturers and frame builders could have used them for some time afterwards. The components place it at around 1989-90. Not familiar with the arrow brand bike. Was that made in OZ?
Reynolds was starting to phase out tubing made of 531 steel at that time. The 531 Competition tube set was the lightest they were making. The lighter 531 Professional tubing had been discontinued and replaced with 653.
BTW, the stem is 12mm to 15mm too high for safety.
verktyg
HUH???
Reynolds provided those style decals from 1989-1994. Bike manufacturers and frame builders could have used them for some time afterwards. The components place it at around 1989-90. Not familiar with the arrow brand bike. Was that made in OZ?
Reynolds was starting to phase out tubing made of 531 steel at that time. The 531 Competition tube set was the lightest they were making. The lighter 531 Professional tubing had been discontinued and replaced with 653.
BTW, the stem is 12mm to 15mm too high for safety.
verktyg
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Last edited by verktyg; 09-23-18 at 05:59 AM.
09-23-18, 07:16 AM
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I recently purchased this Reynolds 531C bike and just after some info about the frame.
Frame has Superbe Pro rear dropouts and serial is KH101??
I know Reynolds was using older existing frames and renovating them around the mid 80-90's
Any info about the frame would be much appreciated?
cheers
Frame has Superbe Pro rear dropouts and serial is KH101??
I know Reynolds was using older existing frames and renovating them around the mid 80-90's
Any info about the frame would be much appreciated?
cheers
09-23-18, 07:22 AM
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Nice score - cool headset!
09-23-18, 07:44 AM
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" I know Reynolds was using older existing frames and renovating them around the mid 80-90's "
HUH???
Reynolds provided those style decals from 1989-1994. Bike manufacturers and frame builders could have used them for some time afterwards. The components place it at around 1989-90. Not familiar with the arrow brand bike. Was that made in OZ?
Reynolds was starting to phase out tubing made of 531 steel at that time. The 531 Competition tube set was the lightest they were making. The lighter 531 Professional tubing had been discontinued and replaced with 653.
BTW, the stem is 12mm to 15mm too high for safety.
verktyg
HUH???
Reynolds provided those style decals from 1989-1994. Bike manufacturers and frame builders could have used them for some time afterwards. The components place it at around 1989-90. Not familiar with the arrow brand bike. Was that made in OZ?
Reynolds was starting to phase out tubing made of 531 steel at that time. The 531 Competition tube set was the lightest they were making. The lighter 531 Professional tubing had been discontinued and replaced with 653.
BTW, the stem is 12mm to 15mm too high for safety.
verktyg
09-23-18, 10:28 AM
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Hard to tell, but if that's a Laprade seatpost, it's probably too high as well.
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09-23-18, 10:51 AM
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I think the TT cable guides on the bottom/side of the TT is a cool touch- out of the way of your legs, but also out of view in a drive side shot- sorta looks like it could be internal cable routing. 
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09-23-18, 11:42 AM
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I agree with late 80s/early 90s for that tubing decal set.
I just built a bike with that tube set. Will do a final fit ride today on it.
My frameset (with headset) in a 58X57 size weighed 2657 g. 735 fork, 1922 frame headset.
Mine is Falcon, made in England, but I do not know the year of manufacture on my bike.
I just built a bike with that tube set. Will do a final fit ride today on it.
My frameset (with headset) in a 58X57 size weighed 2657 g. 735 fork, 1922 frame headset.
Mine is Falcon, made in England, but I do not know the year of manufacture on my bike.
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Last edited by Wildwood; 09-23-18 at 11:49 AM.
09-23-18, 11:43 AM
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The serial number on BB shell will be a valuable clue for someone like @T-Mar who can interpret these. Make sure the cable guide isn't covering any digits/numerals and write them in this thread. I'd also be leaning toward an AUS-made frame or (less likely) made in Asia and re-badged for the AUS market.
09-24-18, 12:59 AM
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" I know Reynolds was using older existing frames and renovating them around the mid 80-90's "
HUH???
Reynolds provided those style decals from 1989-1994. Bike manufacturers and frame builders could have used them for some time afterwards. The components place it at around 1989-90. Not familiar with the arrow brand bike. Was that made in OZ?
Reynolds was starting to phase out tubing made of 531 steel at that time. The 531 Competition tube set was the lightest they were making. The lighter 531 Professional tubing had been discontinued and replaced with 653.
BTW, the stem is 12mm to 15mm too high for safety.
verktyg
HUH???
Reynolds provided those style decals from 1989-1994. Bike manufacturers and frame builders could have used them for some time afterwards. The components place it at around 1989-90. Not familiar with the arrow brand bike. Was that made in OZ?
Reynolds was starting to phase out tubing made of 531 steel at that time. The 531 Competition tube set was the lightest they were making. The lighter 531 Professional tubing had been discontinued and replaced with 653.
BTW, the stem is 12mm to 15mm too high for safety.
verktyg
10-02-18, 09:44 AM
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10-02-18, 10:16 AM
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I recently passed along a Viking that was built using 531 tubing in 1959, and which was apparently was refinished at some time during the period where these style decals were available. The decal was out of place on the bike, but it was not inaccurate. I mention this because I am wondering if you're asking if the tubing decal is accurate for the bicycle that it is on.
Looks like a very nicely made frame, regardless.
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10-02-18, 10:36 AM
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Not sure if it's just the way you're stating it, but to re-iterate - Reynolds made the tubing. As they weren't in the business of building frames, they weren't "bringing out renovated frames".
I recently passed along a Viking that was built using 531 tubing in 1959, and which was apparently was refinished at some time during the period where these style decals were available. The decal was out of place on the bike, but it was not inaccurate. I mention this because I am wondering if you're asking if the tubing decal is accurate for the bicycle that it is on.
Looks like a very nicely made frame, regardless.
I recently passed along a Viking that was built using 531 tubing in 1959, and which was apparently was refinished at some time during the period where these style decals were available. The decal was out of place on the bike, but it was not inaccurate. I mention this because I am wondering if you're asking if the tubing decal is accurate for the bicycle that it is on.
Looks like a very nicely made frame, regardless.
09-12-21, 08:11 PM
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I was sort of in the neighborhood posting in another thread and thought I'd update this one for future reference.
The frame here looks like the work of a well regarded Australian (Sydney area) builder named Kerry Hopkins, who also owns a bike shop (currently two locations) called ABC Bikes.
The combination of seat stay caps, stay ends, bb shell, chainstay bridge and the serial number format and location are all consistent with Kerry's builds.
Serial numbers on Hopkins frames changed over the years and I've seen 4 different formats, but they were all stamped in the same part of the bottom bracket shell. Most of Kerry's frames I've seen had serials that were prefixed by a narrow looking letter "G." Less common are ones with "KH," "ABK" or with no prefix at all. Here's an Arrow labeled frame built by Kerry Hopkins with a serial of KH100.
A side note on Kerry's son, Shaun Hopkins - he won a couple of silver medals at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing.
Pics:
The frame here looks like the work of a well regarded Australian (Sydney area) builder named Kerry Hopkins, who also owns a bike shop (currently two locations) called ABC Bikes.
The combination of seat stay caps, stay ends, bb shell, chainstay bridge and the serial number format and location are all consistent with Kerry's builds.
Serial numbers on Hopkins frames changed over the years and I've seen 4 different formats, but they were all stamped in the same part of the bottom bracket shell. Most of Kerry's frames I've seen had serials that were prefixed by a narrow looking letter "G." Less common are ones with "KH," "ABK" or with no prefix at all. Here's an Arrow labeled frame built by Kerry Hopkins with a serial of KH100.
A side note on Kerry's son, Shaun Hopkins - he won a couple of silver medals at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing.
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