Glennr134

Hello all, I would like to pick everyone's brain as to witch 531 tubing frame set would make a very nice platform for a new build? Also can you see a difference in the bikes performance over other frame materials?

cb400bill

Will this be a racing, touring, commuting, or just riding around bike?

Glennr134

more or less riding around I would think, I am not ready for racing yet. Lol. But that would be cool as well

TenGrainBread 

Luckily you're allowed to ride a racing bike without entering into any races. In fact they're pretty fun to ride around on or even commute on.

In the US the most easily found 531 bikes will probably be 1980s Trek. They built a lot of bikes with various versions of the 531 tubeset. And most if not all are very good quality bikes with good components.

I doubt you'll notice a difference between 531 and any other tubeset of similar gauge and butting from Tange, Vitus, Ishiwata, Columbus, etc...Also, 531 came in a wide range of options, from straight gauge to heavy-duty butted for touring to ultra-thin.

TenGrainBread 

If you are a Bike Forums member you can post a Willing to Buy thread in the C&V sales forum. I'm sure you'll get a few replies with suitable framesets for reasonable prices.

Fahrenheit531 

My 1979 Raleigh Competition GS immediately sprung to mind. Relatively common, well-made, likes to go fast if that's what you want to do. Campy dropouts are the long ones so you've clearance for fenders if need be. I've run 32mm tires with room to spare.

Kactus

Do any particular brands "speak to you"? An English or American frame will be the easiest to find parts for, while a French frame will be more difficult (but not impossible) sourcing parts for and an Italian frame in 531 will be much less common than the others. What size frame are you looking for? Somebody here might have something laying around that meets your needs.

SurferRosa

Schwinn Paramount

Yes. But not all.

Other great frames of mine were made with columbus SL, tange champion, ishiwata 022, and vitus 172.

Fit and geometry play a big part.

bikemig 

+ 1 on all this. There are lots of good tubing sets out there. I am partial to Reynolds 531, though. You are likely to more easily find a Trek than some of the other models out there and it is a very easy bike to work on. The British bikes tend to command a premium. The top end French bikes are also very good and prices are reasonable but they have some oddities that make them more of a challenge to work on. One cool thing about 70s era French racing bikes though is that they have eyelets and lots of clearance for fat tires so they are very versatile. Still, stick to a Trek.

top506

Any 531 frame from the French 'Big Three' (Gitane, Motobecane, Peugeot). I have one of each, and all are outstanding all-day riders. Well worth dealing with French specifications re: bottom bracket, headset and fork, ect.

Top

cudak888 

Might even be easier to find a Japanese race/touring frameset from the 1980's with Tange 2 or Tange 1. Either would make for a fantastic riding machine.

IIRC, by the time you get to Tange 1, eyelets start to disappear, so that may be your only limiting factor.

-Kurt

T-Mar

The metric 531 frames by the French builders up until the mid-1980s provide a very compliant ride but if you like something stiffer, stick to imperial 531.

jlaw

IMO bike geometry, fit, and component suitability/quality makes a more noticeable difference than the type of steel tubing used for the frame/fork. But, having said that, I rode 531 steel for the first time yesterday - a mid-80's Trek touring bike that I found last fall, rehabbed over the winter - and it was very smooth and comfortable without being sluggish. Although, it was the first really nice spring day we've had and I was psyched to be on 2 wheels in warm weather! So, who knows.

I scan Craigslist quite a bit and the mid-80's Treks are the most prevalent bike I see with 531. I also see some Raleighs. I think the Raleighs have very nice lines.

The Trek 400 'Elance' is 531, some of the 6xx and 7xx bikes are 531. You can find all the original Trek brochures showing bike specs., including frame/fork steel type, at:

Vintage Trek Bicycle Catalogs and Bike Brochures, Fisher, Klein LeMond ('Trek Brochures' tab on the upper left of page)

Gary Fountain

It appears that you have a few very nice British bikes plus a Bridgestone. Your British bikes sound like they would be from a period where Reynolds 531 was 'king'. I would suggest sticking to that British theme and perhaps look for something like a Bob Jackson or even a Hetchins from a similar era 1950's to 1970's.

When I first came across your thread's heading my mind quickly drifted to a Raleigh (or Carlton) in the classic red, yellow and black colour scheme of the Raleigh Ti's. Being a Campagnolo tragic, I thought of an early Nuovo Record groupset, but really, a nice Bob Jackson kitted out with Weinmann, Huret, Brooks, etc., would also be high on my wish list.

Then again, you may have become all 'Britished' out. I couldn't think of anything nicer than a Paramount or a Trek to bolster your good old USA fleet.

I love Reynolds 531 but I also love Columbus SL and I really can't tell the difference. Its just that Reynolds 531 had so much success under the top riders of the era I suggested earlier - and the frameset you have pin-pointed.

Another direction might be to emulate what a favourite rider of yours would have ridden using Reynolds 531. To me (and perhaps to many) it might be Eddy Merckx or Greg LeMond. How about a 531 bike set-up as your favourite rider may have ridden it?

Slightspeed

I love my '73 Super Course, 531 main triangle only. Found as a discarded frame, my first bike build, but a joy to ride.

As found in scrap metal pile.

Fun bike, smooth ride, responsive when I need it.

squirtdad

you want a project.....here is a project https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...rvex-lugs.html

Glennr134

Thanks guys, my first real build was the Grand prix, it is surprisingly light after all the work I did to it. It's a joy to ride. The Bridgestone I got for free after a big community yard sale. Someone fell with it and bring the rear dropout on the derailleur side and the rim as well. I loved building the Raleigh and wanted some more info as to what to look for over the summer for a winter project.

Glennr134

A pic of it

Glennr134

Shamano 600 arabesque

squirtdad

very nice

Glennr134

that is a beautiful machine! love the color.

Glennr134

that is quite the project!!

Gary Fountain

If you're looking for a frame at the thrift store I would take "squirtdad's" advice and look for that good old Reynolds 531 decal on a frame. As for the era - the Reynolds decals can be dated roughly and it may give you a timeframe for the frame? Other than that, look for Nervex lugs as suggested as they are always nice to see. If the frame has an identity, well and good - go with that. If not, who cares; its reynolds 531.

By the way, your maroon frame might be a little on the big side for you but it is a lovely bike and nicely re-built. It looks like a great riding bike.

ramzilla

The ultimate 531 frame is the early 70's Peugeot PX-10. Or, hmmmmmmm.................. maybe something around the same time by Gitane or Schwinn Paramount.

Of course there's plenty of early 80's Treks (like the 520) with 531 frames too.

jlaw

@Glennr134

Be aware that there are different types of 531 - the biggest difference being that some bikes are made with straight gauge 531 and some are made using butted 531 - butted being lighter. The decal should show this distinction. The decal may also show whether or not the forks and stays are 531 or not.

For a primer on 531 decals look here:
Reynolds tubing transfers

One thing I learned from this site is that if you see a bike with the 531 in red on the decal it may be special - 'special lightweight'.