Touring bikes with 531 tubing
 

Hey,

I was wondering if there was a (comprehensive) list of touring bikes with 531 (or comparable) tubing to be found somwhere, or if someone has a data on that?
I guess 70-80ties would be the timeframe?

BR
P!

That would be a long list! I doubt there is any such list that is close to comprehensive. Then there are sport and randonneuring classes to consider. That said, I'd be happy to see this turn into a "Show Us Your 531 Touring Bikes" thread. A couple of mine:

Gitane Gran Tourisme
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f6d048b8_k.jpg

Cilo Pacer
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...05b66996_k.jpg

Peugeot PR10-L
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f7e5e51a_k.jpg

Motobecane Grand Jubile (a project waiting in the wings)
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5ed74e52_k.jpg

Those are lush bikes! And it would be totally cool to turn this thread into a "show us our 531 Touring bikes" :thumb:

One of the best in the business. ;)

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1b32123324.jpg

What make/model is that? - also, very interesting to mount the brake inside the rear triangle :O

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e535052759.jpg
Hippie camo trek 720. Very nice touring bike from 531.

A rare one: '84 Raleigh Gran Tour, Reynolds 531c
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bc0f89ed46.jpg

86bcd crank?

Mine is a work in progress. F.W. Evans were built and sold from a shop in London. Information is limited on the brand, but everything I have found points to it being 531 tubing throughout. Nervex Professional lugs, Campagnolo dropouts, and a 27.2 mm seat post, at least mean it is a quality build. I was told by someone who worked at the shop that a lot of Americans would come in and buy these bikes to tour around the country. Some would sell them back to the shop, some would ship them back home. I found this one in Alabama. After I log a few test miles, I will strip it down for new paint and decals. I anticipate it will be used for day trips in nice weather.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f036961566.jpg
1960's? F.W. Evans

The Dawes Galaxy (3 mains 531 straight gauge) was a big seller in the late 60's and early 70's.
I think it got recommended in Richard's Bicycle Book.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1ac00345e4.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b7bbf14b28.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...48ba83c71a.jpg

Oh, heck yeah. SR Apex.
Set up as a 48/28 double right now but also makes up a nice 50/44/28 half step plus granny triple.

of course one the highest regarded tourers the miyata 1000 (ok the koga/miyata version for OP) was not 531 :)

Trek 520

Just out of my head, here are a few names:

Trek 610
Trek 620
Trek 720
Woodrup Giro
Many bikes by Mercian, if not all
Many bikes by Jack Taylor, if not all
Many bikes by Bob Jackson, if not all
Raleigh International
Raleigh Competition
Raleigh Super Course
Bruce Gordon
Raleigh Super Lenton
Rudge Aero Special
The Raleigh Grand Prix variants of the late 1950s up through maybe 1966?

Many other bikes were toured on with heavy luggage, and many were used for country excursions on open roads with no intention of extended travel (i.e. don't know when we're comin' home). Many others were used for long rides just to pedal and keep pedaling, but with intent to catch the next train home. Here I think I'm mainly talking about Brits on Club-style bikes, made by many brands. I know the Super Lenton and Aero Special used 531. On the French side, there must have been quite a few that we would now call Randonneuses, used for organized brisk rambles and for pedaling just to keep pedaling. I would put in Rivendells and ... others, but I can't say which ones were 531 rather than similar but Asian butted CrMo or TruTemper of some variety. For Italy I could see Bianchi or Legnono bikes at least of butted tubing used for the "keep pedaling" missions.

Then there are the UK long riders who go out to experience the epic routes of Lands' End to John O'Groats and others. One may say this is aspirational preparation for a bid at a timed circuit of the nearly 900 miles and hence it's training, or one may say it is just pedaling until the compulsion changes and we have a new LEJoG record holder. The USA RAAM could be in the same category.

I'd like that, once I get my Woodrup back from paint and built, and my 1952 Rudge Aero Special is road-ready!

my medici gran turismo is reynolds 531 :

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cf2746187b.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3c9a11ddbb.jpg

My Gitane Grantour is from '84 and is made of Vitus 181, similar stuff to 531. Geo is nearly identical to the Miyatas & Treks of that period, but french threading on the BB & fork. No pics rn as it is at the local frame modifier's shop until later this week.

JM027 custom that Jim Merz built for himself, his touring bikes are legendary.

The brake on the inside is from the rear rack that was built for the frame that originally had cantilever brakes.

Jim stripped them off when he sold the frame and the custom racks stayed with the frame through the years. When the as far as I can tell 3rd owner consigned the bike at Sellwood cycles, they moved the rear brake and put the racks on.

The rear can be on either side as long as the bridge is properly done as it always should be. ;)

Here's TW189 that was built for Paris brest Paris but ended up not going as it was deemed a bit small.

It's early Columbus, not 531.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d85393fa87.jpg

Here is shot of the Trek 410 made of the .022 Ishwata
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8340568110.jpg
With minor upgrades, 700 wheels, Superbe brakes, Suntour MTB derailleurs. Currently sporting 700-35 with plenty of rooom for fenders. This does not have seatstay braze-ons that many do.

Chain ring differential
 

That 20 tooth differential seems adventurous. What FD are you shifting it with?

Cheers.

Brad

531 is the steel designation, and can be found in straight (none-butted) tubing, butted and gauged for touring, thinner gauges for racing, and hearty mountain bike frames.
Having said that, I’m most familiar with Trek frames, so I can add some models

TX700 frames are touring dimensions, but have caliper brakes and not too many brazed attachment points.
TX500 are the same dimensions, using full Ishiwata 022 tubing, which I’d consider to be just as nice riding.

The Trek 720 is full 531

The 620 is 531 main triangle and chromo fork and stays.

The later 80s (I think 87 and 88?) 520s are also 531, but the earlier 80s are 501 chromo.

The Raleigh International is a 531 light tourer, similar to the TX700 except they can be inconsistent on build quality.

The Raleigh competition is the racing model, but some of the earlier years they had very relaxed geo like the Int. Most are tighter, but you can find them with relaxed touring geometry now and again.

I used to have a Zebra “tour de force” that was full Ishiwata 022, but it had a bent frame so I junked it. I would love to see how one of those handled.

I’m not very familiar with French or Italian makes.

1981 Dawes Echelon 531 butted tubing, but I read that's just the triangle, the stays are straight gauge chromoly.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...25c73d6101.jpg

Don’t forget the Panasonic built Schwinns, World Traveler and World Voyageur. Tange cro-mo tubes.

It sounds more courageous than it is. The Gran Tour uses a Shimano CX70, but a plain old Deore MT from the mid 80’s was pretty good too. I’ve shifted this same crank with a 50/28 set of rings using a DA7400 FD on IAD’s Coppi ride in Wisconsin a couple of years ago.

I currently run 44-26 with a campy nuovo record fd. No sweat!
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7849c44e21.jpg