Lovely Bicycle blog

Restoring to What Never Was
lovelybike.blogspot.com/2016/02/restoring-what-never-was.html

AnonymousFebruary 26, 2016 at 4:34 PM


If Owen is thinking about riding not displaying a few words of caution about 753 tubing are in order. 753 was brittle. Reynolds always insisted that 753 could not safely be coldset. When first displayed on these pages the frame in question had mashed seat lug ears and a bulge in the seat tube just below the lug. In other words it had been coldset, under adverse circumstances.

Reynolds also,insisted that 753 was for racing, period. Race frames are expendable. No one expects them to last. Compared to other late 70s exotics as Teledyne Titan or Exxon Graftek the 753 frames were rugged and dependable. Keeping them alive and in use for decades was never contemplated.

There were frames with 753 stickers that were just for show. Reynolds had other light tube sets. It's just possible the frame is still serviceable. But it is doubtful. I wouldn't ride that thing around the block without getting it magnafluxed first. My #1 bike is 66 years old, Reynolds, and I beat it up over cobblestones. No worries. That 753 is scary.
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