Road Cycling - Cro-Mo stays, Reynolds 853 front

The stays on my new Fuji Roubaix-Pro are double-butted Crom-moly, while the front triangle is Reynolds 853.

Is there a reason for making the stays of different material other than expense? Does it improve the ride somehow or is it just a cost-saving method?

In this case, it just to save money. Sometimes different material is used to improve ride, as in the case of carbon fiber stays. BTW, 853 is considered CrMo, too. Just a different combination of metals that can be made thinner, and has good TIG welding properties.

Reynolds 853 is used in the front triangle as opposed to rear stays, because Reynolds has not firgured out a way they like to make that tubing in the small diameter's that rear stays require, and still hold that same 853 feel. Sometimes you will see 853 main tubes and 725 or 525 stays.

Thanks for the replies.

What further baffles me is that the Reynolds 853 label on the seat post says "butted frame AND STAYS" (my emphasis), implying that they're all made of 853.

But if Reynolds can't figure out how to make the stays to their satisfaction, that's cool.

Hey, as long as the frame holds together and rides well, I'm happy. Just curious about the labeling, though.

Butted refers to the fact that the tube walls are thicker at the ends, not to any particular alloy.

The 525 rear triangle is indeed to save money.
Reynolds has as well a complete frame out of 853.
Lemond bikes come in both styles: Reynolds 853 Pro steel and Reynolds 853 select steel.

http://www.lemondbikes.com/tech-center/tech_materials.html#853Select