Touring - Touring Frames

Want to build my own touring bike but not sure about the frame. Heard that reynolds 531st was perfect for touring but they weren't making it anymore. What other frames are right up a touring lads alley?

If I were building up a tourer, I'd look seriously at the Surly Long Haul Trucker (http://www.surlybikes.com/hotmetal/new_longhaul.html). It's brand new and so, unproven, but worth a closer look. I'd certainly want to compare it to other frames that are out there. They're marked at about $400.00.

531 is still listed on their website and the microalloy 853 sounds even better!
http://www.reynolds-cycle.com/internet/english/prodrange/steel/steel.htm
Zona tubing by Columbus is used by Marinoni for their touring frame for example.
http://www.marinoni.qc.ca/html/2004/eng_turismo.asp (this is my dream bike)
http://www.columbustubi.com/english/acciaio/index.htm
Other steel to look at is TrueTemper, they make some great tubing like the OX Platinum and the Versus HT and Versus.
Not sure on your location but Thorn at st johns cycles in the UK is very reputable and in America you should find a plethora of good frames and builders.

So what is the “best” steel for touring?

Are you planning to build the frame?

Hi,
there is credit card touring, camp touring, expedition touring. Which will you be doing? Companies that make steel touring bikes are Waterford, Rivendell, Heron.

531 is still listed on their website and the microalloy 853 sounds even better!
http://www.reynolds-cycle.com/internet/english/prodrange/steel/steel.htm
Zona tubing by Columbus is used by Marinoni for their touring frame for example.
http://www.marinoni.qc.ca/html/2004/eng_turismo.asp (this is my dream bike)
http://www.columbustubi.com/english/acciaio/index.htm
Other steel to look at is TrueTemper, they make some great tubing like the OX Platinum and the Versus HT and Versus.
Not sure on your location but Thorn at st johns cycles in the UK is very reputable and in America you should find a plethora of good frames and builders.

So what is the “best” steel for touring?

the problem with 853 is that it is a really thin tubeset. I'm not sure it would be the best for touring, where reliability is key. but who knows, 853 might hold up.

What made 531 ST great IMO for touring was it had butted wall thicknesses as great as 1.2/.9/1.2 . It was plenty stiff enough for a heavy load and it wouldn't dent if the bike fell over or fold up from a minor crash. They still make 531 DB. But from what I'm told they are only making limited runs now in .9/.6/.9 wall. Used to be you could buy the tubes off the shelf, now you have to buy mininum quanities and Reynolds no longer has a USA based distributor so you pay shipping from GB.
It is very difficult if not impossible to find butted tubing in the standard frame sizes( 1.0, 1.125, 1.250) with butts thicker than .9/.6/.9 and even that thickness is becoming increasingly difficult to find. when I built the current frame I ride last spring I had to buy straight gauge 4130N to get more durable tubing.

Beautiful...frame & fork $990 until Jan 1, then goes up to $1400...Grant Peterson is right!...lugged steel by Toyo for half $ of custom...did I mention beautiful?

BillyBear,
what did I miss? Which frame is $990?

Rivendell Atlantis.

Also, don't forget Thorn bikes for everything from light touring frames to hardcore expedition frames.