Framebuilders - (possibly annoying)designer steel query

Hiya.

I'm a heavy/pleasantly plump/portly/fatback/rolly-polly type of gent. However ya wanna call it, the scale says I weigh about 250lbs. I'm looking into getting a custom frame built; a 26"wheeled hardtail, for trail-usage, designed around a 5" travel fork. I'm about 5'11" and typically ride a 18" frame when such sized frames are available. The folks I'm lookin' at work with Reynolds tubesets, and I'm wondering if I ought to go with the 725 or the 853.

Now, before anyone says "Dude, did you even search? We hate it when ppl ask questions similar to other questions!", I'll tell you that I have searched. I've researched the tubesets. I'm aware that people will tell me the relative tensile strengths of the 2 tubesets. I have already seen countless documents that list the properties of 725 and 853 in numerical terms that make little difference to me. I know that at least 6 of you will type "*you*'d never know the difference!". I realize that some clever person will say "all steel weighs the same". Someone else will toss in the red herring, with some reference to true temper S3 or something. Many of you will hate me for resurrecting an old topic, and I apologize. For some people, maybe online forums like this are going to generate more frustration than they do enjoyment...

Anyway, I'm really sorry for posting a question on the board, but I'll try to keep it simple and I'm hoping to insert a novel topic to the discussion, which is myself and my selfish desires as a cyclist. Y'all have yet to hash that one out on this boards. I'm looking more for "pimpness" than I am a specific weight. I'm looking at oversize tubing for stiffness, because I'm heavy. I'm asking a very basic question here: Given what I've told you, should I go 725 for freak factor, or spring the extra $150 for the stiffness/trickness/strength of the 853?

Humbly thanking you in advance,
-rob

I have more than 20 steel bikes, all variety of tubesets, custom and noncustom. My humble opinion: Get the 853. I may be fooling myself (or you, though not intentionally) when I say that my 853 customs feel the best, but I'll say it anyway. FWIW: I weigh anywhere from 200 to 220, depending on the season, how close we are to the Deathride, and whether i just got back from vacation.

The important thing is the diameter and thickness of the tubes being used, whether or not the metal is 725 or 853 is insignificant.

You need to find a builder to work with and then discuss what tube brand he likes to use. There are equivalent tubes available from all the various suppliers and none of them is better/worse than the others.

For a large rider I strongly suggest using at minimum a 35mm down tube. Get something fairly thick like .8/.6 with long butts. Top and seat tube can be 31.75.

Good luck and hope this helps.

The important thing is the diameter and thickness of the tubes being used,

Ding!! That is the correct answer. Gold star for Ness.

You would be better off on a 34.9mm 725 DT than you would on a 32mm 853 DT. You would be better off on most any type of 35mm DT than you would on a 32mm DT.

Make sure the tubing selection has the proper butt lengths to accomodate the frame size you need. I'm sure your builder will take care of that and make the necessary recommendations.

thank you for your advice; it was very helpful. I intend to have the thing built as beefy as possible, as I want to ride it for the foreseeable future.

-rob

red herring "myself and my selfish desires" hash

What else is on the menu?