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Trek True Temper?

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Old 10-12-14, 06:21 AM
  #51  
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Originally Posted by Ro1
A lot of discussion regarding True Temper and Trek. I believe Trek did spec specific tubing from trek and had it "custom drawn" as mentioned in their brochures. I believe also it was Trek and Giant were the few with seamless tubing despite True Temper being a "general supplier" of steel.
Wow, this a zombie thread.

I've had a Trek 400 with Reynolds 531 and a Trek 400 with True Temper, and there is very little difference in ride quality or unwanted frame flex. Both bikes are very nice mid-range sports bikes. I actually like the paint and the divetrain on the True Temper bike a little more than the earlier Reynolds 531 bike.




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Old 10-12-14, 07:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Ro1
A lot of discussion regarding True Temper and Trek. I believe Trek did spec specific tubing from trek and had it "custom drawn" as mentioned in their brochures. I believe also it was Trek and Giant were the few with seamless tubing despite True Temper being a "general supplier" of steel.
Trek was TrueTemper's first big customer for bike tubing, and the tubing was patterned after Columbus SL for wall thickness and butting. But it was not seamless tubing; that's what made it much cheaper than Columbus and Reynolds 531.
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Old 10-12-14, 08:09 AM
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It was all brought on by the temperance movement of the eighties.
True Temper Factory Visit | geekhouse
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Old 10-12-14, 08:09 AM
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Thats what all the dealers claimed back then. What then was "custom drawn" tubing?
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Old 10-12-14, 08:21 AM
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I've had a couple of True Temper bikes. I actually liked the Schwinn Traveler. But I think I went into that with lower expectations than the Trek, which I just didn't care for.
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Old 10-12-14, 08:26 AM
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Custom drawn means the tubing is drawn from the billet, or raw steel, according to specifications set by the manufacturer, as regards thickness, diameter, and cross-section. If building a custom bicycle, these may have to be varied across different sized bicycles to achieve the same ride and performance .
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Old 10-12-14, 08:55 AM
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Originally Posted by JohnDThompson
Trek was TrueTemper's first big customer for bike tubing, and the tubing was patterned after Columbus SL for wall thickness and butting. But it was not seamless tubing; that's what made it much cheaper than Columbus and Reynolds 531.

Columbus also sold welded and formed double butted tubing. CROMOR performs very well and is sufficiently well regarded.
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Old 10-12-14, 09:50 AM
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I have a Trek 400 ('84?) with TT tubing, and a Trek 500 ('86) with 531 main tubes. I like the feel of the 500 better, though it is a tighter geometry (700c) vs. a 27" wheel frame on the 400. Both are 54cm frames. My son (who has the 400) likes it better. Go figure. Probably influenced by the 500 having fenders (uncool), etc.
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Old 10-12-14, 10:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Barrettscv
Columbus also sold welded and formed double butted tubing. CROMOR performs very well and is sufficiently well regarded.
Yeah, and we looked at Aelle (Chromor wasn't out at that time), but decided on TrueTemper I think because it was easier to source large quantities from Tennessee than from Italy. And I think they cut us a good deal for being their first large customer.
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Old 10-12-14, 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Pars
I have a Trek 400 ('84?) with TT tubing, and a Trek 500 ('86) with 531 main tubes. I like the feel of the 500 better, though it is a tighter geometry (700c) vs. a 27" wheel frame on the 400. Both are 54cm frames. My son (who has the 400) likes it better. Go figure. Probably influenced by the 500 having fenders (uncool), etc.
Pretty sure an 84 Trek 400 is going to be Tange Mangalloy. Nice riding stuff.
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Old 09-29-17, 07:39 PM
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Originally Posted by i-timy
snap the trutemper or tange with your finger nail and it makes a sweet 'TING!' Now spin around and try the same on your schwinn varsity 'thunk'

I had a 80's Schwinn Le Tour that was 4130 true temper double butted. That was a fantastic bike.
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