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What do you think of this frame damage (Reynolds 531)?

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What do you think of this frame damage (Reynolds 531)?

Old 08-14-15, 07:01 AM
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What do you think of this frame damage (Reynolds 531)?

This is my 1951 Raleigh Lenton Sports:


The frame is made of straight gauge Reynolds 531 tubing.

There is a ripple in the steel on the lower side of the down tube. It is subtle, but you can see it in the center of this photo:



Zooming out a little, you can still see it here:



The ripple is about two inches below the end of the lug; a full three inches below the head tube. It is not severe enough to measurably affect the frame geometry or the ride (it rides straight, steering isn't wonky). I detect no other signs of frame damage; no irregularities to either top tube or fork.

My question is, can a head-on crash cause this kind of damage so far down the tube? If so, what preserved the top section; that is, why didn't it bend right below the end of the lug, rather than two inches down?

I have two theories:

1. They built the frame with a bent tube (and it hasn't been crashed)

2. They built the frame with a butted tube (and it has been crashed; and the ripple is just below the end of the butted section).

Thoughts?
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Old 08-14-15, 07:25 AM
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Classic front end crash damage where the lug was heated up a lot during the build. This transfers the HAZ further down the DT and a weak area corresponds with the butt end. Any way the ripple looks to be pretty minimal. I'd be more concerned about HT/ST twist alignment then HT push back. Andy.
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Old 08-14-15, 07:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Andrew R Stewart
Classic front end crash damage where the lug was heated up a lot during the build. This transfers the HAZ further down the DT and a weak area corresponds with the butt end. Any way the ripple looks to be pretty minimal. I'd be more concerned about HT/ST twist alignment then HT push back. Andy.
So, you assume the tube is butted?
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Old 08-14-15, 08:23 AM
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since you said it was straight gauge, I assume it's not butted. It's probably at the edge of the heat affected zone. Definitely a frontal collision
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Old 08-14-15, 06:11 PM
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I don't assume anything. Just saying what I've seen before. But I will say that my experience with 1970s bike boom Raleighs was that actual spec was all across the board. Granted this bike isn't of that era. Andy.
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Old 08-15-15, 08:48 AM
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I wouldn't even assume its 531Reynolds tube set. . particularly since its a 3 speed .
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Old 08-17-15, 08:57 AM
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
I wouldn't even assume its 531Reynolds tube set. . particularly since its a 3 speed .
Well, yeah, I take your point... but it definitely has a decal that says
REYNOLDS
'531'
T U B I N G

or something like that.

Anyway, many thanks, gentlemen! I appreciate your input.
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Old 08-18-15, 11:31 AM
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I see Age, not Damage, myself, from this remote viewing position ..
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