Can anyone provide me info on Reynolds 501 tubing? I am having trouble finding any info referencing this including reynolds site. It seems to have been used in the late 70's to early 80's.

To the best of my knowledge, it is a seamed, chromium molybdenum tubing, suitable for tig welding.

How does it compare to 531? They seem to have both been available. What different strength, weight, ride quality, etc differences do they have?

I don't know what a tube set of 501 weighs or what the wall thicknesses are, but Reynolds 531 is a cold drawn, seamless tube set that has a different metallurgical composition. 531 comes in a wide variety of wall thicknesses that will produce a variety of weight and ride characteristics. 501 may also. In the lab, seamed cro mo is generally considered to be a lower grade tubing than seamless cold drawn, but on the road one may need experience riding many different bikes with many different tubesets to tell the difference.

Reynolds 501 is AISI 4130 standard chromium-molybdenum alloy; Reynolds 531 has about 1.5% manganese added.

It seems that 501 is actually aluminum if I have collected correct information from some other sites.

Uh, what sites would those be?

A general rule of thumb with Reynolds tubing is the higher the number the 'fancier' the tubes. 501 was at the low end of the Reynolds spectrum. 501 is a steel tubing.

Thanks for posting the illustrations of the Reynolds transfers and Constructors Tube Guide. I've never seen all that info in one place before. Great stuff.

Love the poster. I have had it saved somewhere safe for a while
Never ever seen a 453 frame though!

True Temper tubing, considered by most framebuilders to be as good as any, is rolled from sheet and welded. This includes their golf shafts which are used but almost all the top professionals. The argument in favor of this method is that the wall thickness starts out very consistent, prior to butting manipulation, and post weld heat treatment erases evidence of the weld on the metallurgical level. Not trying to be contrary but just pointing out that some urban legends are just not true. I'm sure on some level that welded tubing is lower grade but it doesn't have to be that way if the manufacturer wants to make it otherwise.

I bought my only new bike back in 84, and 501 bikes were always further down the range, and heavier, than 531, but lighter than chrome-moly or whatever Acme Brand X steel tubing. It was the sort of tubing they used on "sports bikes", the kind with the bikini fenders that didn't do anything - ie it was supposed to tempt those who wanted to feel like Eddie, but didn't want to drop the money on a road race bike.

That was awesome info. The poster is great. Thanks for all the input.