Originally Posted by Andy_K

It occurs to me that I'm settling into the role of retro-grouch here. I guess I'm looking at top quality bikes from the 70's and 80's and saying that the tubes they used were good enough, so why do we need new tubing?

But reflecting on it today I can appreciate your enthusiasm for the improved tubing of the late 80's and beyond, even if it's not my thing. As someone who is constantly putting indexed shifters on bikes from an earlier period, it's kind of ironic that I'm taking the skeptical position on the tubing. To each his own, I suppose.

For the sake of continuing the conversation, I'll tell you what's in my garage currently. I've got five bikes with Columbus SL, four with full double-butted Reynolds 531, two with Reynolds 531 main triangle, one with Reynolds 853, one with Specialized "Special Series Touring" (a mix of Tange 1 and Tange 2), one with Specialized's "Special Series Racing" (on a 3Rensho-built Allez, so I think maybe Ishiwata), one Columbus SLX/SPX mix (the Bianchi reviewed here), one Columbus SLX, one Columbus Thron, one Columbus Genius, one 3/2.5 titanium, and three aluminum (two 6061 and whatever Cannondale used in the late 80's. There is a lot of correlation between the age of these bikes and the tubing they used. All of the ones from the 70's have either Reynolds 531 or Columbus SL. The ones with Reynolds 853, Columbus Thron, Columbus Genius and Titanium are from the late 90's or early 2000's. The ones with 6061 aluminum are mid 2010's. Everything else is from the 80's. I'm not sure there's much correlation between tubing and which ones I enjoy riding the most.

Among these, the one with the most comfortable ride and yet still sporty is the Special Series Touring tubes (1983 Specialized Sequoia). I'm happy with them all, though the SLX (1987 Pinarello Montello) is probably my least favorite. The Columbus Genius and the Reynolds 853 are probably the ones that are most up to your standards in terms of technology. They're both great, but as a heavy rider (~250 pounds) I'm a little nervous about the Genius and the skinny 22-year old carbon fork paired with the 853 (LeMond) seems like a time bomb waiting to got off. They're both very light though.