Although I knew there had never been a connection between Reynolds Wrap and Reynolds bicycle tubing, and have often chuckled when I saw an eBay or CL listing for a Reynolds 531 frame stating the material was aluminum, I never bothered to research the histories of the two companies until I read this thread.


kudos to Wikipedia.

Reynolds aluminum foil is made by ALCOA, which purchased Reynolds Metals Company in 2000. Reynolds Metals Company was founded in 1919 as the U.S. Foil Company, headquartered in Louisville, KY, by Richard S. Reynolds, Sr., nephew of tobacco king R.J. Reynolds.

Reynolds bicycle tubing is made by Reynolds Cycle Technology based in Birmingham, England, and established in 1898 as "The Patent Butted Tube Company." The parent company from which The Patent Butted Tube Company was spun off in 1898 was originally founded by John Reynolds in 1841 to manufacture nails.