Sorry if this is a stupid question.

I've seen a few bikes referred to as a "501" but I have no idea what that means.

I tried searching this forum (no hits for 501, a couple for "501 bike", none that made sense to me), and google (millions of hits, none of the ones I looked at made any sense).

Thanks in advance,
Steve

Possibly "105"? If so, that is a line of Shimano components.

501 is a type of Reynolds steel tubing.

Thanks Ziemas.
Great quote by the way, sums up the view I have of most IT consultants I work with.

Do people use 501 as a term to describe a type or class of bike or is it used specifically to refer to the steel tubing?
For example, if someone described a raleigh bike as a "501 bike" would that mean it is a good quality road bike from the mid 80's (for example), or does it specifically mean that the bike used the reynolds 501 steel tubing in it's construction?

Also, is 501 a good thing or a bad thing in a bike?

Thanks again,
Steve

I was thinking Levis button flys

Yeah, that bike is just the pants.

I don't think I've ever heard of the term "501" in a cycling context, and I know I've never heard of a Reynolds 501 steel tubing. I did a quick check of the Reynolds web site: no 501 steel mentioned there. Steve2k, can you provide a link to a web site or other citation that uses the term in context?

I think 501 was a straight gauge steel tubing (with seems) that was used in relatively low end bikes in the 1980s.

I think he meant 531.

https://www.reynoldscycles.co.uk/steel531.html

I saw the reynolds site, I assume 501 is an older method and the 531 is newer (although they talk about 631 now on their site)

I was looking for information for a bike I saw on ebay then I read the term on a post on this site:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...+Record+Sprint

Then I realised I had no idea what a "mid range 501 bike" meant, I assumed by the way it was used in the post, that it was a commonly used term. I guess not.
Cheers, Steve

531 predates 501 (1980s). 531 was the Reynolds flagship steel for decades. I don't think it (501) is made any longer. I have certainly seen the 501 sticker before (on a few 1980s low end treks). It certainly did exist, and a I said I am pretty sure that it was a seemed tubing with no butting.

https://www.equusbicycle.com/bike/reynolds/reynolds.htm

Then what's 801?

Y'know, from the Eno song where they sing "We are the 801, we are the central shaft" ?

Tune is called "The True Wheel", so it *must* be a cycling reference, right?

Nice, the question is solved.

That's the 411.

853 is the Jam, though.

You know how everyone wants Ultegra even though 105 is perfectly good?

That's the way 531 tubing is compared to 501.