British Eagles Reynolds 531cs

[BretonM]

Hello again,
After your comments on the Dentons Cycles frame, I have decided to look for something more complete. I have found a lovely British Eagles bike in great condition.
It has a Reynolds 531cs frame which I believe stands for competition sports (do correct me if I'm wrong).
The bike looks great and my intentions are to ride it up until times of better weather (spring/summer) and to sell it.
I am getting the bike tomorrow for £85 and wanted to know your opinion on the price I got it for and the quality of the frame and parts.
Many thanks,
Breton.

 

[Cycleops]

A great buy for £85. Looks like its had little use. Even the Michelin tyres are in good nick. Seems odd they've used 531cs for the main tubes but 501 on the forks.

 

[biggs682]

@BretonM that looks good but prefer the Denton

 

[S-Express]

It has a Reynolds 531cs frame which I believe stands for competition sports (do correct me if I'm wrong).

CS stands for 'club sports' - a tubeset with 531 main tubes and 501 fork legs.

 

[BretonM]

CS stands for 'club sports' - a tubeset with 531 main tubes and 501 fork legs.

Thanks. I must admit that's new to me. It's interesting that they used 501 forks.
Thanks for the info.

 

[Spiderweb]

A nice find and you'll get your money back when you come to sell.

 

[BretonM]

@BretonM that looks good but prefer the Denton

Yeah I do like the Denton but I cannot contact the seller anymore so I don't know about it.

 

[BretonM]

A nice find and you'll get your money back when you come to sell.

That's great. It's not a big frame either. Both the bikes I've previously bought have had very large frame sizes which make them quite a hard sale.
Thanks.

 

[Drago]

Thanks. I must admit that's new to me. It's interesting that they used 501 forks.
Thanks for the info.

501 is a Cro-Mo, roughly analogous to 4130, which itself shares very similar mechanical properties to 531, so not such a unusual choice.

Looks to be a very nice bike.

 

[Fab Foodie]

That looks a treat, I recently rebuilt a BE Touristique for my lad and it rides really nicely .... (better than my custom 853 Rourke). Definitely a keeper especially in that condition. 501 forks of that era are fine, they're nice and springy just a tad heavier than 531 that's all. I bet she feels lively and comfortable ... in a flexy kind of way :-)

 

[Drago]

I could be wrong (I usually am) but the CrMo gives greater flexibility for welding types and techniques, so they may have done it to enable a stronger join for the fork blades.

 

[T4tomo]

Found this which explains the various Reynolds tube sets
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sashae/2072364171/sizes/o/
I assume 501 gave a bit more strength to the forks but not sure. Not unusual to have main triangle from 1 tube set and stays and forks from another.

 

[Astral]

I am now looking after this particular Eagle. 501 was the usual for forks and stays with 531cs. It's a 'Crusader' circa 1987 made for Audax riding I would say. Nice angles, cast drop-outs. Reasonably well spec'd and very light for a bike of that period. Lovely Astral blue that I do not want to remove, but there is a bit of rust and it does need a new coat of something for protection soon. Original brake blocks it would seem and barely any wear!

The Regina Extra 6 sp 14-28 freewheel ticks very sweetly, but will make way for a 7 probably as the shifting is not pleasant. The fairly rare Simplex SX440 GT (version 3) rear mech will be retained. New stems and wider bars probably and if staying with drops, the Modolo brake levers will need new hoods. The quirky cantilever brakes work well.

I have contacted the son of Ernie Clements (who ran the Newtown factory from 1983-85) and he has contacted a former worker from the late 1980's about the bike, but they cannot identify it from memory or from any company literature. One other Crusader is known about, but that is it. Safe to say it is rare to the point of near total obscurity...

 

[Pomby]

Breton I have read the posts with interest. I have an identical British Eagle Crusader which I bought from new in 1988. Its been a brilliant bike and it does seem to have a nice cushioned ride. Took it out this afternoon for a spin, lovely to ride.

 

[Astral]

Breton I have read the posts with interest. I have an identical British Eagle Crusader which I bought from new in 1988. Its been a brilliant bike and it does seem to have a nice cushioned ride. Took it out this afternoon for a spin, lovely to ride.

Pomby, I'm interested that you bought yours from new. Mine has a couple of date stamps from 1987. I'm guessing it was a limited production just for that year? Took mine out this afternoon and agree the ride is good. I've got rid of the drops because they were too narrow and the shifting was poor. I have replaced with flat bars, Sora flat bar STI (ST-R221) and a 7 speed freewheel (thin axle spacer used drive side). Works a treat.