A while back i bought a frame off ebay after looking for ages for a 531 steel 56cm frame. I was a little uncertain of it as it was a very obscure make and had no sticker but the vendor was insistent. I've just got it back after getting it powder coated - powder coater told me it was definitely not 531, in fact its not even a British steel at all and very poor quality. Moral is, make sure you know what you are getting on ebay. I've blown 130 on a frame i now don't want and the whole project is now forfeit.
frame not what i thought it was
- Thread starter Jezston
- Start date
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I'd be amazed if anyone could tell the nationality of a metal by looking at it. Was there something on it to identify it? What was it? Did you see it before you sent it to the powder coater? Bad luck if it's not what you wanted, but bikes are for riding, if it rides OK what does it matter who made the tubes?
Well by 'definitely not British' I mean he said it's nothing like any Reynolds or Columbus tubing.
Sorry to have a moan, but I'm just getting quite down about the whole project. I wanted a bike that wasn't going to be too much of a compromise (although within what I could afford), I didn't want an off the shelf bike as I wanted something that was MINE, would last me for years and that I would love. Now I'm not sure I wish to proceed riding a bike knowing the frame is something I was cheated on.
Considering going back to the vendor telling him what I've learned and giving him three options:
1. Full refund, he gets the frame back albeit now stripped and powdercoated, I leave no feedback.
2. Half refund, I keep the frame, I leave no feedback.
3. No refund, he gets bad feedback.
Thing is it's his word against mine. I can't PROVE it's not 531 without sending it off to a lab to be melted down and tested!
The whole thing has become very depressing. Although it is that time of year when everything becomes very depressing!
Sorry to have a moan, but I'm just getting quite down about the whole project. I wanted a bike that wasn't going to be too much of a compromise (although within what I could afford), I didn't want an off the shelf bike as I wanted something that was MINE, would last me for years and that I would love. Now I'm not sure I wish to proceed riding a bike knowing the frame is something I was cheated on.
Considering going back to the vendor telling him what I've learned and giving him three options:
1. Full refund, he gets the frame back albeit now stripped and powdercoated, I leave no feedback.
2. Half refund, I keep the frame, I leave no feedback.
3. No refund, he gets bad feedback.
Thing is it's his word against mine. I can't PROVE it's not 531 without sending it off to a lab to be melted down and tested!
The whole thing has become very depressing. Although it is that time of year when everything becomes very depressing!
If you can't tell it's not 531, how can the powder coater? You say it was an obscure make. what is that. I still say if you liked it enough to get it powder coated you may still like to ride it, only one way to find out.
If the seller sold it in good faith and you can't prove it's not as described I doubt you have any case. I think the fact you've stripped it and had it powder coated means you've accepted the goods.
Zoiders
New Member
- Location
- Ice Station Zebra
If it's true 531 it should take a 27.2 seat post.
Smaller and it's gas pipe or a plain gauge chromoly frame.
Smaller and it's gas pipe or a plain gauge chromoly frame.
Not necessarily, 531 in 26.8 here;
http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=44791
I had a nice DB Carlton frame that was 27mm seatpost.
RecordAceFromNew
Swinging Member
- Location
- West London
Have you weigh it?
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
err, nope. other quality tubesets, with double butting, use smaller than 27.2 seat posts.
krushavik
New Member
- Location
- Warrington Cheshire.
Once its in your mind that you are not keen on the frame you'll never be happy. Every time you go on the thing you will think how you were done and not enjoy your ride. Get rid of it and put in down to lesson learnt.
numbnuts
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
Before you go to bed say this 50 times “my frame IS a 531” and then carry on with project. 
Zoiders
New Member
- Location
- Ice Station Zebra
Reynolds the manufacturer sold it's 531 tube stock to frame buiders, it was manufactured with a 27.2 internal diameter, it came out of the steel works like that. A hell of a lot of frames get marked as "531" that may contain only a few butted tubes so you might get a different plain gauge seat tube. I doubt a Carlton that really is butted 531 on the seat tube will differ from 27.2, especialy if it's a Raleigh built one from the Lenton site.
The OP asked if it was 531 not if it was some other good quality tube set.
So if it's not 27.2 then it's not 531 butted, that doesn't mean it is not 4130 chromoly of some other flavour, Reynolds offered other plain gauge tubes in 27.0.
The thread on the Holdsworth - later Holdsworths were just rebadged plain gauge Raleigh/TI frames, often plain gauge, sticking "531" stickers on unbutted frames was a common practice.
So - err, yes.
Well you've ignored the link to Chris Juden's post on the CTC forum giving an example of non 27.2 531, maybe you'll also ignore this one from Sheldon Brown;
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/seatpost-sizes.html
