Hence no other bike company is as proactive when it comes to tube specification as Raleigh. Any new frame design, compenient or manufacturing techniques gets a dawn appointment with Raleigh's infamous testing departmnet. Here burised metal is battered into submission by loads unrepetable in the real world, with cyclical testing often thousands of times beyond the feasible. The rumours of steel's demise have been over-exaggerated.
Steel is back in a big way.
Born in the aerospace industry, both 853 and 631 are air hardening and incorporate the novel party trick of actually getting stonger after fame jointing. The heat treated 853 has strength to weight ratio of titanium, whilst 631 rivals the numbers of 7005 aluminium. 631 ROAD Superb lightweight Reynolds 631 frame. Ideally suited as an entry level performance frameset.