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I have heard this a few times. So may ask that comparing cheapish 4130 frame to 953. What would be What weight difference or stiffness? (Given the same diameter tubings all round) Would anyone even notice?
The weight of your wallet will be much lighter after 953 that I do know.
wildwest-
It's hard to put into words, but a quality steel frame isn't just lighter, it has a definite feel to it, in that it it's almost springy, it whips about a little, it's compliant. It just has a better ride quality.
I'll be putting it up on here so sale soon as I don't ride it any more for several reasons. but one of my favourite bikes is a early battered 80's 531 road frame that's been set up as a fixie for years. Cinelli drops and stem, dead simple, but it rides beautifully. It's "only" 531c, but it's just so nice.
So yeah, you'd notice the difference, you really would, although how much is up to you.
jj72
Reynolds used to produce a basic tubeset which consisted of 531 main tubes and presumably plain gauge (501?) stays - the green and black sticker read "made with 531 main tubes".
There was a guy in one Brit MTB magazine who claimed he could tell the difference between two bikes, one with a full 531 tubeset and the other with main tubes only. I wrote back and said if you can tell the difference in the Young's modulus between the two on a mountainbike, with a 2" tyre, uphill, in mud, then please come and work for me because you're far more sensitive than any of the test equipment I had at the time. I got a rather snotty reply back, heh.
Oh, and double butting on tubes (and single butting on fork blades) is done mostly to save weight rather than for ride quality. The thinner centre section is as thin as the tube needs to be for strength, and the ends are thicker because that's where they are brazed. Think of it as the centre thickness is how the tube should be; if tubes were glued, for example, they wouldn't need to be butted so they could be as thin as the centre section throughout their whole length. I don't think I've explained that very well, mind.