-----Original Message-----
>>>my recollection is that the "R" in 753R stands for Record and indicates
an
even lighter tube set - i.e. something to be used when
building bikes for things like the Hour Record, time
trials or ordinary frames for smaller professional
cyclists like Robert Millar.
But I could be wrong,
Fred Rednor<<<
I seem to recall having a 753 variant CR discussion a while back, and never coming to any real conclusion. I have an '89 Merckx built with 753 (no letter designation). My weight fluctuates from the low 170's (in season) to low 180's (probably now), and I put many, many miles on the Merckx without a hint of problem. I also have an '85 Raleigh team frame and an '85 Trek track frame, both built with 753R. I haven't weighed the two frames but the Raleigh seemed lighter than the Merckx, if memory serves. Since the Raleigh and the Trek were both competition specific frames, I would assume that the R designation had something to do with "racing" frames, but who knows. I'd sure like to figure it out one of these days.
Wayne Bingham
Falls Church VA