I took apart my old TREK 500 (original owner) last week to see if i could get the bent frameset straightened. With the TREK 500 at 24.5" in one hand, which is reynolds 501 tubing, and with a Raleigh Competition in the other hand, 22.5" of 531 double-butted throughout, i couldn't really feel a difference !!
I think that 501 tubing treks were and are a bargain. Plus, you get just about 1 part from every company that ever made a bike part *snicker*.
Whatever happened to mix-n-match bikes ?? If Trek were still making bikes today like they did back then - nobody would have grouppos for sale and Shimano would not be the oppressive 900 gorilla that it is today ...
- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA