Michael-
Like Masi, Legnano and Frejus (plus others), Italian builders including Atala used Reynolds tubing instead of Columbus or Falck, just many Italian brands used Brooks saddles instead of Unicas. I am not sure when and if there was eventually a whole concerted shift to Italian tubing on Italian bike. The fact that Reynolds was even used by the Italians is surely a testiment to its quality. Plus I think Reynolds tubing came out in the early 1930s and Columbus "may" not have come out until much later. How much later I dunno, but am sure somebody on this list can tell you.
Best Regards-
Nels Cone
Seattle WA
> From: cyclo_one@verizon.net
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 18:31:30 -0400
> Subject: [CR] Need info on Atala Record Pro
>
>
>
> Fellow Bike Nuts:
>
> I just picked up a 1977 Atala Record Professional. I say '77 because
> that's the date on the cranks and rear derailleur. The frame has a
> Reynolds 531 decal on the seat tube. This seems pretty odd. I've
> checked the CR page and find nothing about these bikes using Reynolds
> tubing, so I wonder if a previous owner added the decal. Could this
> frame really be made from 531? ?
>
> Michael Allison
> New York, NY