On 06/11/2010 09:58 AM, jim abt wrote:
> Hi: I am not sure what the down play of Tange and Champion are (I do
> not think that Freek Faro is doing that he is simply mentioning that
> why someone in Europe would be using Japan steel chromoly, I am sure,
> but I have been meaning to bring up the point for some time). Please
> someone explain. I have had my hands on a share of European bikes and
> the Reynolds 531's and also the afore mentioned Japanese bikes and
> the paint jobs and the finish on the Tange steel frames were left far
> superior and seemed to hold their own over time in comparison to any
> other.
My experience with Tange tubing is that out of the box it has a much nicer finish than Reynolds, possibly because the Reynolds tooling was older, but the Tange tubes appeared to actually have a brushed finish.
Tange Champion #2 tubing was essentially identical to Columbus SL in composition, wall thickness and butting. It even had the helical reinforcements in the steer tube (6 ribs vs Columbus' 5 ribs). Champion #1 was somewhat lighter, Champion #3 was somewhat heavier:
http://www.os2.dhs.org/
--
-John Thompson (john@os2.dhs.org)
Appleton WI USA