Bicycle Frame Tube Information

Below is a table I’ve maintained for about 17 years. Somehow, it didn’t make it to my last site, so I got it out, brushed it off, and updated it a bit. There are some tubes that didn’t make it from the older version because they are no longer manufactured and a few new items have been added. While most of the tubes listed can be acquired, I don’t offer all of them. I’ve included everything I could find in the spirit of completeness, but only offer those that I believe are the best. This list will constantly be updated and improved as new tubes are introduced and as I collect more info on the tubes that are listed.

For those of you who are interested in older tubes, we’ve resurrected a tube spec table from our 1999 website that can be found here. Tubes that did not make the cut on this table can be found there.

Tubing	Alloy	Ultimate Strength	Minimum Elongation	Description
STEEL
Columbus XCr	Martensitic stainless steel with high content of Chromium, Molybdenum and Nickel.	NA	NA	The great weldability properties of the new XCr stainless steel, together with its high fatigue resistance and its extraordinary geometrical stability at high temperatures, make this material the natural element for welded structures, such as bicycle frames. Thanks to the high stiffness/weight and UTS/weight ratios (better than titanium and aluminium alloys) together with the elevated characteristics of corrosion resistance, it is possible to manufacture triple butted tubes to build extremely light and indestructible frames.
Columbus Life/Spirt	Niobium	177-205 KSI	14% Min	The extreme strength of this alloy allows Columbus to draw the tubes to thinner specifications than ever before, down to 0.38mm! The chemical makeup of this alloy produces excellent hardening and reduces the sensitivity to overheating by maintaining a fine-grained structure. This tubing is marginally heavier than aluminum while still possessing the strength and ride qualities of steel. Spirit tubes are 20% thinner for even more weight savings, and also offered in special shapes.
Columbus Zona	Nivacrom	134-149 KSI	10% Min	Nivacrom alloy has been developed especially for cycling with all considerations taken. The asymmetric double-butted tubes go through a series of treatments that homogenize the mechanical properties, giving the tubes great fatigue behavior and weld ability. This tube set produces a bike of moderate weight and notable strength with a compliant steel ride.
Reynolds 953	Maraging-Aging Stainless Steel	255-290 KSI	NA	This is Reynolds new “Super Steel”. Using what is at this time the strongest steel alloy Reynolds is able to make seamless butted tubes with exceptionally thin walls down to .3mm. 953 should be able to produce a sub three pound road race frame. Because it is stainless steel it is corrosion resistant and also can be polished. Appropriate for either TIG or brazed construction.
Reynolds 931	Precipitation-Hardening Stainless Steel	174-195 KSI	NA	At around 1300MPa tensile strength depending on heat-treatment, this steel is strong enough to be cold-drawn to tube walls around 0.4mm thick, offering light, competitive frame weights for durable frames with the RIDE OF STEEL.
Reynolds 921	Austenic Cold-Worked 21-6-9 Stainless Steel	NA	NA	As with all steels (ferrous and stainless), the stiffness modulus is high, allowing the use of small diameter tubes that can provide stiffness in a frame in other materials like aluminium or titanium.
Reynolds 853	Proprietary Air-Hardening Heat-Treated	180-210 KSI	10% Min	Reynolds 853 is made from a seamless steel alloy originally developed for the side impact beams on high performance cars. The term “air-hardening” refers to a special category of steels that when welded and allowed to cool in air, actually get harder in the weld area. Because this is normally the critical zone for fatigue life, 853 frames will out-perform conventional steel alloys due to this innovation.
Reynolds 631	Proprietary Air-Hardening	115-130 KSI	10% Min	This is the upgrade form the legendary “531” steel. The strength has gone up 10% allowing weight savings on tough, durable but comfortable frames. Perfect for the long distance tourer or hard-tail MTB where ride feel and toughness matter.
Reynolds 725	25CrMo4 Heat-Treated	157-186 KSI	10% Min	Using an industry standard steel alloy, Reynolds mandrel butt and then heat-treats this alloy. 725 can be TIG welded and can also be using in a “Designer Select” combination with Reynolds air hardened range of 853 and 631 tubing.
Reynolds 525	25CrMo4	114 KSI	10% Min	Mandrel butted for accurate profiles and available in a number of shapes, 525 offers a tube-set with strengths similar to the famous 531 range.
True Temper S3	Proprietary Air-Hardening Heat-Treated	150-217 KSI	10% Min	True Temper's newest steel tubing is the S3 Super Strength Steel Series. This alloy makes possible top tubes and down tubes having end butts of a weight shaving 0.5mm and center sections of 0.4mm. This alloy with its special heat treatment is used to create the S3 Super Strength Steel tube set. This makes a compact style (sloping top tube) frame that weighs only 2.85 pounds (1295 grams) for riders who want the lightest weight possible.
True Temper OX Platinum	Proprietary Air-Hardening Heat-Treated	135-185 KSI	10% Min	True Temper's premium steel tubing is the OX PLATINUM Series. The high strength of the PLATINUM alloy make possible top tubes and down tubes have end butts of 0.7mm and center sections of 0.4mm to minimize weight. In recognition of the needs of Custom Frame Builders and their customers, each main triangle tube comes in a range of wall thicknesses and butt lengths so builders can fine-tune the frame's stiffness to their customer's needs.
True Temper Verus Heat-Treated	4130 Heat-Treated	150-175 KSI	10% Min	True Temper's VERUS HT Series tubing is made possible by True Temper's decades of experience in the heat treatment of 4130 steels for maximum performance. As steels are strengthened by heat treatment, the ductility is reduced. If you were to heat treat 4130 steel as hard as possible, the tensile strength would go all the way up to 255,000 PSI. But the steel would very brittle and subject to failure by fracture, making it unsuitable for bike frames. The metallurgists at True Temper designed the VERUS HT heat treatment to reach the high level of 175,000psi, while still maintaining good ductility.
True Temper Verus	4130	110 KSI	10% Min	True Temper's VERUS Stress Relieved 4130 steel is designed for reliability that is even better than commercial grade 4130. This heat treatment removes internal stresses left over from the manufacturing process. The end result of removing internal stresses is that the tube (and your frame) lasts much longer.
Dedacciai Zero Uno				During the years we have continuously refined the wire drawing and steel thermic treatment, following the object to realize high performance and reliable range tube sets matching to different ways of welding. We have defined two main family products: the DR-ZERO and DR-ZeroUno, in order to actively solve productive needs of frame builders and the reliability expectations required to steels in the tough work.
Dedacciai Zero				During the years we have continuously refined the wire drawing and steel thermic treatment, following the object to realize high performance and reliable range tube sets matching to different ways of welding. We have defined two main family products: the DR-ZERO and DR-ZeroUno, in order to actively solve productive needs of frame builders and the reliability expectations required to steels in the tough work.
TITANIUM
Sandvik 3/2.5	3AL/2.5V Grade 9 CWSR	90-95 KSI	15%	American titanium drawn straight wall tubing offers a worry free lifetime frame. Tube diameters are available to produce a frame as stiff as desired or conversely, as supple as imagined. Frame weights are typically lighter than most steel tube sets.
Haynes 3/2.5	3AL/2.5V Grade 9 CWSR	90-95 KSI	15%	American titanium drawn straight wall tubing offers a worry free lifetime frame. Tube diameters are available to produce a frame as stiff as desired or conversely, as supple as imagined. Frame weights are typically lighter than most steel tube sets.
Reynolds 6/4 Butted	6AL/4V	130-166 KSI	NA	The added strength of 6/4 titanium allows it to be drawn out thinner than 3/2.5, resulting in a lighter frame.
Reynolds 3/2.5 Butted	3AL/2.5V Grade 9 CWSR	117-139 KSI	NA	Reynolds as a lighter alternative to straight gauge tubing offers double-butted titanium. Thicknesses are down to 0.6mm on mainframe tubes. This tube set will build a very reliable, lightweight, and excellent riding frame that will last a lifetime.
Dedacciai K-Class Grade 9 Butted	3AL/2.5V Grade 9 CWSR	123-134 KSI	35% Min	Double butted thin wall tubing offers a worry free lifetime frame. Tube diameters are available to produce a frame as stiff as desired or conversely, as supple as imagined. Frame weights are typically lighter than most steel tube sets.
Dedacciai K-Class Grade 9 Straight Gauge	3AL/2.5V Grade 9 CWSR	98 KSI	35% Min	Straight gauge thin wall tubing offers a worry free lifetime frame. Tube diameters are available to produce a frame as stiff as desired or conversely, as supple as imagined. Frame weights are typically lighter than most steel tube sets.
Dedaccia K-Class Grade 2 Butted	Grade 2 Seamless	98-102 KSI	30% Min	Double butted thin wall grade 2 tubing. It's softer state allows for manipulation such as bending and shaping. Ideal for frame with unusual clearance needs or unique styling.
Dedaccia K-Class Grade 2 Straight Gauge	Grade 2 Seamless	72 KSI	35% Min	Straight guage thin wall grade 2 tubing. It's softer state allows for manipulation such as bending and shaping. Ideal for frame with unusual clearance needs or unique styling.
ALUMINUM
Columbus Airplane	Aluminum Zn, Mg	61 KSI	10% Min	A light tube set that is well suited for track and time trials. Aero shapes are offered for all main tubes, including a teardrop seat tube with a radius cutout to accommodate short chain stays common to track bikes. Mechanical properties are recovered after welding through a 10-hour artificial ageing process.
Dedaccia Fire Light	700X	NA	NA	Alloy aluminum tube sets treated with a specific thermic rapid cooling process allowing it to obtain mechanical resistance values superior to the applied regulations. The reliability and the great utilization of these tube set families allow it to provide excellent building solutions, to satisfy all the competitive fields. Available in Aegis and Fire EV road.
Dedacciai Force	7003	NA	NA	Alloy aluminum tube sets treated with a specific thermic rapid cooling process allowing it to obtain mechanical resistance values superior to the applied regulations. The reliability and the great utilization of these tube set families allow it to provide excellent building solutions, to satisfy all the competitive fields. Available in Aegis+, Force 29" and 26" round MTB, Force 29" ER and Cross.
Nova 7005	7005	NA	NA	After Easton quit manufacturing their 7005 bike tubes Nova Cycles out of California decided to fill the void with their Nova brand of 7005 tubes. They are available in MTB and road bike configurations as well as multiple shapes and bends.