True Temper to discontinue Bike tubing??

[jtakeda]

Cant find the link, but I saw a screen grab of a letter saying True Temper would discontinue bicycle tubing at years end.

What will it mean for USA made tubes?

Reynolds and ???

[ultraman6970]

columbus??? Mannesman? there is an american company that makes SS tubes aswell.

How the market is going, I dont see steel coming back as hard as it was predicted back a few years ago.

[druptight]

columbus??? Mannesman? there is an american company that makes SS tubes aswell.

How the market is going, I dont see steel coming back as hard as it was predicted back a few years ago.

Columbus is Italian if I'm not mistaken.

[sandyrs]

I believe the American stainless tube manufacturer is KVA.

[MattTuck]

Frankly, I'm kind of shocked that any tubing manufacturer can still exist today. I mean, especially for the high end steel, we're talking, what? maybe 10,000 units a year... and that is probably an over estimate. I can't imagine the kind of machinery required to make the tubes, but I'm sure it is pretty costly.

[echelon_john]

The reason True Temper was able to stay so long is that their business is hugely diversified; I'd be surprised if bike tubing made up .5% of their total sales. Over the years they've made shafts for golf clubs, shovel/lawn tools parts, and tons of other stuff on a much higher-volume basis. I can't imagine a dedicated bicycle tubing manufacturer surviving in this country. Even Columbus and Dedacciai make stuff other than bike tubing.


Frankly, I'm kind of shocked that any tubing manufacturer can still exist today. I mean, especially for the high end steel, we're talking, what? maybe 10,000 units a year... and that is probably an over estimate.

[druptight]

The most common place I see their logo is emblazoned in huge letters on the side of wheel barrows at Home Depot.

[MattTuck]

The reason True Temper was able to stay so long is that their business is hugely diversified; I'd be surprised if bike tubing made up .5% of their total sales. Over the years they've made shafts for golf clubs, shovel/lawn tools parts, and tons of other stuff on a much higher-volume basis. I can't imagine a dedicated bicycle tubing manufacturer surviving in this country. Even Columbus and Dedacciai make stuff other than bike tubing.

Good point. I'm not sure that we'll see any kind of major advancements in steel technology for cycling going forward (unless it is developed for some other application and is appropriate for cycling), simply because there are so few units to amortize the cost of R&D. Maybe this is always how it has been.

[soulspinner]

Gather up yer S-3 while ye can;)

[sandyrs]

Good point. I'm not sure that we'll see any kind of major advancements in steel technology for cycling going forward (unless it is developed for some other application and is appropriate for cycling), simply because there are so few units to amortize the cost of R&D. Maybe this is always how it has been.

As long as Dave Kirk has customers (which I've no doubt he will for as long as he wants to build frames!) I am sure he will continue to get custom-drawn tubes and push the envelope of steel tubing.

[ultraman6970]

Yes it is, but if i did not get anything lost in the translation, I believe he was asking for another manufacturers of tubing, not about the americans only.

There's plenty of tubing manufacturers around, IMO is not that the world will collapse if true temper is gone, as somebody said, Easton has a lot of stuff in the market and with the trend of carbon tubing, probably in the last few years the tubing dept became more of a Ballast than nothing. To be honest I was waiting this to happen since years ago.

Remember I got a track bike made (we called them junknagos) of 1 mm seamless straight gauge tubing that was made for water or gas, cant remember. The manufacturer was mannesman I believe. Cheap ass tubing that worked like a charm for a track bike or training bikes, liked that tubing way better than champion 1 for example.

You still have japanese tubings moving around and those I doubt will disappear any day soon.

Yeah KVM, SS tubing, heard is good stuff.

Columbus is Italian if I'm not mistaken.

[EricEstlund]

I'll be sad to see it go- I use a fair amount of it. But... there are still plenty of good tube options/ manufacturers to keep the bikes rolling with no loss in quality. Don't worry, we've got you covered.

[ColonelJLloyd]

I honestly thought I read that TruTemper was out of the bicycle tubing game a few years back. Ha!

[jtakeda]

Do US builders have the relationship with over seas manufacturers like they do with US manufacturers?

Is Reynolds going to absorb most of the US frame builder business?

Those who use true temper, any idea what tubing you're going to use next? And why?

[EricEstlund]

Many US builders have already been using Reynolds, Columbus, Deda, Tange, Kaisei, etc for years. I know I stock and use tubes from several companies, as do most of the full time guys I know. I like some of TT's offerings and will continue to use them while available, but again- there are lots of good options.

[eBAUMANN]

this is pretty unfortunate...true temper's big selling point over other manufacturers (for me at least) was the range of different butting lengths/profiles they offered, really nice to have when building smaller frames for cx/mtn use.

also, kinda makes me wonder what will become of henry james as a company...

[MacMan]

The questions about the tubing market specific to bikes and amortization of R&D costs got me thinking . . . Do any of the frame builders on this forum follow the literature on the "super steels" being developed for the power generation and other industrial uses? I've had the occasion to learn a bit about this and they are seriously focused on light weight and strong . . . obviously more in high temperature service. Like I said, curious if these development could bleed into our world?

[David Kirk]

The questions about the tubing market specific to bikes and amortization of R&D costs got me thinking . . . Do any of the frame builders on this forum follow the literature on the "super steels" being developed for the power generation and other industrial uses? I've had the occasion to learn a bit about this and they are seriously focused on light weight and strong . . . obviously more in high temperature service. Like I said, curious if these development could bleed into our world?

Reynolds 953 is a cross over from military use. They use for steel plate to put in the bottom of military vehicles to lessen the damage from road side bombs.

So strong they can use less of it and save weight.

dave

[redir]

Too bad because I love my OX Platinum cyclocross bike. I don't think I'll ever ride anything but steel for cyclocross.

[oldpotatoe]

Has this been confirmed? Asked Richard Schwinn and its news to him(big user of TT).

[false_Aest]

Why not just call Hank? (http://www.henryjames.com/contacts)?

[Deedub76]

Has this been confirmed? Asked Richard Schwinn and its news to him(big user of TT).


It's confirmed. I recieved the the same email as I sure many other builders did Tuesday. TT production will permanately end March 2017.

[oldpotatoe]

It's confirmed. I recieved the the same email as I sure many other builders did Tuesday. TT production will permanately end March 2017.

Any chance you could forward that email to Richard?

Richard@waterfordbikes.com

[AllanVarcoe]

Bummer. Most of the tubes in 3 of the 4 of the frames I've built have been TT and have come out really nice.

I remember as a kid my Dad had a TT hatchet!

[pbarry]

Hank was doing OK before the exclusive on TT. I imagine he will forge ahead despite the void.