• Makes me question what the point of any frames being made out of 853 is then?

    I guess comes down to perception bias. Some will perceive 853 rides better, some will perceive there is no difference (usually before even test riding, looking at how tubing has been used, geo or other factors such as intended use or rider weight).

    I have had 4130 frames that ride superb (Town Crier) and 853 frames that were terrible (Mk1 Sir9/Mk1 Solaris), but thats just my experience and based on my own perceptions.

  • Makes me question what the point of any frames being made out of 853 is then?

    It's the same has having brand names on clothing. It serves no purpose but has some kind of social cachet or identifies you as a certain tribe member?

  • Put it this way, £350 will almost certainly pay for at least one 853 sticker...

  • 853 is stronger in tension and so the tubeset can be made thinner for the same "strength" allowing for a lighter frame for the same tube OD (but flexier), a stiffer for the same weight (using a larger diameter tube) or a combination of both. This is why 853/953 road frames can be very nice

    That doesn't really apply to MTBs though as thinner walls buckle and dent more from the type of use a regular MTB can face. Hence when CEN testing came in, lightweight production 853 framed MTBs disappeared overnight as wall thicknesses went up. Longer forks and more rad terrain being ridden didn't help either.

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