Reynolds Cycle Technology
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Reynolds Cycle Technology is a manufacturer of tubing for bicycle frames and other bicycle components based in Birmingham, England established in 1898.
Reynolds can actually trace its origins back to 1841 when John Reynolds set up a company to manufacture nails. As the company grew, it sought other products to make. In 1897 The company patented the process for making butted tubes, which are thicker at the ends than in the middle. This allowed frame builders to create frames which were both strong and light weight. The Patent Butted Tube Co., the predecessor of the present company, was spun off from the parent company in 1898.
Reynolds has over the years developed a number of steel alloys, most notably Reynolds 531, which has has high strength and therefore can be made in to lightweight tubes. Prior to the introduction of more exotic materials such as aluminium, titanium or composites, Reynolds was considered the dominant maker of high end frame materials. According to the company 27 winners of the Tour de France have won riding on Reynolds tubing.
A U.S division called Reynolds Composites, was created to manufacture composite components. Reynolds was for a time owned by an American holding company; when this company entered Chapter 11, a management buy-out resulted in the company returning to its base in the UK.
