# True Temper Verus



## loginhater (Jul 15, 2009)

Thinking about a custom road frame. The high-end frame builder I am looking at generally works with True Temper OX platinum, but they also do house brand frames for a local bike shop using True Temper Verus. They are significantly less than the name-brand OX frames. Looks like Verus is a heavier, lower grade steel. But would it make that much of a difference for a Clydesdale weekend warrior like me?


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## Live Wire (Aug 27, 2007)

Who knows what you consider a difference or how much a little weight matters, but both steels can make great bikes. 
FWIW, I'll bet the significant $ difference between the two frames include other factors beyond the materials cost. Verus vs OXPLAT is just $5-20 per tube more expensive.


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## GrayJay (May 16, 2011)

Read all about TrueTemper tubing here: Double Butted True Temper 4130 steel bicycle tubing

Note that Versus tubes are also available with/without heat treating. Compared to OX tubing, the lower strength verses tubes will be thicker (so they are sufficiently strong) but this extra thickness also adds stiffness to the frame so might actually be a better fit for your intended use.


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## Walt (Jan 23, 2004)

*There is no issue*

The only advantage of the higher-end tubing is less weight - and we're talking maybe 200 grams for the whole frame. If you're a clyde, say rider+gear+bike of 250 pounds or so, then you're talking about 1/5 of 1% of the total mass. Big deal. There are a lot of fun things you can do for several hundred bucks that are probably more fun than having a bike that is a tiny bit lighter.

-Walt


loginhater said:


> Thinking about a custom road frame. The high-end frame builder I am looking at generally works with True Temper OX platinum, but they also do house brand frames for a local bike shop using True Temper Verus. They are significantly less than the name-brand OX frames. Looks like Verus is a heavier, lower grade steel. But would it make that much of a difference for a Clydesdale weekend warrior like me?


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## Yogii (Jun 5, 2008)

> The only advantage of the higher-end tubing is less weight


True enough....but from the customer's point of view, I would want at least one high end tube!


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## JaquesN (Sep 14, 2009)

This seems relevant: http://www.habcycles.com/m7.html.

It's a copy of an article from 1996, printed in Bicycle Guide, where they had a set of otherwise-identical road bikes made with an array of tubing from cheap to expensive. Same geometry and components. The result was that the author *could* tell the difference, but not always, and didn't end up preferring the "best" one.


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## Winter Bicycles (Jun 8, 2008)

Yogii said:


> True enough....but from the customer's point of view, I would want at least one high end tube!


I'd rather a high end bike. Tubes are just stuff- sometimes the right tube for the job isn't the spendy and thin one.


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

JaquesN said:


> This seems relevant: Magnificent 7.
> 
> It's a copy of an article from 1996, printed in Bicycle Guide, where they had a set of otherwise-identical road bikes made with an array of tubing from cheap to expensive. Same geometry and components. The result was that the author *could* tell the difference, but not always, and didn't end up preferring the "best" one.


Thanks for posting the article. Definitely an interesting read.


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## i_am_robert (Nov 20, 2011)

Take the True Temper Verus, I've had good luck...


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