Raleigh Dyna Tech appreciation and information thread

Thanks, mystery solved! Wonder why they had the DynaTech ID sticker on? Or was that the collective name for all the composite frames?

Good question. I always assumed the Dynatech sticker was there because it used the same tubeset, and as far as I am aware, the 1993 M Trax frames were identical to the 1993 Dynatech Diablo ones.

From my understanding is that '93 is the period where Raleigh effectively just started to re-branded these frames to the M-Trax brand of Raleigh, as far as I know it was purely just marketing and cosmetic to begin with...

I will be listing the above for sale.
Was one of the original frames used by reps to show off the new paint methods hence the frame number starts SHO.
Is it best to wait until the New Year?

I might be being thick but I can't get your link to work. TBH I've seen a decline in sales recently, maybe best to wait until it warms up a bit and people have more disposable income

I doubt the frames are commercially pure titanium as they would end up being around the same weight as a steel frame and I can confirm my MT4 frame is nowhere near the weight of an equivalent 531 frame of the era. Willing to be proved wrong though and I'd love to know what thy actually used. It was TIMET tubing IIRC....could be wrong though.

I'm 100 % sure the Dynatechs and M Trax titanium frames all used commercially pure Ti, definitely something below the standard aerospace grades used in the premium Ti frames. Raleigh never stated in their brochures which grade of Ti was used, but employees of Raleigh have confirmed to us here that the Ti Tubes came from IMI and were CP grade.

My experience with the bonded titanium frames is that are not noticeably lighter than a top of the line cromo frame, but my MT4 with Ti main tubes, chainstays and dropouts, and 531 seat stays, definitely is.

The bonding process used in the early / mid 90s Dynatech frames is also supposed to allow lighter tubes by avoiding the need for butted tubes or the weakening effect due to welding. So you get to use lighter, cheaper to make plain gauge tubing, and glue them into a lightweight aluminium head tube.

Being the geek that I am I weighed some bonded M Trax frames (I had to weigh some frames anyway for shipping), and for my 19.25 size M Trax Ti-2000 and Duo Tech 400 frames weight 2.30 kg or 5.07 lb (frame only). Not superlight, but neck and neck with top of the range mass produced steel frames, I guess.

Just picked up an m trax duo 500 frame on the bay for a bargain. Not sure what I'm going to do with it. It was one of those 'I'll make a cheeky offer and see if they'll take it ' bids. Bit concerned it might be a bit big as he was listing all these weird measurements... but we'll see

Does anyone know what size seat post a 1993 42.5cm m trax 500 duo tech will take? I would appreciate the help. Oh, and headset size too...