# Tange Prestige



## fab4 (Jan 8, 2003)

I would like to buy my first steel frame and I'm leaning towards the Soma Smoothie which is made from Tange Prestige tubing. Is Tange Prestige a good tubing? How does it compare to Columbus, True Temper, or Reynolds steel tubings?


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

It's pretty good. I mean it's Prestige man...

Tange are masters at steel. They used to go on old GT's and plenty of high end framesets back in the day. Honestly, good steel (eg: not 4130/Reynolds 520) is good steel. Not that "bad" steel is actually bad... but you know what I mean. 

Different steels are just differently alloyed, stainless or not. Your choice. This is almost like arguing different CF types.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

I'm a big fan of Tange tubing....I don't think you'll be disappointed


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## GScot (Feb 7, 2005)

Thumbs up, it's good stuff. Not sure how much manipulation Soma frames get, if it's straight gauge the frame could have been lighter but I'm sure the ride will be good either way.


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## Wines of WA (Jan 10, 2005)

I recently finished building a Smoothie ES into a rain/training bike. It's at least my second bike on Tange Prestige tubing (the other was a 1980's Fat Chance MTB), and it rides as expected. 

It's a pound heavier than higher-end steel frames, and slightly less comfortable. It's not jarring like an aluminum race bike, but not as smooth as a few higher end steel and ti bikes I've owned. Even my Merckx Team SC (scandium) is roughly as comfy, though the feel is different. But as a bad weather training bike, it's fine. Geometry fit me perfectly, and the price is low. These were actually bigger factors for me that drove me to purchase the ES. 

I should also note that I use 28c Vittoria Rubino Pro tires on 32h 3x wheels, and the fork is the Soma-recommended steel Tange. These surely affect feel of the whole bike at least as much as the frame itself.


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## cat4rider (Nov 10, 2006)

I"ve got a 90's Paramount MTB frame built with Tange Prestige and it still feels like the best mountain bike I've ridden. ( that's apples to oranges in this situation, but I still grin like a kid when I ride it).


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

Meh...... All you're giving up over the top of the line steel tubesets is 1 to 2 pounds. 
If you're not racing on it, you'll never notice.
(even if you were racing on it, you'd only notice it if you were a contender)


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

I don't know what butting/wall thickness tubing Soma is using but Tange Prestige is good stuff.

Back in the late '80's to early '90's, it was Tange's best tubeset. A lot of small American builders, as well as upper end Japanese production, used it. The now defunct Medici built their top end road frame with it.


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## axebiker (Aug 22, 2003)

Tange is a great tubeset. You'll do fine with it.


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

Prestige is pretty light-gauge. What would ppl say is the rider weight-limit with it? 
.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

cat4rider said:


> I"ve got a 90's Paramount MTB frame built with Tange Prestige and it still feels like the best mountain bike I've ridden. ( that's apples to oranges in this situation, but I still grin like a kid when I ride it).


My old Stumpjumper Comp is Prestige, and I think it rides better than my M2 Stumpy, even with a rigid fork. 

Prestige is a nice steel, probably on par with Reynolds 753.


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## Nessism (Feb 6, 2004)

Prestige tubing was sold in a wide range of diameters and thicknesses. It was on par with all the other highend tubesets but since there was such a wide range of tubing configurations sold, it's not possible to speculate about weight or ride quality without knowing specific details about the tubing used on that particular frame.


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## SystemShock (Jun 14, 2008)

Nessism said:


> Prestige tubing was sold in a wide range of diameters and thicknesses. It was on par with all the other highend tubesets but since there was such a wide range of tubing configurations sold, it's not possible to speculate about weight or ride quality without knowing specific details about the tubing used on that particular frame.


That's a fair answer. Thanks.
.


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## SpiceUmUp (Jan 23, 2010)

I have a Tange Prestige OS tube set on my road bike, it has held up for many years, though I can see that in another year of two it will be time foe a new frame


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

Merry Cycles (Soma) revived the Tange Prestige brand. It is not the same kind of tubing as Tange Prestige back in the day. That being said, I've had a couple of Somas and they were fine bikes.


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## Dan0930 (May 28, 2004)

Ridden the old Tange Prestige on two bikes Norco Nitro MTB and Paramount OS. Both rode fine and held up amazingly well


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Nessism said:


> Prestige tubing was sold in a wide range of diameters and thicknesses. It was on par with all the other highend tubesets but since there was such a wide range of tubing configurations sold, it's not possible to speculate about weight or ride quality without knowing specific details about the tubing used on that particular frame.


Yep. I think a lot of people associate Tange Prestige with the light tubesets on some higher end 80s and early 90s bikes. Not the same stuff on these newer SOMAs.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*true that*



Nessism said:


> Prestige tubing was sold in a wide range of diameters and thicknesses. It was on par with all the other highend tubesets but since there was such a wide range of tubing configurations sold, it's not possible to speculate about weight or ride quality without knowing specific details about the tubing used on that particular frame.


some mfrs had oversized size specific Tange Prestige drawn for their bigger frames


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## PeanutButterBreath (Dec 4, 2005)

rcnute said:


> I've had a couple of Somas and they were fine bikes.


Indeed. Really, in the Smoothie price range, there is little point in fretting over tube sets. Anything you buy from an established brand will be fine.

We have a couple SOMA frames from the time when they were using Reynolds, and they are also fine.


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