Classic & Vintage - Anybody recognize this nitto stem? aka Who owned this bike before?

I picked up a ~73 Liberia on Craigslist for 60 dollars. The Previous owner got it at goodwill for much cheaper (I only found the price tag AFTER I got it home), which looks to have been someones loved bike..or it was just victim typical Simplex plastic that broke after a few years. First glance, I notice the first gen Dura-Ace shifters, FD and Crane RD. If I recall correctly, Shimano did a whole "Bird" Naming scheme and crane was the highest, then switched to Dura Ace.

Back to the story.

I get it home, and start the tear down. The bearings all spin smooth, and the grease looks to be recently serviced... odd. New brake pads...even the leather saddle is in good condition. I get to the stem and bars, and I notice a small script.. Cinelli.. Okay... Cinelli 1a stem, with Campion Del Mondo bars. I was thinking that this is going to be a flipper bike, so I am going to hang onto those. A few days later, I picked up an incomplete box of Suntour Sprint stuff for $25.00, and in the mix, is a black stem. I figure, well, it's a stem, I have some spare bars, so I'll just pop it in, and then worry about the cinelli stuff later.

As I'm putting it together, I cant find any markings, except a small NITTO and some measurements, deep into the stem. It has a unique clamp, with a nut on the top of the stem, instead of the usual underneath style. I couldnt find it on VeloBase, and nothing on ebay.

On to the pictures!

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=203416&d=1306351712
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=203417&d=1306351723
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=203418&d=1306351736

Thanks!

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Someone recently posted pics of the same stem asking what it was and he found out it was a Nitto stem after he pulled it up from the steerer tube per our suggestion. Unfortunately, everyone got nervous just looking at the pics of the stem as the through-bolt situation near the clamp seems to suggest a fragile stem that might not have enough material at the critical area. but that one seems to have survived a long life on the road so far, from what it looks like, so maybe we were worrying too much.:rolleyes::D

Chombi

I have one just like it in sllver, I never knew what model it is either.

Scott

It's crap. Send it to me, and I'll toss it in the aluminum scrap bin. :D

Black Dynamic without the logo? Has the same under-the-stem bolt configuration.

http://www.nationalbicycleco.com/servlet/the-4629/Nitto-Dynamic-Stem-26/Detail

http://www.nationalbicycleco.com/media/07/a20792b12e77f171ec3c31_m.JPG


Someone recently posted pics of the same stem asking what it was and he found out it was a Nitto stem after he pulled it up from the steerer tube per our suggestion. Unfortunately, everyone got nervous just looking at the pics of the stem as the through-bolt situation near the clamp seems to suggest a fragile stem that might not have enough material at the critical area. but that one seems to have survived a long life on the road so far, from what it looks like, so maybe we were worrying too much.:rolleyes::D Chombi

I sincerely doubt Nitto would produce an unsafe, crap stem. That was a French deal.

That first picture is from the top... the allen bolt head tightens from above.

My first reaction was, classic bonehead move by previous owner (something we need an acronym for). Or did it come from the factory like that? I do find it scary.

I'll try getting some photos of mine this evening. It's very well made, no cause for alarm.

Scott

That first picture is from the top... the allen bolt head tightens from above.

So it is now that I look, wow, interesting. Nope, never come across one of those. Like it though :) Second in line for the "recycling" :)

Nitto did occasional work for other brands, in which case they leave off the main logo on the top...this may be one of those, but I don't have a mental list of who house-branded Nitto stems and bars.
AFAIK, there was the Crane and slightly beneath that the Titlist...way below those was Eagle which had more steel than alloy. Can't recall any other "Bird" names (unless there was a Lark) in the Shimano line-up. I once found a low-end Shimano FD with a horse stamped in the cage, never seen any reference to it anywhere...and then there's the "stag or deerhead".
animals...

The hole in the stem is for the brake cable used for cantilever, center pull or U brakes from the days before aero brake levers. Very good stems. Roger

Black Dynamic without the logo? Has the same under-the-stem bolt configuration.

http://www.nationalbicycleco.com/servlet/the-4629/Nitto-Dynamic-Stem-26/Detail

http://www.nationalbicycleco.com/media/07/a20792b12e77f171ec3c31_m.JPG



I sincerely doubt Nitto would produce an unsafe, crap stem. That was a French deal.

So my looong search for a gold Nitto stem is hopeless then!??:eek:.......Merde!......I guess were stuck forever with French crap then!.....:(:p
BTW, ........did you buy that super rare gold CLB Professionel compact sidepull brakeset at ebay last week??:rolleyes:
I would have grabbed that one if I was not so broke.....it's soooo cool!:thumb:

Chombi

The stock stems on fuji obeys are nitto gold stems I believe. I do know that many owners ditch them and the other gold parts, so there are some out there I'm sure.
edit: They are angular along the stem length, not like the dynamic or pearl
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqIOKm8E2dzf+Dt8BN2EWzdZjw~~_12.JPG

The hole in the stem is for the brake cable used for cantilever, center pull or U brakes from the days before aero brake levers. Very good stems. Roger
Except the bolt is not hollow and positioned in line with the fixing bolt beneath. JR-does yours have a plug like dot on the front?

203556203557 Thus

if I read the idea correctly, in one way it's a superior design since the steel bolt threads into a steel socket, instead of a blind threaded alloy hole (as with 99% of alloy stems).

Except the bolt is not hollow and positioned in line with the fixing bolt beneath. JR-does yours have a plug like dot on the front?

No, mines solid the whole way through.

Better pictures!

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The stock stems on fuji obeys are nitto gold stems I believe. I do know that many owners ditch them and the other gold parts, so there are some out there I'm sure.
edit: They are angular along the stem length, not like the dynamic or pearl
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqIOKm8E2dzf+Dt8BN2EWzdZjw~~_12.JPG

That's no Nitto. It's a Taiwanese/Chinese stem. Origin8 has their version as well. It's still a super cool high quality stem, and I really want one.

http://www.origin-8.com/images/new_400/58333.jpg (http://www.origin-8.com/images/new_800/58333.jpg)

My first reaction was, classic bonehead move by previous owner (something we need an acronym for). Or did it come from the factory like that? I do find it scary.

CBMbPO?

CBM for short. Or sometimes, "Classic BM!" Nice double entendre.

AFAIK, there was the Crane and slightly beneath that the Titlist...way below those was Eagle which had more steel than alloy. Can't recall any other "Bird" names (unless there was a Lark) in the Shimano line-up.

Don't forget the Pecker!!

http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Shimano_Pecker_derailleur_%282nd_style%29_files/IMGP4950-filtered.jpg