Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - So I Came across a Takara Bike...

Hey all, Newcomer on the forum! Been biking for a long time, but just joined, haha. I was just curious about this bike I came across. Long story short, my old bike was stolen (Late 80's Gran Tour II) and i needed a bike for transportation uses. I then came across a bike called a "Takara Elitist." I did some research on it because i had never heard of the company, but little came up. I was intrigued by the bike because the frame is made of Tange #1 Double butted Chromoly and I think the fork is too. I have a feeling that the frame is also hand made, since I see no weilding seams at all. The whole bike is fitted with shimano 600 components. The price listed was 200 bucks and i feel like it was worth it because of the parts alone. Yet the company and the bike is so mysterious... I have a panasonic bike too, but a lot more people seem to know more about panasonics than Takaras. Any info on the bike model or company? You guys think i overpaid?

Sounds like a good deal to me. I've ridden a couple of late 70s/early 80s Takaras and they were decent bikes but not mind-blowing, none of the ones I road had those tubes though. Tange #1 are some awesome tubes. Wikipedia says some Takaras were made by Nishiki.

I reckon the last time I saw a new Takara for sale was in 1987 or so.

Takaras get a lot less response in the market than other more recognizable brands. But you got a Champion 1 frame, and Shimano 600 components for $200? Deal, really good deal, assuming paint is good, bike is ready to go, and so on. As far as hand made versus machine built, frames from that era were brazed, not welded. Machines brazed frames, and men brazed frames.

My last Champion 1 bike had a hand brazed frame (it was labeled to that effect), was a beautiful bike, but too small for me. Recently it moved to a new home. Built similar to your Takara, I can tell you it brought quite a bit more (now mine had some gorgeous chrome touches: stays, fork crown, drop outs, etc.).

If you strip the paint, the entire frame is chrome! not just the lugs.

Just thought I would add this to the thread since this forum has apparently become the best place to find info on the takara elitist. One was given to me after my mixte city cruzer was stolen. During the tear down I decided to strip the paint. So if you are a fan of chrome a 15 dollar bottle of aircraft stripper will do it. Was going to mask off the lugs, copper plate and pinstripe it, but not sure now.

If you strip the paint, the entire frame is chrome! not just the lugs.

Just thought I would add this to the thread since this forum has apparently become the best place to find info on the takara elitist. One was given to me after my mixte city cruzer was stolen. During the tear down I decided to strip the paint. So if you are a fan of chrome a 15 dollar bottle of aircraft stripper will do it. Was going to mask off the lugs, copper plate and pinstripe it, but not sure now.

Actually the problem with simply stripping the paint off is that the chrome underneath is not meant to be seen. If you look closely at it you'll notice it has a rougher finish than the fork and luggs so the paint sticks to it. So now instead of a beautiful black Takara with chrome luggs you have a nameless dull chrome bike.

...So now instead of a beautiful black Takara with chrome luggs you have a nameless dull chrome bike.

Don't frett, my dear. It's doubtful the OP will see and take the advice to strip the paint, given that this thread originated 16 months ago and they only have 6 posts.

However, while I'm here, I might as well address the old claim of Nishiki making some Takara models. First off, Nishiki was only a brand, not a manufacturer, so they could not have built Takara. The reference is probably to Kawamura, who built most Nihiki models under contract. While it's possible tha Kawamura built some Takara, I have yet to come across any. Most Takara were built by Kuwahara and I suspect the Wikipedia author simply confused the two.