Classic & Vintage - anybody in Portland willing to help sourcing this seatpost in rare 26.6mm size?

Hello

Wonder if somebody could assist in sourcing this Sugino Mighty seatpost in kinda-rare 26.6mm size that I would like to use in my renovation of 1980 Fuji America. Not exactly factory spec, but fits in nicely with original Sugino Mighty touring crank.

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/bik/2608786594.html

Or maybe your parts bin contains some other good quality vintage seat post in 26.6mm and you need more room? I will be glad to help ;)

I have an SR just like this one in 26.6mm if the Mighty doesn't work out for you.

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/VINTAGE-SAKAE-CR-27-2-BICYCLE-SEAT-POST-230-MM-TALL-/12/!CBVune!!2k~$(KGrHqIOKpEE0VDsRkP9BNHNy!pQ4Q~~_35.JPG

Thank you, Colonel.

I just realized that Sugino Mighty likely WAS indeed a factory installed seat post on the bike. It specs simply stated 'forged alloy' (not that many are forged), and I was able to locate some pictures showing Fuji America with 'campy-like' seat-post design with 2 bolts.

Your SR seat post looks just like the one that was factory installed on my 1980 Fuji S12-S LTD. Good seat post, although I prefer 2-bolt design.

Your SR seat post looks just like the one that was factory installed on my 1980 Fuji S12-S LTD.

Doubtful. I think it's a mid-80s design. It was OEM on my '88 Voyageur.

You are right.

I had SR on my 84 Voyageur SP when I got it, fully original.
And the one on Fuji S12-S is Sugino SP-H.

Olek, the Colonel's post is the exact one I ended up putting on my America.

Here's a closeup of the '80 catalog page:

http://home.comcast.net/~khatfull/images/america/stockseatpost.jpg

These are really hard to find...in fact, mine is a placeholder for when I actually find a Mighty too. Good luck, I've been watching for over a year now. You're going to have to look farther and wider than just Portland :)

Don't let a component like that keep you form riding that fine, fine bike.

You'll be interested to know too mine's going back to barcons. Traded another BFer for a set.

Thank you for a great close-up, Keith, here are couple more pictures that confirm that Sugino Mighty is original:

First, Fuji Otaku blog entry with many pictures, hunt through them to see mighty seatpost ;)

http://nihonmaru.blogspot.com/2010/04/james-blacks-sagres-more-fuji-america.html

Second, Neal Lerner's Fuji:

https://picasaweb.google.com/103095095774644073236/FujiAmerica

Third, this "hot" single-speed

http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdshavenopassports/4804749641/

Of course I am going to ride the bike without it, it is just that the one I have got on it is some no-name steely ugliness, and I just happened to stumble upon this one...

... and what if I just get lucky? I know, I am in Pittsburg, but some good soul in Portland may be able to get it for me... After all, that is how I got my Fuji America project in the first place (thanks, Jeff!).

Interesting that you are coming back to bar-cons. Personally, I do not like downtube shifters, and I love barcons. I think that is direct effect of riding large 63cm frames and having handlebars set up high (at about saddle level) - dowtube is just too far from my hands.

Nobody from Portland available to help? Oh, well, I will just have to wait a bit longer then... One day I will find that seatpost...

Nobody from Portland available to help? Oh, well, I will just have to wait a bit longer then... One day I will find that seatpost...

Geez, dood... I'm just coming down from a Voodoo Doughnuts (http://voodoodoughnut.com/index.php) sugar high. Gotta come down gently...

I'd be digging in the bins at CCC (on Alberta) or Citybikes (on Ankeny) to see if I could find one. Can't always find exactly the item you're looking for, but I've seen 'em there.

I have a 26.6 post on ebay this week, not quite right and also its in europe.

http://www.veloup.com/ebay/sept/eng/ebaynight/DSC_0233.JPG

Thank you, guys!

Olek, while not historically/catalog accurate, the Y.F.C. Hupel Rider is a fine seat post as well. Japanese and the same design, they were standard fair on early Fujis.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff142/Head_High_and_Glassy/Misc/file-7.jpg

They're recognized by the weird little name on the post "Crip Rider". I may have one but it will be a rough example if I do.

Scott

Scott, huge thanks for the pointer!

I like it's traditional 'campagnolo-style' 2-bolt design, should help finding that sweet spot of Brooks Team Pro saddle an easy job.
Not exactly historically accurate, but close enough.

Rough example may be actually perfect, since that whole bike is kind of ... 'rough', it may blend in well :lol:.
Depends on the degree of 'roughness' I guess :)

Historical accuracy aside, my most favorite seatpost in Velo-Orange 'Grand Cru' design. Nice long setback (brooks friendly!), 2-bolt design, but bolts are adjusted from the below, and are hidden from plain view. I think they copied that design from Nitto Jaguar NJ-SP72 seatpost with some changes. Simply brilliant. Only bad thing about it is that it comes in any size - as long as that size is 27.2mm.

OK, I'll check this evening .. let you know and post a snap shot if I do have one.

Scott

Thank you, Scott.

Olek, while not historically/catalog accurate, the Y.F.C. Hupel Rider is a fine seat post as well. Japanese and the same design, they were standard fair on early Fujis.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff142/Head_High_and_Glassy/Misc/file-7.jpg

They're recognized by the weird little name on the post "Crip Rider". I may have one but it will be a rough example if I do.

Scott

Hey Scott...in that pic up at the top...that's what I need for the NOS Fujita!!!!

Do you have access to the rest of that pic?

Hey, I missed that!

That's William's catalog, he sent me a snap of it a long time go. Drop him an email, he's got a ton of stuff I want to scan.

Scott

Hey, I missed that!

That's William's catalog, he sent me a snap of it a long time go. Drop him an email, he's got a ton of stuff I want to scan.

Scott

Will do.

Did you try just calling the seller in Portland and asking if he'd take Paypal and mail it? I know there's some risk involved but hey, it's a $20 seatpost. I've done this before with out of range CL stuff and have never been burned. I wouldn't do it with a big ticket item, though.

I sure did. I even offered to send him a money order, and offered a better price, to no avail. I do such transactions from time to time, they usually work out great (vast majority of people are honest folk), but some people are just too hesitant.

I sure did. I even offered to send him a money order, and offered a better price, to no avail. I do such transactions from time to time, they usually work out great (vast majority of people are honest folk), but some people are just too hesitant.

Lame. Maybe you should post a 'looking for facilitator to buy a seatpost' ad on Portland CL.

Where have all the Hupels gone? Olek, I apologize, I do not have a 26.6 Hupel in stock. In fact, I have none, of any size.

I'll keep my eyes open for you ..

Scott

Not a problem, Scott, thank you so much for checking!

BTW - some people speculate that scripting on this seat post is in Cyrillic ('Супер') and means 'Super'. As somebody who spent a lot of time reading/writing cyrillic in the past I would say that is not likely. Most probably similarity to word 'СУПЕР' it is just a coincidence.

Somewhere I have a photo of that script, I'll try to post it for viewing. It's been one of those Fuji lovers mysteries, like Y.F.C., what does that stand for? Of course, not to be confused with YCF on early Fuji drop outs!

Scott

This thread has nice photo of the logo: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/747676-Criep-Rider-Seatpost

Second letter is not really similar lo letter 'у' in any of the sane cyrillic fonts that I know of. Yes, with some imagination it can be assumed to be it, but it is doubtful. Also the rest of letters , if they are cyrillic, they are most bizarre mix of fonts that I have ever seen.

On the other hand, Japanese are famous for their 'humorous' knowledge of russian, so maybe it was their best attempt at a time? Still doubt it.

I'm pretty sure I have a so-so 27.0 example kicking about, if it helps anyone. Post isn't bad, but the bolts are trashed. Not sure if I can find all the hardware either, but everything to it is around the shop somewhere.

-Kurt

Thank you, Kurt, but I am not quite up to the task of polishing 27.0mm seat-post down to 26.6mm size ;)

An updated scan of the Fujita catalog, courtesy of my friend William:

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff142/Head_High_and_Glassy/Misc/file-24.jpg

Scott

Just to wrap up this story: serendipity led me to truly mint example of the 26.6 Campagnolo seat post, which I bought from a nice fellow just half a mile away from my office. It is not japenese, so it is not 'factory-spec', but form and function of it is pretty much the same, as Sugino Mighty is known as a copy of Campagnolo design anyway. I like it a lot, and that is what counts :)

Thank you for help guys!

Well, to put a really happy end to this story: for whatever reason seller was unable to sell that Sugino Mighty seat-post on local craigslist, and decided that selling and shipping it to me was easier than re-listing. It turned out to be in quite nice shape as well.

Behold that nice bit of history!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-HtivBfoor9E/Tp4oRYxh6lI/AAAAAAAAAlE/pFZtjbo1EOM/s640/WB-111018-0104-0048.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-h_pmnxaAXlY/Tp4oQgo00qI/AAAAAAAAAk0/Nri8208DMjg/s640/WB-111018-0104-0044.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3LwR0_Nz_p8/Tp4oQQf4eAI/AAAAAAAAAks/dBfix6327ts/s640/WB-111018-0104-0043.jpg

Nice. I could not comprehend why he was so reluctant to do that in the first place. Dropping it in the mail is no more trouble than arranging to meet a buyer.

Agreed... and it only cost him $3 to ship it... and I paid him double of what he originally asked (still was a good deal for me as well).