Classic & Vintage - Need advice on a Sekine road bike...

I have a chance to buy one for $100. It's a 1974 with the chrome front fork. I haven't seen it in person yet but an scheduled to look at it tomorrow. I don't know much about them, but have heard some good things about this company. Would this been a decent road bike for the semi-serious to casual rider? I'm not going to compete with it, but might take it on a RAGBRAII (the ride across Iowa) tour this summer, so it would be getting about 50-75 miles a day that week.

How would this compare to Schwinns of the same era? (have a chance to buy a 75 Schwinn Le Tour for around same money).

If this Sekine is a decent bike to invest in, I will pull the trigger.
It is being sold by the original owner who was good to the bike (stored indoors and no rust).
Everything is original, even has original tires (which will need to be replaced of course).
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

I tend to like the Schwinn line from the mid-late 80s, but can not find them in my area at all (at least not for lower prices) I find alot of the Schwinn 70s era. Wondering how this would compare to 70s era Schwinns? 80s era Schwinns? Thanks

Here's the thread you want to go over (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/72059-sekine-world-s-finest-bicycle?highlight=sekine) I see a lot of Sekine's around here because for a spell they were manufactured in Manitoba. The one major change that I'd make picking up either of the bikes is going to alloy wheels (assuming they're currently a steel variety) .

Both sound like good bikes at fair prices. The only thing is these bikes are bit on the heavy side for longer rides exspecially if they have the steel 27's that a lot of them came with originally.

I have owned lots of Sekine bicycles (http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/FREE_SITE_1/FREE_SITE_BICYCLES_CANADA.htm). The one you speak of sounds like an entry level model (http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Feature_Bicycles/Feature_Bicycles_Canada/Sekine_SHC271_River/SEKINE_SHC271_1_Start.htm), to me...
http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Bicycles_Table/Canadian_Bicycles/Sekine/SekineSHC271_56/SekineSHC271_56_FullSide.jpg

If the stays are also chrome plated, then the frame set is chrome moly and you will have a pretty darn good bicycle (http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Feature_Bicycles/Feature_Bicycles_Canada/Sekine_SHT270_Mine/SEKINE_SHT270_1_Start.htm) for a hundred bucks...
http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Bicycles_Table/Canadian_Bicycles/Sekine/SekineSHT270_Mine/MySekineSHT_FullSideRight.jpg

It looks like the top one.......only in blue. If that's the case, is it worth $100? I know it doesn't have the chrome drops unfortunately.

It looks like the top one.......only in blue. If that's the case, is it worth $100? I know it doesn't have the chrome drops unfortunately.
Would need to be ready to ride at that price. Are rims alloy or steel? Schwinns tend to sell for more, not because it I any better, but due to the name. Myself, I would aim higher for the ride you are talking about, something in the $200 range.

At the same time, I used to do centuries on my Schwinn Continental, so anything can work...

I had a Japanese-made Sekine, probably a 1972, that had a chromoly frame and chromed forks. I liked it a lot, but it was too small for me and I sold it. My son's best friend competed in a triathlon with it and won his age group (teenager) with it.

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc336/davidw56/1972%20Sekine/038.jpg

Notice the spoke protector has "SEKINE" cut out:

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc336/davidw56/1972%20Sekine/039.jpg

And a rhinestone in the headbadge:

http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc336/davidw56/1972%20Sekine/045.jpg

My first 10 speed was a white Sekine similar to Randy's red one posted above but with downtube shifters. That was about 1975. I believe it was the second from the bottom in the lineup that year.

Anyway, I rode that thing all over the place for a couple of years. Today, if it were tuned up, with new cables, tubes, tires, brakes, and had a full overhaul of all the bearings, it would do a RAGBRAI just fine. People do RAGBRAI on all sorts of bikes, from fixed gear bikes to high wheelers.

I just picked up a 1974 Sekine a few days ago.
Crome stays, alloy wheels and handle bar.
Its been in dry storage for many years so it needs a lot of work, but this is one of my "grail" bikes.:thumb:
I'll try to get some pics up this weekend.