auldgeunquers

Hi all,

I picked up this old Japanese bike for 10 Buckaroonies at the local ReStore - mainly thinking I was going to use the straight Ukai rear rim to replace the non straight rim on my old Velo-Sport ... but I tinkered with it a bit and had it rideable in a couple of hours. The poor thing had been serviced by somebody who obviously did not know what side of the drop out to hang his derailleur on ... I mean that literally.

I find now that I kind of like the old girl ... and since I can find no info about the bike via Google nor Wikipedia, I thought I would turn to the enlightened folk here for their 2 cents.

The bike is steel, and too heavy for a racer, with not enough braze-ons for a tourerer. The run of the mill Japanese components are making me think it is some generic run of the mill mass produced bike built to be rebranded, and this one was rebranded with a short lived and narrowly dstributed brand. But the fancy work on the lugs around the headset seem out of step with the other components I find. I have not yet been able to find a serial number (THAT's a bad sign!). Those Dai Compe brakes work great. The Deraileur seems to be telling me early 70's. I amused by the front derailleur name ... "Spirt" - but it seems to confirm the early 70's dating of the machine.

So ... what do yous think, eh?

Bianchigirll 

I don't know the brand but your missing a bolt and special nut that attaches the rear derailleur 'claw' to the dropout.

see that hole next to axle nut? a bolt belongs in there.

auldgeunquers

Yep - I see what you mean. There is a positioning tab on the back of the derailleur in the drop out though, so as long as the axle bolt is tight it should keep working, no? I expect the adjustments would be all out of whack again though when next the wheel comes off.

Still, I did improve the situation - the derailleur was on the wrong side of the drop out tab and rotated forward so that it was binding on the frame when I got it. It only had 2 or 3 gears of movement when I got it.

howsteepisit

Mid 70's entry level. Needs to be reconditioned to have much value, evn then with steel wheels and derailleurs, probably 125-150 depending on market. But right now its in rough shape and worth 50-75.

auldgeunquers

Yep - that agrees with my best guess. Prices probably high for my market though ... but hey, I'm only 10 bucks in so far. The real question to me is whether to part it or keep it intact. There is beauty in the whole.

This is always my problem when I buy a complete bike for parts ... I end up liking it too much to break it up ... SIGH!

Thanks for your input.

auldgeunquers

Bianchigirll, you will be happy to know that I find I have several examples of the bolt in question in my spare parts box.

Thanks for pointing out the absence.

Peace, eh?