rasmus

Has anyone heard of a Zebra bicycle? I found one in Galveston Texas last year at a thrift store, and dragged it home to rebuild for a rainy day commuter (1 1/2 mile of gravel and the rest paved) I'd never heard of them before. It came equipped with a rear c-brake, front center pull, shimano 24 spd components (deore) and sis thumb shifters. I replaced the bottom bracket and crank with new low end shimano. (who needs to run a great crank in mud?)

mpfgc

I rescued one from curbside trash collection last fall. It is a 24 inch tire "Junior Racer", labelled as made in Japan. The components were pretty standard Japanese groups (can't remember if Suntour or Shimano, it's tucked away in the back of the garage, but my son has begun bugging me about getting it ready for him for the spring). I've done a lot of googling and searching of bike sights, and not really found any info about Zebra. There was a brand/make called Zebrazenko that seems to have disappeared in the 70's or 80's, perhaps this is a successor.

peripatetic

I had one of these that was silver-gray with pink writing. Very cool color. The one I had had Suntour ARX deraillers with stem shifters and Dia-compe sidepulls; nothing special, but all quite usable. I converted it to a ss town ride for a friend, and it rides lovely--he loves it. A good no-name name.

T-Mar

Zebra bicycles started appearing in 1985, just after Zebrakenko disappeared from the market. I'm guessing that they just wanted a more consumer friendly name, but the distributors were different, so maybe it's just a coincidence (hmm, I'm getting deja vu). If it is related to Zebrakeknko, then the company origins go back to around 1900.

The late 1980 Zebra were typical, good Japanese bicycles. But a 24 speed would indicate something around the mid-1990s or newer and I'm not familiar with the brand from that period. 24 speed and thumb shifters are a strange mix. I would have expected trigger shifters.

OldsCOOL

I've got a ZebraKenko. Seems to be a decent bike, very light, good componentry. Not sure of the one you have though??

Bellevue28

I Bought a Zebra in 1983, i guess...Called a sport touring model, It had ''alloy'' tubing, suntour parts, Front and back QR hubs...I put a lot of miles on that thing till i drove it into a bus and bent the fork.
Was told back then it was short for Zebrakenko ... I swear I saw the name Zebrakenko come out after my bike was bought. Did they think they were doing good enougg to put that ridiculous name across the entire down tube? This was was probably the kiss of death.

derailled

Yes I just bought one. 1970s ten speed made in Japan.
Called a 'ZEBRA BICYCLE'

Company is Golden Sports - Sarkenk[?] with a huge lion's head badge.
Mine is red translucent paint over silver base.
Low halfs of forks are chrome.
Cottor pinned cranks.
Has a chainwheel similar to a Typhoon Espirit des Champions of the same period.
Lower middle range bike.
I will get the deraillers details later.


Head Stock Badge got damegd by basket mount.


ZEBRA BICYCLE Decal on front down tube.



'MADE IN JAPAN' Decal AND MONOGRAM for Zebra Bicycles n seat post

T-Mar

That sounds very much like the Zebrakenko headbadge with Sarkenk in place of Zebrakenko, It sounds like it may be a different brand from the same manufacturer and that Zebra may be the model and not the brand name. Pics would be appreciated, especially one of the head badge.

derailled

^^^^Hi T-Mar,

No... you are right it is ZEBRAKENKO.


The badge was damaged by a basket or h/light mount so misinterpreted it.
Search 'zebrakenko' for some pleasing results on the badge and a nice lime green 'ZEBRA BICYCLE' FRAME GRAPHICS SHOT AND TH WHOLE BIKE WITH A SOLID FORK BRIDGE.

jeb814

I found a Zebra 12 speed at a local thrift shop a couple of weeks ago and since I wasn't familiar with the name didn't pay much attention to it. A couple of days ago I decided to do some research and discovered this thread. Long story short, yesterday I did a test ride and decided to bring it home. Frame is Tange 900 double butted cr-mo made in Taiwan. The other bikes listed in this thread have frames made in Japan. I wonder if the manufacturer turned to Taiwan for it's lower end frames in the 80's like some of the other brands (i.e. Centurion). It does not have a fancy head badge, just a painted flared Z where the head badge would be. Suntour a-3000 group. Araya rims. I'll post some pictures when I get it cleaned up.

T-Mar

Most Japanese manufacturrs turned to Taiwan for at least their entry level models after the big Yen revaluation circa 1985. Alpha 3000 group would put this circa 1987-1988 and with an orignal price of about $300-$400 US.

jeb814

Thanks for the feedback T-Mar.

Dave C

I used to sell them on Long Island in the mid 80's. Good bikes with decent components.

bikebikebike

Got one back that I had given away, when the guy moved., that I bought in a garage sale~1993
ZEBRA Comet , 2x6 Sun tour Rims: aluminum ARAYA 27x 1 1/4 on Sansin hubs, Crank SUGINO VP 170mm 52/40
Sweet double butted chrome moly steel frame made in Japan
ARx would indicate 1981 or later. Seamed, butted tubing came into prominence around 1983. I would guess that the model dates from 1983-1987

T-Mar

I'd place this 1985-1986. Zebra didn't exist in 1984 and ARx was discontinued at the end of 1986. There's was a Zebra Sprint model in 1985 that's a good match for your description. I'm wondering if they renamed it for 1986. Serial number? TIA.

bikebikebike

Bike has no serial numbers , and I have looked at all the spots where they are known to hide.
Not unusual, though disconcerting. It's almost as bad as those with either SN# on stickers or with so many numbers it begs error, both of which are more a theft/recovery issue.

motiheal

do you know what this model is?

42Patman

Dave C, did you sell them in Port Jefferson?

Dave C

No Ma'am. Huntington Station and Farmingdale

jacksbike

I believe that the main Zebrakenko importer was Bike Rack, which was headquartered on Long Island. They sold bikes and parts. Later on they also sold St. Tropez label bikes, which were low end.

T-Mar

Bike Rack didn't become involved until after the brand was shortened to Zebra, Zebrakenko was originally imported to the USA in the mid-1970s by Sumitomo Shoji. The last importer under the Zebrakenko name, in 1984, was O.M. International.

There were some decent, mid-range models in the late 1980s, when they had some celebrity endorsements. Jeannie Longo promoted a series under her name and I remember an ad with Ivan Lendl on a TT bike.

jacksbike

I disagree with you on both of your statements. I am 99 % certain that the other bike shops around mine which sold Zebrakenko road bikes obtained their bikes from Bike Rack of Long Island. The St. Tropez bikes, which I also sold, were low end bikes on par with Royce Union. I do not recall ST. Tropez selling anything close to half way decent bikes.

thumpism 

I worked in Virginia and North Carolina as a territory sales rep for Bike Rack (of Hauppauge, Long Island, NY) in '88 and sold Zebra bikes. That pink-and-white one pictured above with the Ishiwata (022?) stickers was likely the nicest one in the catalog at the time. They were garden variety Taiwan-sourced bikes, no better or worse than anyone else's for any given model.

St. Tropez, on the other hand, seemed distinctly cheaper to me. They were distributed by North American back when I was paying attention to such things.