Luke1977

I picked this bike up for $75 at the flea market today. Looks like the original decals are gone and replaced with a "Fox" one on the head tube and "The" on the top tube. The left chainstay does appear to have an original decal that reads "Tri-Sport". Frame is Tange 3 double-butted, fork is Tange chromo. Full Shimano 600 group. Fiamme Hard Silver rims (tubulars I guess). 12-speed. Weighs in at 22 lbs on my bathroom scale.

Any ideas what this is?

ilikebikes

I don't know what it is but it sure is pretty!

awesomobob

shimano 600, the components alone are probably worth $75, nice find, how come i cant ever find anything like that.

Luke1977

Took it apart for a little cleaning (VERY little since it's pretty clean to begin with). Date code on the derailleurs put it at Feb, 1984. So that's a start.

BluesDaddy

Looks a lot like my Trek 400, except mine has internal cable routing on the right chainstay.

Panthers007

Very tight rear geometry - noting the proximity of the rear-wheel to the seat-tube. Suggests it was made for what the European market was calling 'fast-touring' or 'intermediate-racer' in the USA in the early 1980's.

Looks very good!

Luke1977

Does "Sekai" mean anything to anyone here? It has come up in my search, but I can't find a catalog or specs for specific bikes from them. Regardless, this thing is cleaning up nice. I'll probably sell it though, since I don't really need another bike, and I don't think I want to start messing with tubular tires either. I can't get over how light the thing is though!

divineAndbright

Sekae made some frames, or had frames built for them (one or the other), that actually came to mind when I looked at this one actually, though I dont really know why. Neat looking little bike!

Luke1977

There's a serial number on the BB, but it's covered with the guides for the derailleur cables. They looked to be glued down, and I don't really want to mess with trying to pry it up. Starts with an "8" though.

Grim

Parts and frame look like a Miyata 912 except the wrong shifters and the wrong color. https://www.miyatacatalogs.com/2007/1...alog-1984.html
I think Miyata built some of the Nashiki (sp) bikes.

sfclearwater

I have a 1984 "Sakai Tri-Ultra". Given that yours says "Tri-Sport", which seems to fit the naming convention perhaps it is a "Sakai Tri-Sport"? If so then what you have is a nice Japanese bike possibly made of Tange Champion #2 tubing (oops, just re-read your post and you already said it was Tange #3).

Check out this thread too:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/429693-sakai-bikes.html

Luke1977

I guess when I list it for sale, I'll just call it a "1980's Japanese Racing Bike" or something like that. The component list should speak for itself I think. Quality steel framed bikes command a decent price by me, so hopefully this will sell quickly.

T-Mar

The presence of non-indexed New 600EX components indicates 1984-1985. A pic of the Tri-Sport decal may help in the ID, if the font is unique. Tubulars on a Tange 3 frame is certainly a unique combination, though Fiamme Hard Silver are correct for the era.

Knowing the complete serial number may help. Typically, the plastic BB cable guides are either held in place by a screw or a peg that fits into a hole in the shell. I've never seen any that were glued on.

Luke1977

I'll take a few more pics today, now that it's all cleaned up and will have another go at the serial number.

Luke1977

Here's the "Tri-Sport" decal.



I tried to pry up the derailleur guides but it wouldn't budge. Held in place with a flat round piece of metal with a hole in it. Rather than end up destroying the thing, I gave up. Managed to make out the first 3 digits: 84G. Then there was about 4 or 5 numbers following it.

The drink cage braze-ons have a decorative diamond:


Here's another detail shot of the lugs:

sfclearwater

Sounds like the the BB cable guide is riveted on. The "tri-sport" decal is in a different place and font than my "tri-ultra" and the serial number doesn't seem to follow the same format. Perhaps they aren't realated. Anyway, if anyone can make a positive ID based on the (start of the) serial number it would be T-Mar.

Luke1977

Yeah, it's a bit of a mystery. There were so many Japanese manufacturers in the 80's, it's hard to nail it down. I've been looking at tons of photos and catalogs, but nothing seems to match exactly. And absolutely zero info on any "Tri-Sport" bike model.

T-Mar

While I've never seen that particular serial number format, it's apparent that it is a 1984 manufacture, though if the G represents the 7th month, it's possibly a very early 1985 model. I've just been through my database of 1984 and 1985 bicycles. While I did find 41 models spec'd with Shimano New 600EX, none combined these components with Tange #3, let alone Fiamme Hard Silver rims. I guess you'll just have to list it as a 1984/1985, mid-range bicycle. Sorry that I could not be of any real help.

dhall

frame looks alot like my peugeot but i seem to be outnumbered here... and my knowledge is limited

jacksbike

Definitely looks of Japanese manufacture, but of which company, who knows. Great looking bike with great parts. Any of those suggestions sound good -Sekai, Miyata, etc. There were so many Japanese bikes out in the mid 80's-could be any one of them. What is very curious is the use of the Fiamme tubular rims which Japanese companies did not use. They would have used Ukai or Araya tubular rims.Interested what brand hubs are used.

Luke1977

The hubs are Shimano 600. Given the unusual combination of components, and Fiamme rims laced to Shimano hubs, maybe this wasn't a stock model. Could have been custom ordered, or custom built by a savvy rider back in the day. Also, "Tri-Sport" might be a bike shop's name rather than the model name. Who knows.

T-Mar

Well, it's definitely not a Peugeot. It's the wrong serial number format, they didn't have a New 600EX equipped model during this period and weren't using Tange tubing.

I doubt this is a custom model. If custom, I would have expected a better grade of tubing, recessed brake fittings and some extra bosses, like a set for a 2nd bottle.