mizutani Super Seraph
#1
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mizutani Super Seraph
Took these pictures for a friend
anyone know about this bike?
anyone know about this bike?
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#2
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I don't know much about the brand but I think they have one of the coolest head badges. Woof! That one is in great shape, the frame and lugs looks like a dead ringer for an early Fuji Finest, especially around the seat tube lug. Here's a '76 I owned at one point:
Scott
Scott
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#3
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I noticed the lugs on the Forks look just like my stable of Nishiki's also...
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serial number?
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In the early 80's and older Japanese distributor "Mizutani" came to visit the Yeti factory when I worked there. We had a huge barrel filled with beverages for the guests as well as condiments etc. The dud swaggered over the the barrel, grabbed a pint of coffee-mate and chugged it like a football star.
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common lugs/forks
When I was working in a bike shop back in the mid-70's, the word was, most of the Japanese bikes were made in one or two or maybe three factories. Nishiki, azuki, takara, mizutani (the lesser known of all), fuji, kobe, shogun, lotus, centurion/REI, volkscycle, campanayia?, and many, many, more. I'm not sure what all, or if all I've listed were from the same factory. I appreciate the fuji photos along side the mizutani and the nishiki coment. These comments varify what I thought might have urban-legend slants to them.
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When I was working in a bike shop back in the mid-70's, the word was, most of the Japanese bikes were made in one or two or maybe three factories. Nishiki, azuki, takara, mizutani (the lesser known of all), fuji, kobe, shogun, lotus, centurion/REI, volkscycle, campanayia?, and many, many, more. I'm not sure what all, or if all I've listed were from the same factory. I appreciate the fuji photos along side the mizutani and the nishiki coment. These comments varify what I thought might have urban-legend slants to them.
Of the ones you've listed, Azuki and Nishiki were manufactured by primarily by Giant and Kawamura. Kuwahara manufactured most Takara. Centurion was manufactured by Fairly, Katakura, Matsu****a, Mikki, Tano and others. Lotus was manufactured by Tsunoda and Pacific, among others. Shogun came primarily from Mikki and Yamaguchi. Fuji was manufacturerd by Fuji and various subcontractors. I'm not sure about the others but we've already hit a dozen different manufacturers just covering a portion of your list. If you want an idea of the number of manufacturers used by brands, just check out my Centuion Serial Number Database, Fuji Serial Number Database and Nishiki Serial Number Database threads on this forum.
#11
Fahrrad Mama
In the early 80's and older Japanese distributor "Mizutani" came to visit the Yeti factory when I worked there. We had a huge barrel filled with beverages for the guests as well as condiments etc. The dud swaggered over the the barrel, grabbed a pint of coffee-mate and chugged it like a football star.
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There were certainly more than two or three, try at least 2 or 3 dozen! I'm currently working on a chart to cross reference C&V brands to Asian manufacturers and their serial number formats. I'm just about to top 100 brands and companies!
Of the ones you've listed, Azuki and Nishiki were manufactured by primarily by Giant and Kawamura. Kuwahara manufactured most Takara. Centurion was manufactured by Fairly, Katakura, Matsu****a, Mikki, Tano and others. Lotus was manufactured by Tsunoda and Pacific, among others. Shogun came primarily from Mikki and Yamaguchi. Fuji was manufacturerd by Fuji and various subcontractors. I'm not sure about the others but we've already hit a dozen different manufacturers just covering a portion of your list. If you want an idea of the number of manufacturers used by brands, just check out my Centuion Serial Number Database, Fuji Serial Number Database and Nishiki Serial Number Database threads on this forum.
Of the ones you've listed, Azuki and Nishiki were manufactured by primarily by Giant and Kawamura. Kuwahara manufactured most Takara. Centurion was manufactured by Fairly, Katakura, Matsu****a, Mikki, Tano and others. Lotus was manufactured by Tsunoda and Pacific, among others. Shogun came primarily from Mikki and Yamaguchi. Fuji was manufacturerd by Fuji and various subcontractors. I'm not sure about the others but we've already hit a dozen different manufacturers just covering a portion of your list. If you want an idea of the number of manufacturers used by brands, just check out my Centuion Serial Number Database, Fuji Serial Number Database and Nishiki Serial Number Database threads on this forum.
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Mizutani Owner
I know it's been a few years since your post...I purchased the same bike/same color 1974 from Cycle Smithy, LBS ~ 2424-1/2 Clark Street, Chicago, and own it still. It's been a great friend. When I bought it, it was similar to, but less $ than, Raleigh's Competition. Cycle Smithy changed out the wheels/tires for clinchers, as I was averse to tubeless on Chicago streets. Regret not buying the 2nd set of wheels, but simply didn't have it then. Still riding!
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^ Welcome to the forum. When you get a chance, post some pics of your bike. We don't see a lot of these around here.
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
#15
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My brother had one of these (different color) back in the '70s in Iowa. It was stolen within a year, though I thought I saw a kid riding it. Never caught up with him (on foot).