school me on bridgestone bikes.
09-21-14, 01:31 PM
#26
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They exited the bike business because Grant Petersen's designs didn't suit them and he eventually went on to found Rivendell.
But for Japanese bikes like the cult X0-1 classic, they're wonderful rides.
But for Japanese bikes like the cult X0-1 classic, they're wonderful rides.
09-21-14, 01:40 PM
#27
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Grant Petersen of Rivendell used to run the North American operation for Bridgestone. One of his ideas was the Bridgestone Owners Bunch, now known as internet bob on Google, groups.google.com/group/internet-bob . There were some articles in the Rivendell Reader a while ago. Maybe you can download the one in which he talks about Bridgestone.
GP's verdict on Bridgestones was as I remember , very good, solid well made production bikes, but not as good as Specialized Sequoias.
GP's verdict on Bridgestones was as I remember , very good, solid well made production bikes, but not as good as Specialized Sequoias.
09-21-14, 02:03 PM
#28
Gouge Away
Bridgestone made bikes before and after Peterson. Bridgestone's decision to stop building bikes had more to do with the demise of Japanese made bikes and their failure to compete with other markets, much like US manufacturers.
09-21-14, 02:24 PM
#29
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As of April of last year, Bridgestone was making bicycles in 3 plants in Japan and one in China. As far as I know they never stopped making them, just stopped marketing them in America.
Bridgestone Cycle to Increase Production Capacity in China | Corporate | Bridgestone Corporation
Most are marketed under the brand Anchor, which I've always thought was a great name for a company selling performance roadbikes, among other types.
********************???? **********anchor
Bridgestone Cycle to Increase Production Capacity in China | Corporate | Bridgestone Corporation
Most are marketed under the brand Anchor, which I've always thought was a great name for a company selling performance roadbikes, among other types.
********************???? **********anchor
09-21-14, 02:51 PM
#30
Gouge Away
Thanks for the update Lester. I was under the impression that they had closed or like Fuji and many other Japanese bike manufacturers had moved production offshore. Good on them for keeping the flame alive in Japan.
09-21-14, 07:43 PM
#31
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I'm skeptical that Reynolds 531 came in a triple butted flavor. I could be wrong, though.
It's not quite right to say that triple butted's downfall was that the walls were too thin. No doubt your right and some triple butted tubing sets had problems with the walls being a bit too thin for the intended use. The thickness or the thinness of the walls does not turn, though, on whether a bike is double or triple butted.
By the way, two of my all time favorite bikes are triple butted and neither is a lightweight bike with thin walls. My team miyata is the best riding road racing bike I have ever owned. It has splined triple butted tubing and it no lightweight racing bike. My 1992 Bridgestone XO-2 is a just great bike. It has triple butted tubing and it is definitely not a lightweight butted tubing.
It's not quite right to say that triple butted's downfall was that the walls were too thin. No doubt your right and some triple butted tubing sets had problems with the walls being a bit too thin for the intended use. The thickness or the thinness of the walls does not turn, though, on whether a bike is double or triple butted.
By the way, two of my all time favorite bikes are triple butted and neither is a lightweight bike with thin walls. My team miyata is the best riding road racing bike I have ever owned. It has splined triple butted tubing and it no lightweight racing bike. My 1992 Bridgestone XO-2 is a just great bike. It has triple butted tubing and it is definitely not a lightweight butted tubing.
I don't know what caused the downfall of triple butted frames, production costs perhaps.
09-21-14, 08:41 PM
#32
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09-21-14, 08:53 PM
#33
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Wow this thread had a certain burst of action
Saw it had 179 views and no replies and didn't think I was geeting any
I'm aware of Bridgestone using ishiwata tubing for the 90s rb, and xo models
But earlier marks were just marked 4130.
From what I've read Bridgestone didn't make theyre own tubes.
The weight displayed for from the catalogs is for the 56cm frame size.
Am I being to hopefull in thinking the 53 and 56 have a pound of difference?
Basically what I'm most curious about is what the tubes compare too.
Does my 86 Bridgestones tubing compare to tange infinity or a higher quality tubing
I'm not weight weenie but I'm just very curious. This is the lightest bike I've owned and I'm happy with it. With the mavic/tricolor wheels it ride like butter
Side note for the triple butted discussion.
My friend owns a 1987 univega gran record, it has triple butted tubes, think they're marked mangaloy or something like that.
It feels lighter than my bike
Saw it had 179 views and no replies and didn't think I was geeting any
I'm aware of Bridgestone using ishiwata tubing for the 90s rb, and xo models
But earlier marks were just marked 4130.
From what I've read Bridgestone didn't make theyre own tubes.
The weight displayed for from the catalogs is for the 56cm frame size.
Am I being to hopefull in thinking the 53 and 56 have a pound of difference?
Basically what I'm most curious about is what the tubes compare too.
Does my 86 Bridgestones tubing compare to tange infinity or a higher quality tubing
I'm not weight weenie but I'm just very curious. This is the lightest bike I've owned and I'm happy with it. With the mavic/tricolor wheels it ride like butter
Side note for the triple butted discussion.
My friend owns a 1987 univega gran record, it has triple butted tubes, think they're marked mangaloy or something like that.
It feels lighter than my bike
Very informative but didn't answer the follow up question I made
I'm very curious of what my bikes tube material compares too.
After that you guys can continue your triple butted discussion which I've been learing a lot from
09-21-14, 09:23 PM
#34
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If the tubing was anything extraordinary, they would have probably put a sticker on there telling you. It just says 4130, so it's chromoly tubing. Maybe it's butted, maybe not. If you measure your seatpost diameter that could help narrow it down. For what it's worth, I had a Kabuki (Bridgestone)Chromo X-12 I think it was called. It had a sticker saying that it was Nissan Cromo, so who knows who made the tubes.
09-21-14, 09:27 PM
#35
Gouge Away
Ishiwata made bike tubes not unlike Reynolds, Columbus, or Tange. Their tubing line-up ranged from high end to low end. Does your frame have a tubing decal?
09-21-14, 09:28 PM
#36
Gouge Away
If the tubing was anything extraordinary, they would have probably put a sticker on there telling you. It just says 4130, so it's chromoly tubing. Maybe it's butted, maybe not. If you measure your seatpost diameter that could help narrow it down. For what it's worth, I had a Kabuki (Bridgestone)Chromo X-12 I think it was called. It had a sticker saying that it was Nissan Cromo, so who knows who made the tubes.
09-21-14, 09:40 PM
#37
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The catalog the OP referenced has fairly good information. This was a pretty good bike both in terms of the tubing set (4130 triple butted main triangle, 4130 rear triangle and fork) and the equipment (shimano 600). 23 lbs back in the day was a decent weight for a road bike. It's not clear who manufactured the tubing set. Bridgestone was one of the better Japanese bike manufacturers and some of its bikes are very sought after. I own three of them and they are great bikes.
09-21-14, 09:41 PM
#38
Gouge Away
1985 500: Triple butted main tubes, hi-ten fork. Not sure about the stays. Might have changed in different years.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/bridgest...estone-500.jpg
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/bridgest...estone-500.jpg
09-21-14, 09:49 PM
#39
Gouge Away
Looks like the '86 did up grade the fork to CrMo.
https://sheldonbrown.com/bridgestone/...estone-500.jpg
With a Shimano 600EX drivetrain it's a nice upper mid-level bike.
https://sheldonbrown.com/bridgestone/...estone-500.jpg
With a Shimano 600EX drivetrain it's a nice upper mid-level bike.
Last edited by kaliayev; 09-21-14 at 09:54 PM.
09-21-14, 09:58 PM
#40
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It's an 86 and the decal says crmo 4130 triple butted frame, forks, and stays
Maybe I should just forget it and enjoy the ride but I thought it would have been nice to know who made the tubes
Maybe I should just forget it and enjoy the ride but I thought it would have been nice to know who made the tubes
09-22-14, 01:04 AM
#41
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