bloom87

nope man. my experience as both a shop mech and a coop mech. i've had a lot of average (at most) peeps riding on one eff'd up DO, axle's about to just slip out, seriously. these were all on cheap DO's. i once tried to build a nice ride for my friend on a raleigh "superbe( not the 3-speed, the canadian hybrid **** kind), and it's mainly the stamped DOs ****ing everything on this coaster brake-build... axle won't stay in place, DO's being warped way too easily, etc. once you jump sidewalk curbs, or go thru deep potholes, you're likely to warp the DO. OK they're easy to repair, you just pound them to their original shape. BUT you weaken them even more each time.


there's a reason why they invented forgd drop-outs. paper-thin DO don't hold in real-life conditions. the only reason they exist is because they're at least twice as cheap as forged dropouts. money really is the only reason why they exist after the 50es, that's why I don't trust them.


frames with stamped DO's are to avoid, that's all. any models that didn't get forged DO's (unless it's before the 60es) is cheap, and ultimately dangerous.

there are some rare models with very thick stamped DOs,that are strong, but it's quite the exception. maybe on some reynolds 531 frames, some italian racers of the 60es. BUT most of the time, we're looking at stuff you can bend with pliers.

forged DO is really the FIRST feature to look for in a used, vintage frame, PERIOD. I've had ****ty-tubes frames (carbolite 103 , peugeot) with forged simplex DOs. it's the BARE MINIMUM. if you're looking at something else than a show bike.

you bend these things with a feeble hammer hit
they're weak spots
they dont belong on any serious bike
bottom line
cant argue

rustybrown

^does not understand metal.

Scrodzilla

This chart may help:

ianjk

I think this should get moved to the C&V forum. Should warn them of the dangers of the stamped dropout. I know some of those guys have been flirting with death for tens of thousands of miles (myself included) riding these vintage unreliable death-machines.

RoboIsGod

I have no idea what I'm talking about...right.

Kabuki was a low end company owned by Bridgestone that exclusively made low end bikes. Any bike that has a tab for a kickstand, stamped drop-out's and poorly made fake sleeve-lugs is going to be of a poor construction and is in fact lowest of the low. Even the lowest end Raleigh's during the bike boom weren't constructed this poorly.

rustybrown

Know this crusader-bro.

Gas pipe is undesirable, yet abundant, and shockingly, it lasts. Marketing, though, ebbs and flows with the tides. Buy low, sell high.

Appalled at the lack of Gene and Peter in the periodic chart of metal.

ianjk

Butted high-ten with aluminum (yes aluminium "lugs"). No, it isn't a triple butted unobtanium hand-made race rocket. Nowhere near the lowest of the low though. In terms of bike boom bikes, this thing is mid range IMO. Look at the straight gauge hi-ten bikes with crimped dropouts, one piece cranks, plastic stem mounted shifters, etc... There is much, much worse out there.

ianjk

2 years x 25 miles x 5 days a week on stamped dropouts, including some trail riding and frozen streams, no issues. Still have the frame and may put it back on the road someday.

Abe Froman

Nice bike.

GManCTBikeBlog

Excellent. You went all-out for that man. I went a bit more bare bones here: https://gmanctbikeblog.wordpress.com/

rivas7200

I owned a 1970's Kabuki before and it was actually a good ride. Fast, nimble, and responsive . . probably because the frame fit me like a glove.
Those Al lugs are kinda interesting and made for a clean seat clamp area.