Originally Posted by Fugazi Dave
Super super nice, but there are more of them out there than some disciples would have you believe. To wit - see how many 3Renshos you can find record of specific people owning, and compare that to similar findings for other high-quality Keirin builders. A lot of them you're lucky if you can find record of a half dozen frames having made their way stateside.
and then check to see how many of those same builders still have a lot of frames in japan.
Where theres a demand, there will be people who import them.
while watanabe, otaki, osca, vogue (and their sweet ass decals), and maeda make sweet frames, theres just not as much desire. konno made frames for some of the best of the best, and then had his accident. theres a combination between technical excellence and good design as well as the history of the people who rode the frames along with the knowledge that no more are being made that make them desirable to many people.
me, i got mine cuz i saw a chance to own something awesome and went for it. besides being able to ride a great bike, i feel like i own a little peice of cycling history. i know its silly, but I dig that.