exapkib

I'm on my way to pick up a used Yamaguchi Team USA (road). This frame has been on my radar for a long time (as a native Coloradan), but I don't have a very good sense of its broader appeal/market value because they come up so rarely.

The frame is in good condition, some car rack scratches in the paint on the fork and seat stay, but otherwise pristine. It is built with a Dura Ace 7700 group, though the wheels are mismatched (one Shimano 600 hub, one DT Swiss 240 hub).

Anybody want to chime in on this bike and it's possible market value? I've already made up my mind to buy it, and to ride it for a good long time. Mostly curious to see what the collective opinion of the forums is on this unique bike.

Thanks.

exapkib

So . . . I guess that's my answer.


(A little impatient, I'll admit, but still . . . )

Veloh

No pictures? Yamaguchi is a respected framebuilder even to Richard Sachs. Good builder+good group+good market=700-800+ maybe. Keep in mind that this is a ballpark answer and that pricing is up there with high-end Italian bikes but I think that Mr. Yamaguchi can compete with them just fine.

BlueDevil63 

Pictures will get you more responses. A very well respected but not very well known builder. Very hard to value since there are so few and so few transactions. Rarity does not necessarily mean value. I've seen a few Yamaguchi Proteus frame transactions and they did not sell for huge amounts. What tubeset was used? Size? In what market? $700+ as a guess.

thinktubes 

I remember reading a review of one maybe 15+ years ago. It was described as being a stiff, all-business racing machine with flawless craftmanship.

Agree with the $700-ish estimate because the pool of potential buyers is smaller vs. something like a Sachs, Weigle or high-end Italian.

gomango

Would still like pics.

I'm impatient with folks that don't add pics to their "requests."

T-Mar

If it's what I think it is, I'd say the current estimates are on the low side. Performance Bicycle sponsored the US Cycling team for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic games. Koichi Yamaguchi designed and built the bicycles and Performance offered a very limited run of about 30 bicycles to consumers for around $4000 US in late 1991/early 1992. The bicycles matched your description of white livery with Dura-Ace. They used a custom True Temper tubeset designed by Koichi. If it is one of these, or a genuine team bicycle, it's very exclusive company. I would probably jump at this, even if I overpaid. I believe that I still have the orignal advertisement lying around.

Edit: Found the ad! Performance offered 30 signed and numbered Team USA bicycles by Yamaguchi for $3950 US, in their Holiday (Christmas) 1991 catalog.

exapkib

My impatience has been rewarded! Thanks for the responses.

I should have followed the primary rule of posting - - - deeds not words.

blilrat

S-bend stays and fillet brazing - that is one sexy frame

jet sanchEz

Holy mackeral, that is nice. And yeah, that is a $1200 bike, minimum. The frame/fork on eBay would get a lot of attention, probably in the neighbourhood of $1K, perhaps more.

edit: is the fork original? The paint looks to be a slightly different colour than the frame...

exapkib

The fork is original--the shadow in that photo distorts the color.

Thanks to all for chiming in on this--your responses illustrate my dilemma. The bike is incredible, but doesn't immediately (or universally) have the broad brand recognition of other builders working in steel.

exapkib

T-Mar--

Thanks for posting the ad. The bike I'm looking at is obviously different from the one pictured. It is, however, a genuine Yamaguchi--seems to have been built in the mid- to late-nineties.

jet sanchEz

I think you might be surprised, especially once you start riding it. I bet you will bump into other riders who appreciate and know the Yamaguchi name, that is a rare bird and the man is a legend.

Out of curiosity, was it on Craigslist?

jmagruder10

I had a chance to buy a Yamaguchi track frameset ,it was George Hincapie bike from when he was a junior racer. I did not buy it because it was too tall for me. I have been kicking my self ever since . I wish I had a time machine so I could go back and buy it. Yamaguchi made some wild looking frames.

gomango

Pretty bicycle!

The stays are cool.

So's the paint finish.

As for value, Jet's probably got her right.

Congrats on an outstanding acquisition.

exapkib

Thanks for all of the replies. I'll post some better photos in the other forum after I clean it up a little bit.

This one wasn't a craigslist find, but it popped up on a similar local classified ads site.

gomango

Plenty of pics please.

Loving' your bicycle!

stalag13

Yamaguchi may not have the name brand recognition of Sachs, but he is far from unknown, and is as well respected as any frame builder out there. Within the realm of C&V, I'd be surprised if you came across many people who DIDN'T know who he was. On the open market, I could see 1500 easy.

exapkib

A belated update and thank you--after several good rides, I am very excited about this bike. I was worried about fitting a custom frame built for somebody else, but no complaints so far. Fantastic ride--lively and quick.

I'm still working to learn more about the frame and its origins--no luck contacting the builder (yet).

My cleaned up ride (though not too clean, you'll notice--this bike is made for riding):



Still a few adjustments to make (may need to go with a setback seatpost), and still unsure of how much to cut the steerer tube. All in good time.

T-Mar

Welcome back. Personally, I wouldn't cut the sterrer but just run it with the specers on top of the stem. You'll eventually find out that you lose flexibiity as you age and you'll eventually want to raise the stem.

jet sanchEz

Wow! As T-Mar says, I wouldn't cut the steerer either.

I think you should start up a thread in the main forum with some more photos, everyone will want to see this but this sub-forum doesn't get much traffic.

blilrat

That frame really hits all my buttons - beautiful. How about some close ups of the seat cluster?

bici_mania

I go for the Italian stuff but I must say that is some hard core bike p0 rn there. No nonsense, built for speed.

exapkib

Glad you guys enjoyed the photo. It's fun to share with others who can get as excited about this bike as I am.

I'll get some more detailed shots this weekend (any other requests?) and post them over in the main forum.

gomango

Make the photos large and plentiful please.

Gorgeous bicycle you have there.

Love to see some shots of the seat cluster and fork crown.

What tubeset was used?