beakersbike

Anyone know much about the SR Gran Course? I think it's Sakae Ringyo - came across one looks to be in nice condition - Classy looking Shimano 600 Arabesque components. I have absolutely no room to add another bike to the stable but it's one of those deals that might just be too good to pass on. I'm trying to figure out what the frame is made of - I saw one reference that says Hi-Ten steel, but I can't imagine them putting Shimano 600 components on hi-ten steel. Any thoughts?

tmh657

If that's not your size and you are thinking of flipping it you need to get it REALLY cheap to make money since it is a huge frame. I have given up buying giant frames unless it's next to nothing or has very desirable parts. YMMV.

beakersbike

This would be for me to ride. I've got a Fuji Royale that I've completely rebuilt - it's a decent Chromoly frame, Suntour derailleurs shift very nicely - component wise the Shimano 600 would be a definite upgrade, just not sure about the frame.

ZippyThePinhead

SR does not mean what you think. There are many threads here on BF... you just need to search a bit:

SR Brand Bikes
1983 SR "Racing" Pro-AM
1980's SR
SR Semi-Pro Touring

And so forth. I have a 1983 SR Semi-Pro, which I regard as my poor man's Rivendell. The frame was made in Osaka, before the Yen got strong, and it is a very fine bicycle. I don't ride it often now, but I put a good 1,400 miles on it at one time.

coolkat

Don't count on the components being that much better. I've found that even low-end Suntour shifts nicer than pre-index era Shimano. With that said, the SR looks like a nice and clean bike.

wrk101

Don't over-rate early Shimano 600. Really no relationship with the later stuff. Early 600 showed up on a lot of low end bikes, Sears sold a model with Shimano 600. It also showed up on better bikes.

I've also seen first generation Cyclone on high ten steel bikes several times.

Later in the 1980s, the grade of components was a better guide to the quality of the bike (frame).

+100 I would not consider early 600 an upgrade performance wise over Suntour.

beakersbike

Thank you everyone. It's interesting reading through the forums - reading through all the forums, there are enough people referencing 'Made in Japan' being found on their SR bikes, that it does seem like the SR is the same as Sakae Ringyo, or at least that's how the evidence looks to me. That doesn't mean they necessarily made the frames themselves - there were enough Japanese manufacturers (Bridgestone, Panasonic) that made bikes with other names on them (Schwinn, Centurion, Univega). There's enough similarity in the SR Logo on the headbadge of these bikes to the SR on stems and other items that for Japanese bikes I don't believe that some other entity is going to get away with putting something out there that is so similar. That leads me to think that either Sakae Ringyo commissioned these bikes be made by someone else, or that someone like the Windsor distributing company licensed the name from Sakae Ringyo.

That's good information from everyone on the early Shimano 600. I'm really happy with how beautifully the Suntour stuff works on my Fuji. It looks to me like with this SR it was like a lot of the Japanese bikes of its time - probably very much underrated especially for what you can get it for. Not super high end but nowhere near the bottom of the barrell. In the end it sounds a lot like the Fuji I have, probably not a dramatic improvement but probably not a dramatic drop off either.

jetboy 

whacky. i am just gonna go pick one up tonight. that looks like a nice bike! the one I am grabbing is not... but its also $25 - and missing a few things. like wheels.

ZippyThePinhead

For the record, when I got mine I was curious to find out a bit more of the history. Our family is friendly with the family that owns Dia-Compe, so I asked the owner about SR in general, and the possibility of SR representing "Sakae Ringyo."

His response: "SR is a name of bike component manufacturer. [...] I know him as my old friend for more than 30 years, and [...] he has never made complete bicycles in the past."

Comparing my frame with others seen on BF-- the pictures posted in this thread are small, so I can't say it is a similar frame-- and from other information, my 1983 SR has a frame built by Miki frame works in Osaka (a.k.a. Miki Seisaku Sho, also Miki of Sakai). Regarding Miki frame works, I was told "Miki frame works (Miki Seisaku Sho) used to make frames for many US bicycle manufacturers from the 1970s until a few years ago. The factory still exists; however, he doesn't make any more fames. He only does painting business for small quantity customers in Osaka now. I don't know who owns the factory now."

So it would seem that Windsor was one of the many customers of Miki frame works, these bikes were possibly assembled in Mexico (there was an SR Bicycles in Chula Vista, CA at one time), and there is no connection between SR and Sakae Ringyo.

jetboy 

i just went and got the one near me- hi-ten steel. but yes, came with shimano 600 (non-aero) brake levers- with the holes which are pretty nice. and.. a cinelli quill! so just those made the trip - so yeah, sorta crappy frame with some decent stuff on it.