Where were all you ZK guys when I posted in '05??

I didnt have a clue about the bikes back then and it's looking like there arent many around. The one I bought for 10.00 was a 23" and really was too tall for my comfort. I do recall the decal that said Ishiwata 022. Really a decent bike.

I'm from Houston, last summer I stayed in New York/Pennsylvania area. I pulled up to a bike shop in Conklin New York called Conklin Cycles, formerly known as AeroCycles back in the 70s and 80s. Right as I pulled up some guy was dragging a bike to the dumpster and before he put it in there he asked if I wanted it. "Hell yeah, I want a free bike". it was this Zebrakenko goldensport, all original parts on it. he said he bought it for his wife new in the early 80s and she rode it once, crashed and never rode it again. I was stoked to find out that it still had ST sticker and beautiful head badge on it, plus the bike shop sticker under the ST sticker that says "AeroCycles, Conklin NewYork". I didn't know anything about the bike at all so I asked the lady that owned the bike shop and she told me that her husband was the original importer of Zebrakenko in the early 70s, she said that they had shipped crate after crate of these bikes from Japan and distributed them around the north. She said by the mid 80s nobody wanted one. she also called Zebrakenko "a failed dream of her dead husbands". She made it clear to me she thought they were s**t bikes. I happen to love mine and I'm trying to restore it back to mint condition.
The forks are bent on mine, so the front brakes hit the tire and the pedal hits the tire(really bad) if you turn to tight. I tuned the derailleur(suntour something, not sure) works great, shifts through every gear, original front tire holds air even, will be replacing soon of course. seat is ripped and original foam grips are a little rotted from being garaged all their life. This is a bike I want to be cruising on, its rare, its old and it looks and feels great.

If anybody has a pair of the original chrome forks they are willing to get rid of I would be glad to buy them off you.

Also I picked up this gem for 100 bucks at the same bike shop, can't really find much about it anywhere. Its a lower end Bianchi Superset 2 with exiege 300 derailleur set and Biopace on it. I believe its a 97 or 98. Anyone know forsure?

i have a Zebra that some here would call low quality (hi tensil frame, low end shimano) but i love it. rides smooth and solid, not flighty, jittery, harshness. i have upgraded almost every component and use it for everything from grocery getting to s24o's, next up would be a fresh powder coat and new headset. if someone tells you its crap, dont listen, its up to you to see the value in everything.

Double zombie

I have an old Zebra Comet ~86 perhaps
Pleasant, doesn't set the world on fire, but it costs less than the tax on a current bike, and is pleasant enough.
Starter bikes with good quality get newbs up and running and keep them from burning out on poor quality big box BSO's
No dishonor in outgrowing an older steel bike, and it lets you make a better choice on the next one when you get there
as opposed to buying something from the brochure you never met

My first repping job was for Bike Rack, Inc. of Hauppauge NY and they were distributors for Zebra bikes. I had one sample road bike during that stint and sold it to my bro-in-law, who never rode it and donated it. I found it at the donation site, bought it and gave it to him (again) for Christmas. He was shocked.

Triple Zombie.

Lots o' zombie threads recently - and this latest one wasn't resurrected by a newbie. What's going on here?

And now, back to your regularly scheduled (and current!) programming.

DD

Hi, recognize this? I think it's an '86--

Nice! One of the better ones with 022 tubing. Good find.