Asian Serial Number Guide
#77
Senior Member

Joined: Oct 2016
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From: San Mateo,Ca.
Bikes: TRIMMED DOWN THE HERD
2cam6, I have seen no evidence of Giant using that format prior to 1987, so I'm assuming it is weeks 31-32 of 1995. That is in the grey area where it could be either a 1995 or 1996 model. I do have a listing for a 1995 Sedona with Shimano STX. So, if your bicycle is equipped with Shimano STX, that would confirm the 1995 manufacturing date, as STX was only produced for the 1994-1999 model years. Also, Giant didn't enter the American market with self-branded models until the very late 1980s, so the probability of a 1985 would be very small.
Thanks once again,TMar!
#80
Senior Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,841
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From: Seattle WA
Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage
Curious about the serial # on my Nishiki Cresta GT below, based on your excellent guide [MENTION=20650]T-Mar[/MENTION] it appears a Made for the USA market frame created in 1986, makes sense as it is for sale in the 87 catalog, but what do the 5 numbers, 13 305 mean? If anything

Gt serial # by Ryan Surface, on Flickr
It was made by Kawamura in Japan based on the decals btw

IMG_2823 by Ryan Surface, on Flickr

Gt serial # by Ryan Surface, on Flickr
It was made by Kawamura in Japan based on the decals btw

IMG_2823 by Ryan Surface, on Flickr
Last edited by ryansu; 05-27-18 at 01:07 PM.
#82
Senior Member

Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 8,841
Likes: 2,859
I forgot to enter the 84 Lotus Legend Compe I acquired last year.
1984 according to the Lotus site. Serial # is DH19408. Has a made in Japan sticker, but no Made By Tsunoda sticker. It also has a International Bicycle Center sticker as well.
1984 according to the Lotus site. Serial # is DH19408. Has a made in Japan sticker, but no Made By Tsunoda sticker. It also has a International Bicycle Center sticker as well.
#83
Old Bike Craphound

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 209
Likes: 58
From: Vancouver, Canada
Bikes: 1974 Teledyne Titan, 1970's Sekine, 4 tandems including 1980's CounterPoint Opus III, plus a few dozen
Just wanted to post to note an alternative serial number scheme for Kuwahara that is used for their BMX bikes, but what surprised me is that it seems to be what was used on my 1983 road tandem:
QyMxxxx; where Q is the place of manufacture: T=Tange, K=Kuwahara, KG=Koizumi, G=Giant, etc.
More details at kuwahara(dash)bmx(dot)com
Thanks for providing this resource, I have found it useful to confirm information on more than a dozen bikes.
-Will
QyMxxxx; where Q is the place of manufacture: T=Tange, K=Kuwahara, KG=Koizumi, G=Giant, etc.
More details at kuwahara(dash)bmx(dot)com
Thanks for providing this resource, I have found it useful to confirm information on more than a dozen bikes.
-Will
#85
Full Member

Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 434
Likes: 289
From: Southwest Ohio
Bikes: Wow, where to start? A collection of 1980's and early 90's road, touring, and MTBs from the likes of Trek, Schwinn, Cannondale, Fuji, Miyata, Univega, Panasonic, and GT. It has gotten rather out of control.
1989? Saintropez (or Saint Tropez) La Alsace


#86
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Help needed with Bianchi ID
Hi,
I have a bianchi made in Japan with the SN of BS583673 which is at the bottom of the seat tube near the BB and a B stamped on the bottom of the BB. This is for a Bianchi as it is stamped in the drop outs. The for has Ishiwata 4-E. Been searching high and low to confirm what model the bike is and the year which I am guessing is 85 from the SN but not sure. Also think it might be a Bianchi sport ss. Any help would be great. And thanks for all the info of the many people who have posted that have brought me this far. No pics because there are no decals and is stripped. Original colour was light metallic blue.
Thanks
David
I have a bianchi made in Japan with the SN of BS583673 which is at the bottom of the seat tube near the BB and a B stamped on the bottom of the BB. This is for a Bianchi as it is stamped in the drop outs. The for has Ishiwata 4-E. Been searching high and low to confirm what model the bike is and the year which I am guessing is 85 from the SN but not sure. Also think it might be a Bianchi sport ss. Any help would be great. And thanks for all the info of the many people who have posted that have brought me this far. No pics because there are no decals and is stripped. Original colour was light metallic blue.
Thanks
David
#87
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,212
Likes: 3,123
Hi,
I have a bianchi made in Japan with the SN of BS583673 which is at the bottom of the seat tube near the BB and a B stamped on the bottom of the BB. This is for a Bianchi as it is stamped in the drop outs. The for has Ishiwata 4-E. Been searching high and low to confirm what model the bike is and the year which I am guessing is 85 from the SN but not sure. Also think it might be a Bianchi sport ss. Any help would be great. And thanks for all the info of the many people who have posted that have brought me this far. No pics because there are no decals and is stripped. Original colour was light metallic blue.
Thanks
David
I have a bianchi made in Japan with the SN of BS583673 which is at the bottom of the seat tube near the BB and a B stamped on the bottom of the BB. This is for a Bianchi as it is stamped in the drop outs. The for has Ishiwata 4-E. Been searching high and low to confirm what model the bike is and the year which I am guessing is 85 from the SN but not sure. Also think it might be a Bianchi sport ss. Any help would be great. And thanks for all the info of the many people who have posted that have brought me this far. No pics because there are no decals and is stripped. Original colour was light metallic blue.
Thanks
David
#88
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 4
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components for 85 Bianchi
Hi,
Thanks T-Mar. the original parts that I know are from the bike are Shimano BL-Z304 brake levers, Sugino VP crankset, and Dia Compe 500 caliper brakes, the shifters might be suntour( just not sure if I got that off another bike). Also as I said the frame was light blue but the forks where Chrome if that helps at all. Thanks
David
Thanks T-Mar. the original parts that I know are from the bike are Shimano BL-Z304 brake levers, Sugino VP crankset, and Dia Compe 500 caliper brakes, the shifters might be suntour( just not sure if I got that off another bike). Also as I said the frame was light blue but the forks where Chrome if that helps at all. Thanks
David
#89
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2004
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David, I would think that the crankset is most likely to be OEM but the 1985 spec page does not list any models with Sugino VP cranks. The two models with Dia-Compe 500 brakes are the Classica and Sport. Both used the same frame, which was plain gauge CrMo main tubes with hi-tensile forks and presumably hi-tensile stays. Chromed forks are not mentioned or shown for either model. Based on the colour options I'm leaning towards the Sport in Ice Blue, as it is far more lighter than the Vivid Blue of the Classica, which I'd classify as medium to dark blue.
#91
Full Member


Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 406
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From: NYC
Bikes: '90 Cannondale ST1000; 2018 Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod; 2022 Cannondale Topstone 2L
Hi, I'm trying to figure out which year my Schwinn Voyageur SP was built. Most all the components were changed before I got it making it difficult to tell if it's an '84 or '85 (not that it matters terribly). There are numbers at the bottom of the headtube, but nowhere else that I can tell. Would that be the serial number? It's 5F03092. Going by the Schwinn section it seems like the Matsu****a/National format is closest which would make it June of 1985. Could I get verification on that?
I remember doing a little research initially and it seemed like most serial numbers were on the bottom bracket but I don't remember seeing the headtube mentioned for s/n location. Thanks!
I remember doing a little research initially and it seemed like most serial numbers were on the bottom bracket but I don't remember seeing the headtube mentioned for s/n location. Thanks!
#92
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,212
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A Canadian market model would explain the chromed fork. I don't have any 1985 Canadian litetrature, so I'm not sure if they even had the Bici variants in 1985 or had tranistioned to the Strada/Sport models. What size of seat post does it take? Was it designed for 27"or 700C wheels?
#93
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,212
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Hi, I'm trying to figure out which year my Schwinn Voyageur SP was built. Most all the components were changed before I got it making it difficult to tell if it's an '84 or '85 (not that it matters terribly). There are numbers at the bottom of the headtube, but nowhere else that I can tell. Would that be the serial number? It's 5F03092. Going by the Schwinn section it seems like the Matsu****a/National format is closest which would make it June of 1985. Could I get verification on that?
I remember doing a little research initially and it seemed like most serial numbers were on the bottom bracket but I don't remember seeing the headtube mentioned for s/n location. Thanks!
I remember doing a little research initially and it seemed like most serial numbers were on the bottom bracket but I don't remember seeing the headtube mentioned for s/n location. Thanks!
#94
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2018
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A Canadian market model would explain the chromed fork. I don't have any 1985 Canadian litetrature, so I'm not sure if they even had the Bici variants in 1985 or had tranistioned to the Strada/Sport models. What size of seat post does it take? Was it designed for 27"or 700C wheels?
#95
Thread Starter
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Joined: Nov 2004
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I have the 1984 specs for the Bici II and it used 700C wheels. It's unlikely that it was downgraded for 1985. However, the lower Bici I used 27" wheels in 1984 so it (or its 1985 equivalent) would be the prime candidate.
#96
Full Member


Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 406
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From: NYC
Bikes: '90 Cannondale ST1000; 2018 Cannondale SuperSix Evo Hi-Mod; 2022 Cannondale Topstone 2L
Yes, your Voyageur SP was manufactured by M-a-t-s-u-s-h-i-t-a in 1985. That is their S/N format and they are known to have used that location. However, we have seen cases with quite a discrepancy between the serial number and the assembly date, as stamped on the head badge. So, you may want to check the head badge, which uses format dddy (i.e. 1875 would have been assembled on day 187 of 1985).
#97
Member
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 40
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Can help identification this serial number
L9169891 for top headtube
all frame lugged. Crank sugino and 700cc rims. Hole center frame shifter roadbike
this is bianchi, schwinn, or panasonic?
thanks
L9169891 for top headtube
all frame lugged. Crank sugino and 700cc rims. Hole center frame shifter roadbike
this is bianchi, schwinn, or panasonic?
thanks
Last edited by Sanz; 09-06-18 at 04:31 AM.
#98
Thread Starter
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2004
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The top mounted boss for the shift levers was typical of mid-1980s. Taking this, the serial number location and format into consideration, the mentioned brands can be eliminated. Offhand ,I'm not aware of any manufacturer that is a perfect match. However, if it were not for the presence of an extra numeral in serial number, I'd have said it was an Asian market model, manufactured by Miyata, in very late 1983.
#99
Member
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 40
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The top mounted boss for the shift levers was typical of mid-1980s. Taking this, the serial number location and format into consideration, the mentioned brands can be eliminated. Offhand ,I'm not aware of any manufacturer that is a perfect match. However, if it were not for the presence of an extra numeral in serial number, I'd have said it was an Asian market model, manufactured by Miyata, in very late 1983.





