since6

Here are the final changes that finish the “H. Hagiwara”-Erba restoration, which began $25.00 ago with just a frame and a fork. But first a side note: as it had been restored this bike is a lovely ride, but I’m putting riding aside until weight is lost. My current weight is a testament to how well built this frame/fork is. I have ridden the Erba several times and to say it floats, LoL, is an understatement, but the risk of breaking these thinnest of frame tubes made in the vintage era (Champion Pro, 0.6-0.3-0.6 mm, double butted), always weighed, pun intended, on my mind. So the new mantra “move more, eat less”, as the Erba watches my efforts hanging on the wall of my man cave/office.
There is no doubt, this was a late 70s early 80s race bike and so the changes to my previous build are my effort to honor the purpose of this bicycle, which brings us to tires. The brake bridge ONLY allows clearance for up to a 23mm tire, whereas the front fork is spacious but I held back and went with a 25mm tire up front and a 23mm in back. I choose the Challenge Criterium SC white sidewall tire in 23/25mm because they both look perfect/gorgeous and even at high pressure (120 psi) will have a plush ride with their 320 TPI thread count.

since6

The Suntour Cyclone MKII front and rear derailleur I initially installed worked flawlessly and allowed for a 34t rear freewheel, however this was an accommodation to me and my current weight and not a completion of the builder’s intent. Most everything else on this bike is Suntour Superbe which reflects my desire to recognize that not only were there master Japanese frame builders but also Japanese components equal to the dominance of Campagnolo in this time period. And so I have replaced the Suntour Cyclone MKII derailleurs with NOS Suntour Superbe front and Suntour Superbe (lightly used) rear derailleur and Suntour Winner Pro 6 sp. 13-24t freewheel (lightly used).

since6

Then there was the second miracle. After the purchase of this frame/fork, three original components were found at the bike shop where the frame/fork were purchased. We know these three are original components because each of them is pantographed “erba” in a script identical to that stamped into the frame/fork and on the original decals. So the 46T big ring was replaced with the original 51T “erba” chain ring.

since6

The three original pantographed components were a Cenilli R-1 stem, Campagnolo Neovo Record Shifters and a 51T outer chain ring. The decals on the frame are in Italian and the design of the frame and fork of this bike clearly reflect the builders homage to the great Italian frame builders and the Cenilli Super Corsa in particular. Thus in keeping with this intention and through the serendipity of another vintage bike purchase (Takashima-Sannow Sport) we now have the Cenille #3 Unicanitor, Buffulo Hide seat (used but nearly perfect). A proper racers seat for “H. Hagiwara” or his rider when this bike was raced.

since6

And finally, the replacement of the machined Nitto (New) handlebar plugs with much lighter, and period correct Cat Eye rubber handlebar plugs whose design copies the classic Velox handlebar plugs.

since6

Other than finding a unbotanium Suntour Supere Pro headset (NOS) we are done. Note: I am quite satisfied with the current Sprint (NOS) headset which matches Superbe Pro quality minus the lightening circle cut outs on the mounting flanges and Superbe Pro lettering. And yet as all great fairy tales begin, we return to: “Once upon a time….”

since6

My thanks to all of you for your advice, encouragement and kind words. But, I am still awaiting back surgery, don’t ask grumble grumble health insurance company, which means riding the Erocia in 2019 won’t happen, but I still plan to go so if you go look us up as we’ll both be there.

non-fixie 

Thanks for the update. Nice to see that pretty bike again. Good luck with your back.

since6

Thanks non-fixie. Getting approval is like the Mad-Hatters Tea Party and that's with the backing of your board certified spinal surgeon.I'm now learning how to sing Annes song Tomorrow: " Tomorrow, Tomorrow, they'll fix you tomorrow it's only a day, week, month(?) away."

The Golden Boy 

Fantastically wonderful bike!

since6

Thanks Golden Boy, makes me smile each day when I walk into my man cave/office and see it hanging in the rack and now it is done. It is also a really nice ride even on 120 psi tires. Though that's going to wait until I've dropped the weight, so now the winter months, crank up the classic rock and roll and burn the hours and calories with the "erba" watching. Then come summer, a lighter me safe for these uber thin and nearly 40 year old frame tubes, I will fit it into the weeks rotation of bikes at least twice a month until the rains return..

markk900

Spectacular job! And great attention to detail. Good luck on your health journey but having that bike waiting for you certainly has to provide some motivation.

Question: is the front derailleur cable also internally routed?

ollo_ollo

That's a sweet finished project. Keep working on your weight loss goal, you can do it! I can stay around 150-160 pounds, but still heavy enough to worry on my lightest frames. Hit 148 for a while last Summer, but it didn't last. Don

crank_addict

Beautiful, this project came together nice! Really special to see the extra pantograph on the Suntour goodies. Wishing you a quick recovery and happy riding-

since6

markk900 yes the front derailleur cable is also internally routed. It passed down the down tube and then goes through a hole in the back of the bottom bracket then angles up to the derailleur. This picture is as the bike was originally found.

since6

The rear derailleur pass down a tube in the down tube across the bottom bracket to a tube brazed into the right chain stay which then passes out of the end of the chain stay, again pictures are as found.

since6

Here's how the front derailleur cable looks today.

since6

What is an “erba” ? Who was “H. Hagiwara”? Mysteries, so you turn to the clues you can find, one of which are the decals in Italian on this bicycle. Here’s what the web translations say about the English meaning to these Italian words and my sense in applying them to this bicycle.

Words:

Corsa – race/racing

Cicli – cycles

Grappone – Japan

Elaborated da – Processed by

Erba - grass

Phrases:

Cicli corsa erba giappone - racing cycles grass Japan (Japan grass travel cycles)

Cicli corsa - racing cycles (travel cycles)

Erba corsa – Erba race (grass travel)

Eloaborated da erba Hagiwara Giappone - Elaborated by grass Hagiwara Japan (processed by Hagiwara Japan grass)

What I think?

Cicli corsa erba giappone – Erba racing cycles Japan

Cicli corsa - racing cycles

Erba corsa – Erba race

Eloaborated da erba Hagiwara Giappone – Erba made by Hagiwara Japan

The translation of “erba” as "grass" has been commented on in other internet posts with the idea that this was some sort of joke by the builder e.g. we are all grass, etc., but I think this is wrong. I think this because "Erba" is an actual town in the North of Italy at the foothills of the Italian Alps. The Giro di Lombardia is raced there every fall and it is one of the last professional races of the season. I think it must also be an important race just looking at the names who have won it multiple times:

Multiple winners

WinsRiderNationalityEditions

5Fausto Coppi Italy1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1954
4Alfredo Binda Italy1925, 1926, 1927, 1931
3Henri Pélissier France1911, 1913, 1920
Costante Girardengo Italy1919, 1921, 1922
Gaetano BelloniItaly1915, 1918, 1928
Gino Bartali Italy1936, 1939, 1940
Seán Kelly Ireland1983, 1985, 1991
Damiano Cunego Italy2004, 2007, 2008
2Giovanni Brunero Italy1923, 1924
Aldo Bini Italy1937, 1942
Mario Ricci Italy1941, 1945
Jo de RooNetherlands1962, 1963
Franco Bitossi Italy1967, 1970
Eddy Merckx Belgium1971, 1972
Felice Gimondi Italy1966, 1973
Roger De Vlaeminck Belgium1974, 1976
Francesco Moser Italy1975, 1978
Bernard Hinault France1979, 1984
Gianbattista Baronchelli Italy1977, 1986
Tony Rominger Switzerland1989, 1992
Michele Bartoli Italy2002, 2003
Paolo Bettini Italy2005, 2006
Philippe Gilbert Belgium2009, 2010
Joaquim Rodríguez Spain2012, 2013
Vincenzo Nibali Italy2015, 2017

[Wikipedia]

The Giro di Lombardia follows a race route that passes the Chapel Madonna del Ghisallo, dedicated by none other than the Pope, to Racing Cyclist with a museum at the top of the climb also dedicated to Cycle Racing. It is also one of the oldest bike races having started in 1905.

Mr. Hagiwara would have known of this, especially if he studied bike building in Italy. To me "Erba" is not about "grass" but about this place, literally the spiritual center of bike racing. There is too much craft, too much soul built into this bike.But again this is my speculation on the facts I know, it is my hope at the Eroica this year someone will know more, to hear “Hey, I know that bike….”

Wish me luck.

repechage

I think it has had a terrific transformation.
I do think a review of the saddle setback is in order, I know it will effect stem length quite possibly, but there does not seem much setback there of the tip of the saddle behind the bottom bracket. Yes, everyone "sits" on a scale a wee bit differently, as I use these saddles almost exclusively, I would expect the nose to be 3-5 cm behind the center of the bottom bracket for most folk.

since6

Thanks repechage I'll drop a plumb bob off the nose and see where it aligns with the center of the bottom bracket thanks for the heads up. We'ver in a power outage at my daughter/grandsons house, we have power, so it's been a bit of a day. Probably get to it in a couple days when things settle down.