boybiskit

Hoping someone can help me work out what this vintage road bike is. I am a mountain biker, and am a bit lost! If it is something interesting, I would like to pass it on to someone who will care about it.

Bike is an Olympic Egner, head badge and seat tube say it's made in Japan. Typical lugged frame with (I think) pressed dropouts. Shimano centre pull Tourney brakes. Shimano Titlist front and rear derailleurs. Shimano 'Fintertip' shifters on the stem. Alps Industrial Company Road Champion bars with ACE stem. 27 x 1 1/4 wheels with Ukai rims.

I can't work out its origin from the frame number - Y74-0003640. I'm guessing from this it could be a 1974 bike? Too early? It has a heart-shaped cable stop on the down tube.

I can find NOTHING about either 'Olympic' or 'Egner' anywhere. Any help on this little mystery much appreciated so I can pass this bike on to someone who cares / trade for some mid-late 90s mountain bike parts.

Sorry for lack of pics - new user!

cdmurphy

You can still upload photos to an album here, and other posters can put them in the thread for you.

Just from your description, I suspect your bike is pretty low-end. Probably rides fine, but doesn't have much value beyond "It's a bike". I wouldn't put much money into fixing it up, as much better late 70s, through late 80s Japanese bikes are plentiful, and are objectively, much nicer riding bikes. Similar early 70s Japanese bikes like the Centurion LeMans, and Nishiki Olympic seem to sell for $75 to $100 around here in good, rideable shape. Much less if they're in need of tires and overhauling. By the late 70s, early 80s, those same models were much nicer, with better frames, and better drivetrains.

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. Olympic was a Japanese manufactured brand distributed in the USA during the early 1970s bicycle boom. The serial number indicates 1974 manufacture and is corroborated by the presnce of Shimano Titlist derailleurs and Fingertip shift levers. The manufacturer is unknown but also contract manufactured frames for Campania, Sekai and Takara. The components are typical of a lower mid-range model. Given the components, the frame is likely a butted hi-tensile steel or butted CrMo. The seat post diameter may provide a further clue to the identification or level of the tubeset. Pictures would be an a big aid in determining the level and especially the value.

Edit: Link to OP's pictures. https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/14647521

First observation is that brand is Egner, not Olympic. Stem mounted shifters, safety levers and stamped dropouts are more indicative of entry level. Top tube cable stops suggest a plain gauge hi-tensile frame. However, (rear) rim does appear to be aluminum and hubs have QR skewers. Wheels and derailleurs are a bit higher than one would normally expect on upper entry level for era. The front wheel is era correct hi-flange hubs but the rear appears to be low flange and may be a replacement or rebuild. Fair amount of frame rust. Value appears to be mainly in the wheelset but that could vary depending on the brand and model of hubs and whether the front rim matches the rear.

juvela

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Thanks for all of this excellent information T-Mar!

The Takagi chainset is a component consistent with its Shimano badged companions.


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boybiskit

All useful info to know. This is why I love forums!

If anyone here is interested in trading for mtb parts near Vancouver, let me know.