Just got a made in Japan Cobra road bike and this is the first i have seen these brakes with an uncommon brake pad. Please shed some light on my dark tunnel! I paid $30 for this find.

They are just inexpensive cantilever brakes. If you are trying to replace the pads, they might come apart when removed and allow you to find/replace pads only. If not you will probably need to scrounge a different pair of canti brakes from somewhere that mounts the pad a little more traditionally.

It is called very interesting. That looks like a late 70's to perhaps early 80' bike to me, based on the crank, color, derailleur and brake levers. Cantilever brakes were not common at that time. The brakes themselves look like steel. For a bike manufacturer to go to the effort of brazing the studs for brakes in this era for a lower end bike is interesting. Then again, I believe that Japanese companies are always looking for something to give them an edge.

I am just guessing at all of this, T-Mar or someone else may know exactly that brake caliper that is and when it was produced.

Interesting/cool...feels more '70s than '80s to me.

The cantis are unbranded, so unless somebody has a good eye for '70s Japanese entry-level unbranded components, they won't be easy to ID.

Brake shoe attachment is definitely different/weird, can't recall seeing that kind of brake shoe holder>brake arm interface before. Best bet is to find a replacement shoe that fits the holder, if possible. Otherwise, if you want it to be rideable, you'll likely need to replace the cantis. The boss>boss spacing is likely narrow, so you'd need either vintage wide-profile cantis, or modern repro/clones. Low-profile canti arms or mini-v won't work well.

Looks like the stamped rear dropouts were pressed in place, clamping/crimping the stays to hold the dropout in place, then brazed? Squished stay ends are pretty common on entry-level, mass-market frames, I've seen 'em often, but never really thought about how they work...

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possible brakes may be from Yoshikawa

not all of their parts are marked

if the levers exhibit a little fish marking that would be it

chainset is Takagi

frame's bulge-formed head is likely from Nikko Sangyo

this looks to be an all Shimano keiretsu machine

date is close to 1970

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here are some more closeups

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thank you for the additional pictures.

fine job with the photos!

the Union pedals are from Germany so they are sure to be replacements. they are a model called K10491/U41 and a bit later than the cycle.

the backside of the Takagi crank arms should exhibit markings. these may include a date.

Takagi trade publication advert of 1971:




Three Arrows is the firms logo.

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Resistance Spot Welded.

Great information, piece by piece it comes together! Awesome to actually see the original adverts. When I get a chance I will see if there is a date on the backside of the crank arms or any markings.

I have seen those brakes b4 BITD. I'm not 100% but I think they are made by Cherry.

"interesting" would be a gracious assessment.

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Takagi was originally independent and then was purchased by Shimano. The Takagi name was kept going and the Three Arrows symbol. Do not have a date for the ownership change. Many lower-to-mid model cycles which are Shimano equipped come with Takagi chainsets.


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I've seen this brake several times but have been unable to determine the brand. While Yoshikawa is a definite possibility, so is Buffalo/Cherry and about a half dozen other, lower tier, Japanese brands that were favoured by marketing brands due to their lower pricing.

As for the bicycle itself, this particular version of the Lark rear derailleur suggests circa 1969-1971. The frame serial number may also provide some insight.

T-Mar, do you know what the F with the circle is on the lever?

photos of crank arms



logo

All cleaned up and tuned, new cables, new bar tape, and new gumwalls. Gonna flip it now!

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thank you for the additional photos

in the "completed" image we can see that the crankrms are several degrees out of registration

cotters need to be seen to

what marking are you able to read on the cycle's hub barrels? 3 - 3 - 3? S.I.W.? Chair?

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Is this a cracked brake arm? (below the pad screw) If so, not very "cherry".

Last I heard, it was called a can't believe her brake. What a ridiculous name.


Jokes aside, it's a cantilever, but a very unusual one.

That's a quintessential Canadian department store bike from the 70's. Instantly recognizable and forgettable at the same time.

Yes, it designates the "Front" lever, as opposed to the "Rear". One company which used the F and R within a circle was Yoshikawa, as previously mentioned by juvela. Typically, the levers were stamped with the company name at top and an alpha-numeric date code underneath, followed by the F or R designation. If they didn't use the full name, sometimes you'll find their YSB trademark or fish logo somewhere on the brakes and/or levers.

Edit: Any luck with finding a serial number on the frame? TIA.

It looks more like a parting line from the forging dies.