3Rensho
 

This belongs to a friend of mine. He was a nationally ranked track racer at one time.

I've only seen a picture of it. The powder coat is green and there are no decals. It appears to be in great condition.

Is it worth $350?

I considers posting this in the ss/fixed gear forum, but there seems to be a language barrier. I don't understand what they're talking about half the time.


My old San Rensho 54-55 cm all done up/ flip flop hub and a single brake for city dwellers- powder coated a few years ago and hangs in the rafters...

American Classic Seatpost
Koobi Seat w/ crotch cut out
lugged frame
Surly 1x1 front hub
Suzie FlipFlop Rear w/ both cogs
Coolio Vintage QuickSpin Track Axle Nutz
Shimano Cartridge b/b
Shimano 600 Crank
Ritchey Clipless Red pedals
Velocity DEEP V's 32 spoke
Shimano 105 frt brake and Lever
Ritchey Force Stem
ITM Bars - 42?? or 44- not smaller
Continentals- worn, but ok
Cinelli Cork
straight drops in rear-

Nice- better geometry than the new cheapo Bianchi's- I do not remember if it is Ishiwata XX or Columbus SL -I had two of these - One was a copy made by a custom tandem builder named Ken Kowal and one was the original 3 Rensho- I'm pretty sure this is the latter

If it's the one I saw on ebay, I'm not sure it's actually a 3rensho.

It's easily worth $350 if it is a 3rensho. They are no longer made and have achieved a cult status with some.

I think the green 3 Rensho on EBay was smaller - it was a 50cm as I recall. I was not certain it was a real 3 Rensho either, so despite the size I did not bid. It went for something like $700 or so as I recall. This bike seems to be different. A picture would help a lot.

A picture would indeed help. The description sounded very similar, but I don't recall the size.

If you mean this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/3Rensho-Cro-moly...temZ7227656656

I know the seller and if he says it's a 3Rensho you can be sure that it is.

marty

Lotek - Nope, I meant http://cgi.ebay.com/55cm-San-Rensho-...QQcmdZViewItem

yah I see the difference.
The track end treatment looks a bit different to my eye, not
as sculpted on the green bike. The headtube lugs also look a bit
longer than the other.
One thing is certain that's not a 3Rensho fork.

Nice bike tho, worth the $350 or $400 price.

marty

Yeah, that's a lot more plausible to me. The original ebay listing didn't mention the possible copy aspect, just passed it off as a 3rensho.

Not a bad deal, but not the screaming deal it would otherwise be.

You called? (Bad joke, I know.)

I'm a little biased, but they are great bikes. Made of very thin Ishiwata 017/019 tubing, great lugwork. I have a road bike, not the track, but the angles are more track like, 74 parrallel. I guess they are pretty rare.

I'm pretty sure this bike http://cgi.ebay.com/55cm-San-Rensho...1QQcmdZViewItem is NOT a San Rensho . All the San Renshos I've seen have the word "Rensho" engraved on the taper of the seat stay right next to the seat clamp. Mine is engraved and I believe, although I can't see it very well from the pistures, http://cgi.ebay.com/3Rensho-Cro-mol...itemZ7227656656 also is engraved.

As you can see from the close-up, the 55cm does not have engraved seat stays.

Talk with Andy Muzi, the owner of Yellow Jersey Bike shop, he was the original and sole importer for a long time. http://www.yellowjersey.org/

Mine doesn't have engraved seatstays either, and is only 019.

http://entirely-adequate.com/new3rensho/seatcluster.jpg

Not the bike I referenced in my previous post. The one I was thinking of was green to yellow fade paint job that ran on EBay this winter. It was a smaller frame and very different from the other green 3rensho's posted here. Sorry for the confusion on my part.

It's the green one with the red tape and ugly stem. I didn't know he had it on eBay. I saw it on the kite forums. He spent some time racing in Japan. I think he rode for Bridgestone for a while. You'd never guess to look at him.

It really was a 3Rensho. I could have got it from him for less than his eBay price, but I'm not young or stupid enough to want to ride a track bike on the street.