The "Show off your Japanese bike." thread
#728
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
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It took me a longggg while to track one down. This is almost completely, 100% as original. These are the original adb-x bars, not the repro. The only thing not perfect are the tires. My first adult bike was a Lotus and I've always had a fondness for the brand. Their version of the aero AX frame is by far the most radical, and I think most interesting. I'm still not clear on all of the tubing - none of the other aero bikes I've seen have this head tube.
Position is not terribly comfortable, and the bike is a bit heavy. AX stuff has a deservedly mixed reputation, but I like the unique of our world, and it is unique.
Position is not terribly comfortable, and the bike is a bit heavy. AX stuff has a deservedly mixed reputation, but I like the unique of our world, and it is unique.
#729
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
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Bikes: Schwinn, Bottecchia, Miyata, projects
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Wow, very interesting. They were clearly obsessed with making things aero. Those bars are especially intriguing.
#730
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Technically this isn't mine any more, it was sold to a customer. But I did the restoration on it.
It had no decals and couldn't be positively identified. It's Tange Aero. I suspect whoever did make these frames sold them to a few different outlets and they got labeled appropriately. There was one here in Australia called Standish, so it could have been that.
Anyway, it was more about the group set, right?
It had no decals and couldn't be positively identified. It's Tange Aero. I suspect whoever did make these frames sold them to a few different outlets and they got labeled appropriately. There was one here in Australia called Standish, so it could have been that.
Anyway, it was more about the group set, right?
#731
Fat Guy on a Little Bike
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Location: Philadelphia, PA
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Technically this isn't mine any more, it was sold to a customer. But I did the restoration on it.
It had no decals and couldn't be positively identified. It's Tange Aero. I suspect whoever did make these frames sold them to a few different outlets and they got labeled appropriately. There was one here in Australia called Standish, so it could have been that.
Anyway, it was more about the group set, right?
It had no decals and couldn't be positively identified. It's Tange Aero. I suspect whoever did make these frames sold them to a few different outlets and they got labeled appropriately. There was one here in Australia called Standish, so it could have been that.
Anyway, it was more about the group set, right?
The Lotus is the only one I've seen with the funky headtube...I wonder if that was a customization or an option. I can't tell from the photo - did this use the triangular aero seattube?
#732
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My, but you fellows have some amazing stuff. It's always interesting to learn about what sorts of things were out there, and what people did with 'em. Here's mine:
She's a '85 Miyata Pro, as far as I can tell. I did not build her, but am considering some possible minor modifications, probably just pedals and leather bar wraps- practicality being the primary cause. She kind of fell into my lap this spring and is easily the smoothest and most comfortable bike I've ever had, and easily one of the fastest things on the trail. (Which probably isn't an entirely good thing...) A friend of mine who owns a Miyata cued me in to the manufacturer. He gave his own bicycle the name "RAVAGE PHOBOS" and although I tried to follow suit, the place-holder of "Haruko" stuck before I could think of anything crazy and Japanese enough that I actually liked the sound of.
But hey. You want Crazy and Japanese? Witness:
Miyata Cheese
Argh, what have I done? Now if you'll excuse me, there's a bin I need to be ill into...
She's a '85 Miyata Pro, as far as I can tell. I did not build her, but am considering some possible minor modifications, probably just pedals and leather bar wraps- practicality being the primary cause. She kind of fell into my lap this spring and is easily the smoothest and most comfortable bike I've ever had, and easily one of the fastest things on the trail. (Which probably isn't an entirely good thing...) A friend of mine who owns a Miyata cued me in to the manufacturer. He gave his own bicycle the name "RAVAGE PHOBOS" and although I tried to follow suit, the place-holder of "Haruko" stuck before I could think of anything crazy and Japanese enough that I actually liked the sound of.
But hey. You want Crazy and Japanese? Witness:
Miyata Cheese
Argh, what have I done? Now if you'll excuse me, there's a bin I need to be ill into...
#733
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Location: Tokyo, Japan
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More C than V, but this frame is about as Japanese as they come. Built by a friend of mine here in Chiba Japan. Quite possibly the first (and last!) Tsunesaburo to grace this forum. It's made out of lightweight Ishiwata tubing (forgot the number) and rides beautifully. It's nearly impossible to come across 62cm frames here so I eventually bit the bullet and had this made. In retrospect I wish I had had him make it a little bit bigger. It was originally designed with V brakes and 28 mm tires in mind so I've had to make a few tweaks to get everything to work.
#734
Photographer
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^ Thanks for sharing that Hat & Beard, I love seeing Mt. Fuji in the background.
Scott
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#735
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
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Sweet triple triangle frame! I notice the brake cable is outside the last cable guide on the top tube- is that part of the fix to get brakes to work?
#736
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^ Yep. The angle of the seat stays makes the cable come out out of the hanger at an awkward angle so I bodged together a cable hanger attachment for the seat tube. I think some frames of this design with cantis actually run the cable directly through a hole in the seat tube.
#737
Banned.
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japanese bikes, tubing, and frames ...
'79 sekai 4000
'74 centurion lemans
'85 fiori napoli
'80 univega gran rally
'80 trek 414
'84 univega sportour-s
'75 centurion super lemans
'88 miyata 312
'83 univega viva sport
'84 club fuji
'79 sekai 4000
'74 centurion lemans
'85 fiori napoli
'80 univega gran rally
'80 trek 414
'84 univega sportour-s
'75 centurion super lemans
'88 miyata 312
'83 univega viva sport
'84 club fuji
#740
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My 1984 Nishiki International. Used in this years L'Eroica in Tuscany Italy.
Frameset with handlebars, Sugino VT crankset, Suntour/Sunrace derailleurs and shifters and Dia Compe braces was bought NOS.
Completed with new wheels from Velomine and seat/seatpost from a local bike shop.
Frameset with handlebars, Sugino VT crankset, Suntour/Sunrace derailleurs and shifters and Dia Compe braces was bought NOS.
Completed with new wheels from Velomine and seat/seatpost from a local bike shop.
#741
Senior Cyclist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Mount Albert, Ontario
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Bikes: 1990 Norco Bushpilot shopping bike, 1988 Fiori Italia, 1990 Fiori Firenze)
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This is my '88 Fiori which I have posted before in other threads. It has an Ishiwata EX frame. I modernized all the components in the repaint/restoration. It very quickly became my
favorite rider.
Doug
favorite rider.
Doug
#743
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Novelty item, I saved these pictures, it has "Chromalite" tubing, a unique and to me, nauseating paint job but who knows how the bike itself would be:
On top of this, 2 sets of eyelets, really made me wonder.
On top of this, 2 sets of eyelets, really made me wonder.
#744
Senior Member
I only have one Japanese bike at the moment, a 1981 Fuji S12S. Posted it a number of times but one more can't hurt, right? It has been converted to 650B with a more modern Shimano nine speed drive train. Prefer the stem was lower of course but getting older
Last edited by VintageRide; 01-02-16 at 09:58 PM.
#745
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Location: Ocean County, NJ
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Bikes: Looking for a Baylis or Wizard in 59-62cm range
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Love the build @VintageRide. You done right!
#746
Senior Member
Glad you like the Fuji build Vonruden, I would love to build up an America from the same year - if I could find a good 56 - 58 cm frame. It has become my most ridden bike, especially for trails and general off road excursions.
#747
Steel Lover
Join Date: Jun 2016
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Bikes: '14 Giant TCR advanced, '89 Miyata 312, '00 Specialized Stumpjumper
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#748
Senior Member
Nagasawa Road/Keirin Framesets
I've been asked to help Nagasawa-san export some framesets to the US. There are a number of details still to be worked out, but I figured this is the right audience and an appropriate thread to float a trial balloon and show a couple of frames.
We're looking at a fairly limited output, since Nagasawa-san and his son are the only two builders - maybe 12 frames/yr for the US? 4-5 month lead time, depending on how close an order gets to keirin season. We'll likely have three models: road, road/fixed and kerin/track. They'll be built to order, semi-custom, with pricing probably around $3,300 for frame/fork.
I may have some other Japanese builder possibilities for folks wanting a broader selection.
If all goes well I'll have a booth and a functional website ready for the Philly show.
This is a '94 Nagasawa Special Road frameset, on loan from Nagasawa-san. Slightly older style, with slotted dropout treatment. The white-background beauty shots are by Osaka-native Master Photographer Ken Toda, shot at the '16 Classic Rendezvous Weekend in June. Other pix by me. This one's a little too small for me to ride, so I've got a taller one on order, hope to have it in time for the Philly show. I have to return this one after mine shows up:
We're looking at a fairly limited output, since Nagasawa-san and his son are the only two builders - maybe 12 frames/yr for the US? 4-5 month lead time, depending on how close an order gets to keirin season. We'll likely have three models: road, road/fixed and kerin/track. They'll be built to order, semi-custom, with pricing probably around $3,300 for frame/fork.
I may have some other Japanese builder possibilities for folks wanting a broader selection.
If all goes well I'll have a booth and a functional website ready for the Philly show.
This is a '94 Nagasawa Special Road frameset, on loan from Nagasawa-san. Slightly older style, with slotted dropout treatment. The white-background beauty shots are by Osaka-native Master Photographer Ken Toda, shot at the '16 Classic Rendezvous Weekend in June. Other pix by me. This one's a little too small for me to ride, so I've got a taller one on order, hope to have it in time for the Philly show. I have to return this one after mine shows up:
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#749
Senior Member
This is a 2014 Nagasawa Special Keirin frameset, so basically a current build, with socketed drops. Round fork blades with very tight track tire clearances on this puppy.
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