Ya that price is whack! They must not really want to sell it. I have been there before and they had a couple of cream puff bikes on display.

The other SR you found was probably the early 1990s Prism model. The seat stays went up to what looked like afork crown, but instead of using a single tube to attach to the seat tube, like a monostay, it used two parallel tubes. I believe they called it a double wishbone.


If you go to see the Litage, record the serial number, even if the frames do not appear to match. The differences may be due soley to the model and year. The serial number, when compared with yours, should tell us if they are from the same manufacturer.

FYI, attached is a pic of the Performance Corsa, which was listed as being manufactured in Japan, and which I believe is a pretty good match for your frame.

Yep, thats the one! I am pretty sure you've nailed it! So to sum it up......
A: Made in Japan (which is comforting BTW, I was worried it was a Peugeot for a bit)
B: It appears to have been rebranded by several companies. Including that super cool Gan Well.
C: I'm kinda pissed! Now I have to build it with Japanese parts which I don't really have alot of. Well I have tons of bike boom stuff but only one set of Dura Ace hubs that would do it justice. Oh well....the hunts half the fun!

Thanks T-Mar! You're the man! Where do you come up with all this info BTW?
Kelly D

i got one of these sakae ringyo frames nos off ebay from jones bicycles in long beach for $150. the seatstays are interesting fastback sort of wishbone style. i tried to research but never found much. they were called "litage", "prizm", and there were other two versions i found that were essentially branded campagnolo and also 3rensho. there was also a carbon fiber version and mtn bike offering as well. late 80s i think.

$150? I'd be all over it! Got pics and or a serial #? Thanks for the reply

Kelly D

i know, and i was. the # on the bb shell is 20400014 - ??? they made a lot i guess

don't have pics, but it's identical to one i found here https://tinyurl.com/25gye5
'cept mine's a 56
and the 3rensho gold anodized version
https://tinyurl.com/yu7szn

Hmm.........I'm speechless. Those pics while not at all like my bike aside from a common construction process are absolutely amazing. Those bikes are crazy! Now I have a problem. I want another bike! Will it ever end? 2 weeks ago I was stuck on curly lugged bikes ala Hetchins with Campy NR. Now this! Super 80's modern with Suntour Superbe Pro. Geh! The humanity!!!! It's torture I tell ya! Torture!

The Litage and Prism were similar but different models. Both used a unique bonding sysyem developed by SR, which they called Litage and had advantges over the common method of painting glue on the tubes and shoving them into the lugs. The SR lugs had internal sleeves which fit into the tubes. At the end of the sleeve was a raised lip, much like that on a soup can. This lip provided an interference fit that held the tube in place, permitting alignment. Then the adhesive was injected through a hole in the tube. The lip at the end of the sleeve prevented the glue from spreading into the tube and it filled the spave between the tube and sleeve. The injection method provided a complete, consistent fill, unlike painting on the adhesive.

Both frames were made in Japan, but the Prism used higher strength Easton tubing imported from the USA. The Prism also used 1/8" oversize top and down tubes to increase rigitiy while manintaing the weight advantages. Graphics were anodized on to the frame and the weight was under 4lbs. Cost was $700 US circa 1990, when it came out.

I don't have the same detail for the Litage, but it should be slightly less expensive and older. If you want to know the exact age, both frames typically used Ishiwata CrMo steerring tubes which should have an alpha-numeric date code. The single numeral will be the last digit of the year of manufacture. This should date the frame to within a year, taking into account delivery lag and stocking practices.

As previously stated, the OP's frame is neither a Litage nor Prism, as indicated by the lug style, but appears to be an earlier model. While it is an earlier model, it may not necessarily be older, as SR would most likely the latest technology under their own brand, while offering an older model to other companies.

About 40 years experience as an avid cyclist, mechanic, engineer, competitor, coach, race promoter, etc. Plus 40 years worth of catalogs, magazines and other cycling related literature that were never thrown away.

good info! thank you. i'm going to print that out and save it.

OK........so to sum it up. This bike of mine is most likely a SR re-branded as a Dura All. We have seen a pic of a Gan Well Pro with Dura All on it that looks exactly like mine minus color and a Performance branded one as well. Also, although slightly different we have seen 2 3Rensho's that are fricken amazing. So to conclude..........Late 80's early 90's SR Litage?

Thanks guys..........you're amazing!
Kelly D

PS
Since it was offered as mail order to at least one company and small boutique builders...possibly as a frame & fork only, I will build it as I please (ecclectic mix of vintage weight weenie stuff) and ride it till it fails.

good call,imo.

best,
k

Sorry to resurrect a long dead thread but I thought a lil update was in order after a lil tid bit I dug up tonight...I found a pic and reference to a Dura All frame branded as a Nakagawa...A small builder in Japan who learned the craft at Zunow...His team colors were pink and white which is kinda fitting for my frame. Seems that many builders in Japan likely branded these frames as there own. Pretty cool!

So how did this bike turn out? I don't recall seeing build picks anywhere.

I've still got a couple little bits to pick up... It's the base to my "weight weenie" build and finding/financing all the scary light parts has been a long process. Just need bars, better chainrings, tires and to slap my wheels together...

That's what I think as well. SR bonded aluminum frames were available by the mid 1980s.