Need help IDing Hijikata
 

Hey guys, I was directed here from another bike forum after trying to find information on a very cool bike I just acquired. I know very little about the bike, so any information about the manufacturer or the bike would be greatly appreciated.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/ant05/b.jpg

The name is Hijikata. Tange 900 cro-mo tubing. It's got a full array of 105 everywhere (drivetrain, pedals, brakes, hubs, headset) in very good condition. The only bad part is the cassette looks a bit rusty, but everything else looks great. It's got Mavic rims, a fuzzy keirin looking Italian saddle, and Nitto bars and stem. The seatpost is a Suntour, and get this, the seatpost bolt is by Sugino, haha. I'm really excited about this find. The previous owner was just looking to dump a bunch of bikes, and I got it for $160. I think it was a fairly good price.

What I really want to know about is this: I found Panasonic stamped on one side of the drop-outs. It could have been that Panasonic just made the drop outs, but could this frame have been built by Panasonic?

I don't recognize the name, but it surely sounds Japanese. It may be a small builder, using Panasonic dropouts, or it may be a retailer using Panasonic frames. Either way, it is a good one, and you'll like the ride a lot better if you put some tires on it.

That bar tape sure will help with conspicuity. It hurts my eyes a little.

What does the headbadge look like?

A google image search only turned up one other bike.

Here's a Japanese page that appears to have links of some bike shops in Japan. With it being Tange 900, likely the shop bought frames from a manufacturer and had them badged with their own name.

Paint and frame look similar to my brother's Univega Gran Sprint. Posts 11 and 12 in this thread have a couple of that model pictured.

Seems like it's as luker says, but I've never heard of Panasonic-branded dropouts (these look to be either vertical or nearly so). Anybody have reference for frame bits made by National/Panasonic/Matsu****a? If not, then it's going to be a Panasonic frame that's "house-branded" and probably for the Japanese local market. They were an active contract-builder, Schwinn being one of their most-known customers.

Funny. :P It takes tubulars so sourcing some tires might take some time. Yeah, I did derive immediately from the name that it is thoroughly Japanese.

Yes, that bar tape is amazingly bright. I think it actually glows at night.

Yeah, Google did nothing for me, hence why I came here. I actually don't have the bike with me right now, a friend is borrowing it to do some maintenance, but the headbadge said "Handbuilt" on top with a large H & K in the middle, and "Hijikata" on the bottom. If I get the bike back soon, I'll get a picture. I'll also get a shot of the "Panasonic" stamped onto the drop out just for kicks.

million different pairs of tubies on eBay. I personally recommend Conti Sprinters if value is a concern. Not the cheapest, but one of the best for the dollar, and they look reasonably period. If value is no concern, then Vittoria CX/CG would be the proper tire for the bike...be prepared to joust with the CR list guys for these, though.