auchencrow

I happened across this c. 1984 Maruishi TA18 Tour Ace the other day – There is very little info about Maruishis but I found some information about it on-line, which I’ll share with you here.

The fellow who sold it to me recalled that it retailed for over $1000 new. I know recollections can get muddled after 25 years so I ignored this, but just a brief test ride told me it was a superb tourer…(So maybe he was right?).

Anyway, it was indeed the top-of-the-line Maruishi touring bike back then – with
- Gold kangaroos engraved on the fork crowns
- Seamless double butted Ishiwata 022 main tubes,
- A Sugino triple crank
- Suntour Mountech DRs
- (40-hole rear) Araya rims laced to Sunshine hubs
- Diacompe 961 cantilever brakes
- A 6-speed Perfect freewheel
- Nitto randonneur bars
- Vetta saddle
- Rear alloy rack
- Double eyelets front and rear
- A chain hanger
- Low rack mounting bosses on the forks.

It tips the scales at 27.3 lbs and the color is “gun grey” – a silver really, and up to Maruishis’s high standard for finish.

The TA18 would have been intended to go toe-to-toe with a Trek 620 back in the day.

- Obviously, the Trek won out – for today, few people know about (or can even pronounce) the name “Maruishi”. Still, its functional and aesthetic qualities endear it to me, and considering it’s practically worthless as a flip, I feel obliged to keep it for now instead of turning it out with the trash…

The lone picture below was taken in the as-found state. I still need to overhaul it, but it is in remarkably good condition. (I will get around to cleaning it up and posting more and better pics at a later date.)

PS - I found the catalog at this website.

DiegoFrogs

Stunning! I like it. I love silver bikes.

Grand Bois

What makes you think it's "practically worthless as a flip"?

DiegoFrogs

Yeah, I agree. I think it actually has some value, if marketed properly. It has all the marks of proper touring bikes that tend to fetch some cash on the eblow.

But, keep it!

Grand Bois

I'd be interested myself if you were local.

auchencrow

Thanks DiegoFrogs - I love them too and was happy about this purchase - but the downside is that I keep adding to the herd !

auchencrow

That was sort of an exaggeration : I know it's not "worthless", but truthfully - it just will not command near the same price that say, a Trek, Miyata, or even a Fuji Touring Series would - despite that it is quite the equivalent in terms of ride quality and utility.

auchencrow

+1

auchencrow

Not to worry. There are some great deals out in your 'hood as well - and as you know, you just need to keep a sharp eye out to see the silver lining on those crummy ads with the camera phone pictures and lame descriptions.
That is one of the advantages for C&Ver's living in a big urban area.

robatsu

Maruishi stayed in business in the Japanese market up until a couple of years ago when they imploded due to some financial malfeasance at the executive level (or so the allegations had it). Up until that time, their line included some pretty cool, retro-french randonneurs looking bikes (fenders, racks, lights, the usual stuff). You occasionally see them in used bike shops in Japan.

cycleguy55

I bought a blue Maruishi TA18 Tourace new in 1985 after carefully mulling over the options in the market at that time. Over the years it has served me very well, logging many thousands of kilometres. While the frame, fork, crankset, front derailleur, front hub, stem, handlebar and brake levers are original, everything else has been changed. I converted to 700c wheels a few years ago and went to a Shimano LX freehub with a 9 speed 11-32 SRAM cassette. Rims are Mavic 520 36 spoke - they're tandem-rated have proven to be very durable. The rear derailleur is a Shimano Deore, shift levers are Deore LX bar end levers, and the brakes are Deore LX cantilevers.

Looking forward to many more years, and many more kilometres!

balindamood

I have always coveted Maruishi touring bikes. Simply stunning and very well built, but never really sold well here. I think they gave up in the early 1990's, but you can still get them in Japan. They occasionally show up on Ebay, but I have never won one in my size. If you ever want to get rid of it, I am in line with the rest of everyone here (I'll fly to Detroit and ride it back if I have to).

khatfull

Looks strangely like my new-to-me Fuji Touring Series III (excuse the flat bars, they're already off ):



Let's hope you don't have some of the nastiness to cleanup I've had:



But it cleans up well:



I'm about done with it, woo hoo!

aeshultz

Just to update this zombie thread- this Maruishi TA-18 has moved on to a new, younger owner, who will be having some adventures with it.
The cycle continues.

Cycle Tourist

Love these bikes. I am putting a Nashbar, (Maruishi) toure mt back together and these are the real thing. It doesn't matter what name is on the bike. A good touring bike is a joy forever.😁

tgot 

Hi @cycleguy, I know this was posted ages ago, but I wondered how you converted the wheels to 700c?

I had thought that bikes with cantilever posts didn't have the brake height adjustment needed. Did you keep the stock brakes?

cycleguy55

There was no problem with brake height. All it took was minor brake pad adjustment.

bikemig 

That's' impressive that a quote (with a mention) from a post made over a decade ago pulled a response. Some cantilevers have the adjustability needed to go from 27 inch to 700c; some don't. Good that it worked here.

tgot 

Thanks! The "Are you looking for one of these?" thread popped one up near me, so I'm giving it serious thought.

tgot 

Bikeforums.net and C&V is actually pretty miraculous.