Hello everyone!
 

I am an average biker from Brooklyn, NY. I stumbled upon this site whilst searching for sites for vintage/used bikes. I bought a used vintage road bike yesterday but I do not know the make or model because it was stripped of all decals and the head logo. There are some markings on the bike:
1) On the hubs of both wheels, it says KJ
2) On the handlebar stem theres a tiny flying bird with the words Y.S and serial no. 074208899 and 22.2 phi(greek alphabet symbol) and Taiwan
3) On the front derailleur it says Falcon

I just need to know the make, year and model of the bike. Its a mystery that needs to be solved and this forum seems to be the best hope.

Thank you and have a nice day!

You need to post some good pics of the bike.

+1 - pics would be really helpful.

the "phi" is actually a symbol for Diameter (circle with a line through it) - in this case, 22.2 mm

here are some pics I took today:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daamineni/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/daamineni/page2/

Hard to say what it is, but do lower the stem before you hurt yourself. It's way above the maximum height limit line, and could break or pull out--very inconvenient when you're riding in traffic or speeding down a long hill.

sorry, looks like "gaspipe" to me , but if it ride,s allright and gets you from A to B without walking ,it,s a good thing !

Well, it's not a fine cycle, but it's sharp looking, in good condition, and super clean. It will probably ride just fine. Paint looks good. Pump pegs and outlined lugs are a bonus(es). Get yourself a frame pump. Falcon derailleurs will probably be reliable. Just stay away from powerful magnets with that thing.

Where it says "MAX HT" on the stem, it really should say, "If you can read this, this stem is going to come out of the steerer tube while you are hammering away at high speed and the pavement will rip your face off." Lower it so you can't read what it should say.

If you have steel rims on those wheels (check with magnet if you're not sure), which I think you do, be careful in the rain and dew--you'll squeeze the brakes and nothing will happen--then the pavement will rip your face off. Better to get some new, good quality brake pads, preferably Kool-Stop salmons (expensive, but isn't your life worth it?).

Enjoi!

EDIT: The ramen looks tasty, but I'm really not sure what to make of this: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/...5c396f3e_z.jpg

Yep, looks like a low-end carbon steel frame with low-end components to me. The lugs are cool, and the bike looks to be in good shape.

+1 on the stem - lower it pronto (at least to the point where the horizontal line (with the "max" indication) is at or below the headset.

Double check the brake pads - it is likely that some new pads will be useful.

I'd give it a once over - check the condition and functionality of the cables, bearings, derailleur settings, etc, and it should be good to go.

Sorry, the ride is actually very comfortable and it handles very well. I ride it on NYC streets and it feels better than my Trek 7.3. Looks can be deceiving.

Sorry to you, the ride is actually very comfortable and it handles very well. I ride it on NYC(think heavy, impatient traffic) and it feels better than my Trek 7.3. Looks can be deceiving. Thanks you all for your replies and warning me about the handle stem. I am aware of it, but did it on purpose because it lets me ride in a more upright position. I do that on all my bikes and never had my face ripped off. I guess I am more than an average biker, I bike all the time except during winter.

You mean "never had my face ripped off SO FAR."
An upright riding position is nice in, but I'd think about buying a taller stem, like a Nitto Technomic. C'mon, I don't even know what you look like, but I bet your face is worth it.

This is a serious question: why do you need to know? Insurance purposes? Just curious?

As others have indicated, it's not valuable as a collector's item, but you made no indication that you thought this to be the case. And as you've noted, it rides great, so that's what matters most.

The problem with ID'ing the bike is that there were many entry level models that looked very similar but may have had minor differences. It's possible this is an obscure department store bike no one will be able to ID. On the other hand, this area is not my forte, so I may be wrong. However, to get a better ID, you'll need more (and more clear) photos of all the components and all the frame details (dropouts, bottom bracket area, seat lug area). Again, this may not assist with an ID, but if someone here is familiar with it, these photos are essential.

Happy riding!

I can add one thing: based on the Taiwan patent, it's probably early to mid 80's.

Just curious actually. Is it not enough of a reason to post in this forum?

Thanks. I know its not a collectors item because this bike seems to have been assembled from various bike parts. The frame might be english like someone here pointed out.

I said it was a serious question. I apologize if the responses in this thread have struck you as unfriendly. I didn't intend to be unfriendly. I have bikes that have unknown heritage and age. It's sometimes possible to determine ballpark age and manufacture, but precise identifications are sometimes difficult. It's possible that someone on the forum can pinpoint yours, but I'm sorry that I can't help there. Good luck.

I will seriously consider buying a taller stem--I value my face.

Its a $180 worth of pure joy and satisfaction. The front tyre is new, and it comes with a 60 day warranty on all parts. I might come across as naive and over excited to the senior members here but thats because its my first vintage/old/used bike. I am sure I will learn a lot here in due course of time.

Welcome to C&V it may be your first vintage bike, but they are infectious... I first came on this section just looking for info too. Now like many here I have more bikes than garage space :D

My guess is that you will never know exactly what the make or model is. Simply put, in the old days, generic frame sets were produced by the thousands. A Norco and a Centurion (just an example) might have identical frame sets, but different cosmetics.

Vintage can best be defined by visiting this page and plugging the information into the parts on your bike.

As for the steering stem. You come to the forum, expecting good advice, and then everyone warns you of the inherent danger of a steering stem mounted to high, yet you poo-poo the idea.

The mechanical advantage, of a too high steering stem, is so great that it can actually be ripped out of the steering tube, and this is more likely to happen in a panic situation, when greater than normal forces are applied to the bicycle. Also...

Having the stem too high will allow the wedge portion, of the stem, to act on the threaded portion, of the steering tube, and, perhaps, cause it to stretch, destroying the thread fit.

So, you will probably not be able to accurately determine the make and model of your bike. Know that it is Asian, probably from the early eighties and it is a step or two above entry level.

And yes, you do come across as a bit arrogant but at least you are aware of it.

What size tires are those? 26x1-3/8"? As others have stated, it's hard to nail down make and model as so many of these entry-level bikes were OEM-ed for numerous outlets under different brands. The pump pegs on your frame would indicate an older, slightly better model frame than those Falcon components would imply. Since you bought the bike from a shop with new tires, etc. they could have built up the frame with said parts too.
It looks like an old high tensile steel touring frame, probably why it feels so smooth. Either way, it's the perfect bike for running around NYC, crossing the Williamsburg, riding to Greenpoint and hitting up the cafes and restaurants on the weekend. (born and raised in NY...know the city well.)

My wife's girl 10-speed is built very similar to your's, with the exception that your frame is nicer. The brand of her bike is Galaxy II. I suspect it's just a generic unknown brand.

Those are exactly the neighborhoods I work and hang out in, and Bushwick. Were pump pegs specific to English bikes?

You would find them on a lot o the older era models, and they were also found on French models. But old French bikes used French standard threading. The Falcon crank you have on there would never have fit onto an old French frame.