Sekai Bicycle Database
04-21-14 | 07:50 PM
#226
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 4,513
Likes: 42
From: The Great Pacific Northwest
@ RaleighSport - I understand that you are now the "keeper" of the Sekai database, so I will add mine. I mentioned in another post the serial number isn't even close to the "Usual" format. I know that Norco bought out Sekai, but thought it was later 1980's. My bike says "Sekai" on the down tube and "Bigfoot" on the top tube near the stem. It also had a sticker that said "Made in Taiwan" on the seat tube down low as well as a very wrinkled sticker which was sort of clear with darker (I think) writing that said, "Alpine Edition". From all the date codes and the angles, fork, and components I believe it's a 1983 or 1984. I know that there came to be a Norco "Bigfoot" a bit later.
I bought this bike for $40 and it had the original cables/housings (rusted to each other inside), and other than saddle and maybe tires it was, I'm sure original. It has Dia Compe 981 "frog leg" brakes and the 281 Motorcycle levers, Victor pedals (I researched the little clover design to figure that out. I believe that Victor is now VP who sells pedals). It has Suntour early thumb shifters, Suntour Alpine Gear Tech front/rear derailleurs, a 5 speed Suntour Perfect freewheel. Sansin high flange hubs rear & Sunshine high flange hubs front. It is not lugged, but does have a great biplane fork. Cup/cone bottom bracket with asymmetric spindle I believe is 123 mm long. Brake/derailleur cables run beneath the bottom bracket in metal slots. The color is interesting, in that up close in bright light it looks metallic deep silver/grey, but at a distance it's very much sort of a mineral sea foam green. The serial # is: DSRM, then below that 50104061
Not sure how much I can put in one post, so photos to be posted in batches below.
I bought this bike for $40 and it had the original cables/housings (rusted to each other inside), and other than saddle and maybe tires it was, I'm sure original. It has Dia Compe 981 "frog leg" brakes and the 281 Motorcycle levers, Victor pedals (I researched the little clover design to figure that out. I believe that Victor is now VP who sells pedals). It has Suntour early thumb shifters, Suntour Alpine Gear Tech front/rear derailleurs, a 5 speed Suntour Perfect freewheel. Sansin high flange hubs rear & Sunshine high flange hubs front. It is not lugged, but does have a great biplane fork. Cup/cone bottom bracket with asymmetric spindle I believe is 123 mm long. Brake/derailleur cables run beneath the bottom bracket in metal slots. The color is interesting, in that up close in bright light it looks metallic deep silver/grey, but at a distance it's very much sort of a mineral sea foam green. The serial # is: DSRM, then below that 50104061
Not sure how much I can put in one post, so photos to be posted in batches below.
04-21-14 | 08:00 PM
#228
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 4,513
Likes: 42
From: The Great Pacific Northwest
Sekai Bigfoot Photos:
I spent about 60 hours taking this bike apart (my first time ever) and removing rust, grease, new grease/bearings/adjusting, cables/housing, brake pads, etc. Only thing I changed were tires, saddle, grips. I recently bought a NOS Suntour Alpine Gear Tech rear derailleur because the other had loose rivets. I also am trying out a new handlebar/stem situation. The original was a BMX style stem with a chrome handlebar. I clear coated the bare metal spots and I will leave those as "battle scars" of life. Patina shows a little character. I put Continental Travel Contact 26 x 1.75" tires with reflective sidewalls lately. I guess I've said way more than enough. Can you tell I really like this bike?
I spent about 60 hours taking this bike apart (my first time ever) and removing rust, grease, new grease/bearings/adjusting, cables/housing, brake pads, etc. Only thing I changed were tires, saddle, grips. I recently bought a NOS Suntour Alpine Gear Tech rear derailleur because the other had loose rivets. I also am trying out a new handlebar/stem situation. The original was a BMX style stem with a chrome handlebar. I clear coated the bare metal spots and I will leave those as "battle scars" of life. Patina shows a little character. I put Continental Travel Contact 26 x 1.75" tires with reflective sidewalls lately. I guess I've said way more than enough. Can you tell I really like this bike?
04-21-14 | 08:14 PM
#229
Thread Starter
Hogosha Sekai
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 6,674
Likes: 26
From: STS
Bikes: Leader 725, Centurion Turbo, Scwhinn Peloton, Schwinn Premis, GT Tequesta, Bridgestone CB-2,72' Centurion Lemans, 72 Raleigh Competition
@ RaleighSport - I understand that you are now the "keeper" of the Sekai database, so I will add mine. I mentioned in another post the serial number isn't even close to the "Usual" format. I know that Norco bought out Sekai, but thought it was later 1980's. My bike says "Sekai" on the down tube and "Bigfoot" on the top tube near the stem. It also had a sticker that said "Made in Taiwan" on the seat tube down low as well as a very wrinkled sticker which was sort of clear with darker (I think) writing that said, "Alpine Edition". From all the date codes and the angles, fork, and components I believe it's a 1983 or 1984. I know that there came to be a Norco "Bigfoot" a bit later.
I bought this bike for $40 and it had the original cables/housings (rusted to each other inside), and other than saddle and maybe tires it was, I'm sure original. It has Dia Compe 981 "frog leg" brakes and the 281 Motorcycle levers, Victor pedals (I researched the little clover design to figure that out. I believe that Victor is now VP who sells pedals). It has Suntour early thumb shifters, Suntour Alpine Gear Tech front/rear derailleurs, a 5 speed Suntour Perfect freewheel. Sansin high flange hubs rear & Sunshine high flange hubs front. It is not lugged, but does have a great biplane fork. Cup/cone bottom bracket with asymmetric spindle I believe is 123 mm long. Brake/derailleur cables run beneath the bottom bracket in metal slots. The color is interesting, in that up close in bright light it looks metallic deep silver/grey, but at a distance it's very much sort of a mineral sea foam green. The serial # is: DSRM, then below that 50104061
Not sure how much I can put in one post, so photos to be posted in batches below.
I bought this bike for $40 and it had the original cables/housings (rusted to each other inside), and other than saddle and maybe tires it was, I'm sure original. It has Dia Compe 981 "frog leg" brakes and the 281 Motorcycle levers, Victor pedals (I researched the little clover design to figure that out. I believe that Victor is now VP who sells pedals). It has Suntour early thumb shifters, Suntour Alpine Gear Tech front/rear derailleurs, a 5 speed Suntour Perfect freewheel. Sansin high flange hubs rear & Sunshine high flange hubs front. It is not lugged, but does have a great biplane fork. Cup/cone bottom bracket with asymmetric spindle I believe is 123 mm long. Brake/derailleur cables run beneath the bottom bracket in metal slots. The color is interesting, in that up close in bright light it looks metallic deep silver/grey, but at a distance it's very much sort of a mineral sea foam green. The serial # is: DSRM, then below that 50104061
Not sure how much I can put in one post, so photos to be posted in batches below.
06-06-14 | 07:53 AM
#230
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
[MENTION=235305]RaleighSport[/MENTION] i'm the guy who added you earlier 
i have this sekai 4000 (i guess) it was my fathers bike way back in 1980. i just want to share my sekai bike. cuz i find classic bikes beautiful! serial number is M1G30902. most parts are shimano dura-ace and has araya rims. heres some picture 
i have this sekai 4000 (i guess) it was my fathers bike way back in 1980. i just want to share my sekai bike. cuz i find classic bikes beautiful! serial number is M1G30902. most parts are shimano dura-ace and has araya rims. heres some picture
06-06-14 | 07:54 AM
#231
Thread Starter
Hogosha Sekai
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 6,674
Likes: 26
From: STS
Bikes: Leader 725, Centurion Turbo, Scwhinn Peloton, Schwinn Premis, GT Tequesta, Bridgestone CB-2,72' Centurion Lemans, 72 Raleigh Competition
@RaleighSport i'm the guy who added you earlier i have this sekai 4000 (i guess) it was my fathers bike way back in 1980. i just want to share my sekai bike. cuz i find classic bikes beautiful! serial number is M1G30902. most parts are shimano dura-ace and has araya rims. heres some picture
i have this sekai 4000 (i guess) it was my fathers bike way back in 1980. i just want to share my sekai bike. cuz i find classic bikes beautiful! serial number is M1G30902. most parts are shimano dura-ace and has araya rims. heres some picture
06-06-14 | 07:59 AM
#232
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
[MENTION=235305]RaleighSport[/MENTION] yep it fits me well. got butt bruises tho 
i was hoping u could help me with the serial number. how does the serials work? i'll be posting more pictures once it gets restored
i was hoping u could help me with the serial number. how does the serials work? i'll be posting more pictures once it gets restored
Last edited by flublu; 06-06-14 at 08:03 AM.
06-06-14 | 08:09 AM
#233
Thread Starter
Hogosha Sekai
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 6,674
Likes: 26
From: STS
Bikes: Leader 725, Centurion Turbo, Scwhinn Peloton, Schwinn Premis, GT Tequesta, Bridgestone CB-2,72' Centurion Lemans, 72 Raleigh Competition
@RaleighSport yep it fits me well. got butt bruises tho i was hoping u could help me with the serial number. how does the serials work? i'll be posting more pictures once it gets restored
i was hoping u could help me with the serial number. how does the serials work? i'll be posting more pictures once it gets restored Apparently, Miki made both Sekai and Sakai frames. Sekai frames were manufactured by Miki and assembled by Sakai Export. It not uncommon for a manufacturer to produce more than one brand. The serial number format should be Myfxxxx, where y is a number designating the year and f is a letter designating the fortnight. The same serial number format shows on on some Norco and Centurion models, though it is unclear whether these frames were made by Miki or another manufacturer with the same serial number format. For instance, Merida of Taiwan uses the same format.
06-06-14 | 10:43 PM
#234
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,410
Likes: 282
From: Rupert's Land
Bikes: 1981 Raleigh GP, 1985 Norco Bush Pilot, . . .
Velocivixen,
Thanks for posting the detailed pictures of your Bigfoot. I mean your bicycle. I think it is wonderful.
There is a strong connection to Norco MTBs. Many, but not all, of the Sekai MTB model names had Norco counterparts.
Serial number: Looks like DSRM, it is really DSBM. The stamping was not well executed and this happened many times with the letter 'B'. My Norco Bushpilot stamping looks the same.
DSBM = Dodsun Bicycle and Machinery Manufacturing of Taiwan. I have seen a Norco Bigfoot with a DSBM serial number.
I have not determined if the first number in the numeric part of the serial number is significant. The first number may be the year of manufacturer of the frame.
"golf club" type stem: I have not seen any early Norco MTBs with this type of stem. I have seen pictures of a Sekai Grizzly MTB with this stem and bi-plane forks.
"Alpine Edition": Norco bicycles in 1985 and 1986 had decals in the middle of the seat tube, that said what Series they were: Racing, Touring, Sports, Mountain, and possibly others. The MTBs that I have seen are all Mountain Series.
Sekai bicycles of this period also had a seat tube decal but I have never seen pictures of enough detail to read them. "Alpine Edition" makes sense for MTBs.
I am glad to hear that you like the bike. When I found an old Norco Bushpilot in a dumpster I knew it was not valuable, but it had some unique things: bi-plane forks. I had to save it and fix it up.
Thanks for posting the detailed pictures of your Bigfoot. I mean your bicycle. I think it is wonderful.
There is a strong connection to Norco MTBs. Many, but not all, of the Sekai MTB model names had Norco counterparts.
Serial number: Looks like DSRM, it is really DSBM. The stamping was not well executed and this happened many times with the letter 'B'. My Norco Bushpilot stamping looks the same.
DSBM = Dodsun Bicycle and Machinery Manufacturing of Taiwan. I have seen a Norco Bigfoot with a DSBM serial number.
I have not determined if the first number in the numeric part of the serial number is significant. The first number may be the year of manufacturer of the frame.
"golf club" type stem: I have not seen any early Norco MTBs with this type of stem. I have seen pictures of a Sekai Grizzly MTB with this stem and bi-plane forks.
"Alpine Edition": Norco bicycles in 1985 and 1986 had decals in the middle of the seat tube, that said what Series they were: Racing, Touring, Sports, Mountain, and possibly others. The MTBs that I have seen are all Mountain Series.
Sekai bicycles of this period also had a seat tube decal but I have never seen pictures of enough detail to read them. "Alpine Edition" makes sense for MTBs.
I am glad to hear that you like the bike. When I found an old Norco Bushpilot in a dumpster I knew it was not valuable, but it had some unique things: bi-plane forks. I had to save it and fix it up.
Last edited by Hummer; 06-06-14 at 10:45 PM. Reason: Spelling
06-06-14 | 11:25 PM
#235
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 4,513
Likes: 42
From: The Great Pacific Northwest
[MENTION=205648]Hummer[/MENTION] - that's awesome information! Thanks so much for finding all that out and sharing. I think mine is somewhere around 1984, give or take a year or maybe 2. I kept the quill stem/handlebar, however replaced it with a Kalloy Mountain riser silver handlebar to get the bars up higher. I searched high & low and decided to try the Civia "Aldrich" handlebars in silver.
Universal Cycles -- Civia Aldrich Handlebar
The new stem & handlebars change the look a little, but it's not detracting IMO. I changed out the Panaracer Paselas for Continental Travel Contact tires - smooth down the center with slight knobs on the sides, along with sort of a brownish markings on the sidewalls.
Anyway, your information is enlightening. If the first number is a year then that could be an '85 for mine.
Universal Cycles -- Civia Aldrich Handlebar
The new stem & handlebars change the look a little, but it's not detracting IMO. I changed out the Panaracer Paselas for Continental Travel Contact tires - smooth down the center with slight knobs on the sides, along with sort of a brownish markings on the sidewalls.
Anyway, your information is enlightening. If the first number is a year then that could be an '85 for mine.
06-06-14 | 11:57 PM
#236
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
this site might be helpful to some in dating parts
Date of Manufacture of Bicycle Components can be used to date a bike: component dating
i don't know how accurate they are tho.
Date of Manufacture of Bicycle Components can be used to date a bike: component dating
i don't know how accurate they are tho.
06-07-14 | 06:55 AM
#237
Thread Starter
Hogosha Sekai
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 6,674
Likes: 26
From: STS
Bikes: Leader 725, Centurion Turbo, Scwhinn Peloton, Schwinn Premis, GT Tequesta, Bridgestone CB-2,72' Centurion Lemans, 72 Raleigh Competition
Well that's interesting.. Hummer's a Sekai owner. I hope you crack that DSBM serial system and you even yet again taught me a couple details about Sekai that I did not know are you sure you're not T-mars sock puppet? 
06-16-14 | 08:17 AM
#239
Thread Starter
Hogosha Sekai
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 6,674
Likes: 26
From: STS
Bikes: Leader 725, Centurion Turbo, Scwhinn Peloton, Schwinn Premis, GT Tequesta, Bridgestone CB-2,72' Centurion Lemans, 72 Raleigh Competition
I am very privileged to still be in contact with T-mar, and I am even more privileged to share his wisdom with you all (with his permission of course). @Hummer @Velocivixen I think you both will appreciate this.
Updated the serial info on the front page to add the DSBM system.
Regarding the subject Sekai Bigfoot, it is indeed a Dodsun manufactured model, as suggested by Hummer. In fact, it is a 1985 model. The DSBM serial numbers in my database indicate that the 1st number is the year of manufacture. Additionally, the 2nd and 3rd numbers may well be the month indicator. To date, there has only been one example where the the 2nd and 3rd number combination fell outside 01 to 12, however that serial number suspiciously had only 7 numbers, as opposed to the standard 8 numbers in all my other samples. Consequently, I suspect a transposition error but never did get corroboration from the owner.
While Norco model names often performed double duty on Sekai, the models were not necessarily equivalent. In the subject case, the Sekai Bigfoot is more closely resembles the 1985 Norco Bush Pilot by virtue of the SunTour AG Tech deraillers and double plate fork crown.
Regarding the double plate crown, it was a common feature on early Norco ATBs. It would eventually be replaced by a standard crown and subsequently the unicrown, with the last dual plate versions being spec’d on the 1986 entry level models.
While Norco model names often performed double duty on Sekai, the models were not necessarily equivalent. In the subject case, the Sekai Bigfoot is more closely resembles the 1985 Norco Bush Pilot by virtue of the SunTour AG Tech deraillers and double plate fork crown.
Regarding the double plate crown, it was a common feature on early Norco ATBs. It would eventually be replaced by a standard crown and subsequently the unicrown, with the last dual plate versions being spec’d on the 1986 entry level models.
Last edited by RaleighSport; 06-16-14 at 08:23 AM.
06-16-14 | 08:24 AM
#240
Thread Starter
Hogosha Sekai
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 6,674
Likes: 26
From: STS
Bikes: Leader 725, Centurion Turbo, Scwhinn Peloton, Schwinn Premis, GT Tequesta, Bridgestone CB-2,72' Centurion Lemans, 72 Raleigh Competition
06-16-14 | 09:53 AM
#242
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,394
Likes: 20
From: OZARKS
I don't see any updated pictures of your bigfoot... quid pro quo!
@kc0yef - nice Sekai. Do you know what year it is? Have any updated photos?
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Last edited by kc0yef; 06-16-14 at 10:20 AM.
06-16-14 | 09:54 AM
#243
Thread Starter
Hogosha Sekai
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 6,674
Likes: 26
From: STS
Bikes: Leader 725, Centurion Turbo, Scwhinn Peloton, Schwinn Premis, GT Tequesta, Bridgestone CB-2,72' Centurion Lemans, 72 Raleigh Competition
Your frame was built in 83, putting the odds as it is an 84 model.
06-16-14 | 11:25 AM
#244
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,394
Likes: 20
From: OZARKS
06-16-14 | 12:36 PM
#245
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 4,513
Likes: 42
From: The Great Pacific Northwest
[MENTION=250607]kc0yef[/MENTION]- I thought I'd put some "cleaned up" photos on this thread earlier. Here's a recent one of it. I'm not planning on painting it or anything. Just leaving as is regarding the paint. 
06-16-14 | 12:42 PM
#246
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,394
Likes: 20
From: OZARKS
You did but your picture is OLD two day old mine are less than 24 hours lol
@kc0yef- I thought I'd put some "cleaned up" photos on this thread earlier. Here's a recent one of it. I'm not planning on painting it or anything. Just leaving as is regarding the paint.
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