RBaker831

Thank you! I have been distracted from working on the bike for a while now, but when I get back to it I will take your advice. I already tried the wadded up aluminum foil and it did scratch the chrome a bit, so I'll try brass next. Most of the aluminum is in pretty good shape.

Sagi57

So I'd like to update my '82 GT Deluxe's BlueLine derailleur group with a better set up. Since the majority of my bikes are mid to late '80s bikes I'm used to index shifting. The GT BL's are friction shifters and being a 15 gear bike I find it hard to hit the sweet spot on every gear. So, what are my options? New, vintage? Cheap, inexpensive but reliable. I'd like to keep it as a 15 gear and upgrade a level or two.

Duke of Prunes

I picked this up on Craigslist last month here in Madison, WI for $85. Except for a good cleaning and degreasing, I haven't gotten too far in getting it ready for resale (too small for my 6'2"). Decent quality, 600 components, SN M4B00246 indicates it's Miki manufactured in early 1984. No dealer sticker. Ugly seat and downtube decals a little curled and not perfectly applied. Model name (Tri Comp) on left side top tube only. Champion 2 tubing. Wheels are 700C Matrix 32h C-II, and must have been added later (I think those are early '90s vitage?). Here's a link to the first batch of photos I took:
https://goo.gl/photos/LQqSHpTVSWCXUyU1A

I'll post some more when I'm in the shop and add other details. If I remember correctly, frame measured 52 cm

richardhashiru

T-Mar the seat post diameter is 26.8

wrk101

In the what is it worth subforum, this frame was identified as a Sekai 4000. Miki end of May 1975 serial number. Lugs are long, really long. And the frame is all chrome, painted over the tubes and exposed on the lugs. Any tubing decal is long, long gone.

Seller told me it had Shimano 600 Arabesque on it so he used it as a donor to build up his 1982 Trek 710. He didn't think the 600 was original.

Based on page 1, this frame should have had short lugs, but they definitely are long, really long. OK, from post 267 "the 4000 (I have 2x), I have seen long-point italianesque chromedlugs throughout the 70's" "The frame was painted in "lacquer over chrome", for adeep translucent color."

Serial number is M5K02602. Blue SKV logo decal on fork legs.

[IMG]1975 Sekai 4000? by wrk101, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]1975 Sekai 4000? by wrk101, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]1975 Sekai 4000? by wrk101, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG]1975 Sekai 4000? by wrk101, on Flickr[/IMG]

rancho66 

My M6L37607 (76?) serial numbered 4000 has exact same lugs/color/gold pinstriping It has different seat tube decal. Also missing the down tube 4000 designation decal. Maybe that decal was optional as the 4000 and 5000 was a mostly a frame purchase? I attached the frame tubing decal that is on mine if you want to know what your missing one prob. looked like. I also have a made in Japan decal at bottom of seat tube.
Mike

wrk101

Just to close the loop on the 1975 Sekai 4000 frameset I recently bought (above).

Finished!

[IMG]1975 Sekai 4000 Professional by wrk101, on Flickr[/IMG]

Duke of Prunes

You done good and should be proud.

wrk101

Yes, I'm pretty pleased with that bike. So I added it to my keeper fleet. Kind of replaces the Lotus Classique I cut loose a few years back.

farmboy904

Hello all.

Just joined up as I have a vintage BMX frame which pops up occasionally in the BMX collecting community and which is generally regarded as a Sekai, but which has not been definitively identified as such. I'm hoping perhaps someone here can shed some light on the subject.

I realize this thread has dealt exclusively with road and mountain models up to this point, but the serial on my frame, 77F0 353, seems to correspond with the format of the 3rd through 5th bikes listed in post #11, so I though I'd give it a shot. I've also emailed the folks at Yellow Jersey in the hope that someone there can help with an ID.

I've enjoyed reading through this thread, very nice bikes. Thanks in advance for any info. Here are some pics.

Jim Berard
Villa Park, IL

T-Mar

While your frame has the same serial number format of some Sekai bicycles manufactured during the late 1970s, it does not appear to be a Sekai. All Sekai frames were contracted manufactured by various source who manufactured for multiple brands/companies.

I have a Sekai catalogue which I've dated to circa 1978 and while it shows two CrMo BMX frames, the characteristics do not match yours. Neither frame has the head gusset. Nor do they exhibit the box bridge behind the bottom bracket shell or the rear triangle stays fabricated from a single bent tube.

farmboy904

Thanks much for the quick response.

Do you know if there was continuity in the product lineup after the original company was sold in '77? I ask as that serial format only seems to appear on a few '77 bikes, or was it also found on later models?

As I said, these have generally been considered Sekais, but the serial format similarity is the only thing that I've found which lends any support to the theory (apart from obvious similarities to known later Sekai bmx frames manufactured from '79 onward.)

What I'm wondering is if this was a model the original owners spec'ed before the sale and which was not continued after. Not trying to lead to that conclusion, just trying to find something more definitive either way.

Regardless, any chance you could post an image from your catalog sometime? Sound like the frames were quite different from the later, known models.

Thanks again.

T-Mar

My understanding is that the company was never sold in 1977 but that the bicycle importing operation was severed from the retail and mail order operations to create its own legal (and financial) entity, Sekai Bicycle Company. Both companies were under the control of the Tamura family and the biccycle operation wasn't sold until 1983, when Norco took over for the 1984 model year.

There certainly was design continuity on the road side, though there were a different contractors. In addition to 1977, a number of 1976 models have surfaced using your serial number format.

I'll have to dig the catalogue back out but will post a picture, later.

glocnikar

I recently purchased a Sekai Royal 1000 from my wife's uncle. It's been stored for the past umpteen years and is in GREAT shape. There is only a little surface rust spotting through, which should clean up pretty easy. The stickers are perfect, not peeling or bubbling. And there are only a few small nicks in the paint.

He thought he bought it in '74, but the serial, Y1C2664, looks like it was made in '81, so my guess is that his memory is off a decade. The bars have 2 stamps for KUZUKI and WIN Japan. I've never owned a touring cycle and bought it without seeing it, knowing that it needed a little TLC.

It ends up that I am too short for the frame, so I am debating on replacing the tires, cleaning it up and selling it, but I'm not sure what it's worth. Will it be worth putting money into, or should I sell it as is? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

trailbike_brew

I just found a Sekai Sasquatch. the serial number is Y6A2746.


It is an 18 speed, the size is 18" frame Cro-Mo Tapered Double butted tubing (Infinity), shimano crank, shimano M-5 selectors, Dia-compe Cantilever Brakes, suntour XC sport derailleurs, 26" rims, sakae MT CR-MO Bar with ritchey grips, SR MTS-100 Stem



Any help and information would be great.


Questions include if I wanted to bring it back to original, what did she come stock with? what class of mountain bike is she?


Thanks!

T-Mar

It's a 1986 model manufactured in January by Yamaguchi of Japan and designed by Norco of Canada, who had acquired the brand about three years earlier. Norco offered the same model in Canada under their eponymous brand. The spec'd geometry is typical for the early ATBs, with shallow angles (68 head & 70 seat) and a long (44") wheelbase. Claimed weight was 32 lbs. Original price was $435 US. I'd classify it as a mid-range model for the era.

The only item that appears to be non-original are the grips. While atypical, the Shimano-SunTour pairing of crankset and derailleurs is OEM. The XC Sport rear derailleur should be the tri-pulley version, which are developing a bit of a cults status. Of the major components you have not mentioned, the wheels should be Suzue hubs laced to Araya RX-7 rims and the pedals should be SunTour XC. Saddles are often changed. For reference, the OEM saddle was a Vetta.

Enjoy your new acquisition and welcome to the forums.

T-Mar

Typically, when selling a bicycle, you do not recoup the full value of any investments, especially if you are paying a shop to perform the labour. My advice would be to give it a good cleaning, oil the chain and sell it as is. Invest only what is necessary to make the bicycle rideable and safe for sale.

wrk101

"I recently purchased a Sekai Royal 1000 from my wife's uncle. It's been stored for the past umpteen years and is in GREAT shape. There is only a little surface rust spotting through, which should clean up pretty easy. The stickers are perfect, not peeling or bubbling. And there are only a few small nicks in the paint.


It ends up that I am too short for the frame, so I am debating on replacing the tires, cleaning it up and selling it, but I'm not sure what it's worth. Will it be worth putting money into, or should I sell it as is? Any help would be greatly appreciated."

Is it worth putting money into if the plan is to sell it? NO.

Bikes worth refurbishing tend to be higher end than this one, and take someone with the time/tools/space/skill to do all the work themselves. Even with the pile of stuff I have, if you gave that bike to me for free, I would end up at breakeven by the time I was done (and my 4 to 6 hours of labor would have to be free). Better to clean it up, air the tires up and sell as is.

For this reason, I have stopped flipping the lower end vintage bikes. I donated at least 50 of them to our local co-op in 2017. There the economics are better! Every part they put on the bike is free (donated), labor is free (volunteers including me) and they tend to not dive in as deep on the rehab.

If you look at the Sekai 4000 Professional I posted about a page ago, first, it was the top of the line model with no rust. I got the frame at a very attractive price. In addition, I got all of the parts I needed to build it out of my bins of spares. So from a what I spent out of pocket, I had the cost of cables, housings (buy both of them in bulk), chain, bar tape. Less than $10, plus my time, plus what I paid for the frame. Still, financially, just reselling the frameset would have been the best move. The individual parts I used on the build, while they were in my parts bin, could be sold individually for about $350, including Sugino Super Maxy crankset, Campy Record wheels and Belt leather saddle.

glocnikar

Thank you wrk101. I only have $50 into it and I thought replacing a few things could be worth it. I would hate parting out a bicycle in such nice condition.

Oh my god win89

Serial number Y79 0505511. I’ve tried to match it with the information but can’t seem to find a match. Dose anybody have a idea what model and year? I think it’s a 1979 because of the sn any help would be appreciated. Sr handlebars, sun tour DT shifters, Super Maxy crank, sun tour cyclone DR, top run Petals and the bike is black. I’m going to take pics and post later. Thanks!

wrk101

Serial number is not going to tell you model. Go to TMar's excellent Japanese bike serial number decoder. That will tell you year.

RaleighSport

Educated guess on the model it's either 79 or 80, 2500 or 2700 depending on what components were equipped to said models.

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. Your frame was manufactured in May 1979, so it's almost certainly a 1979 model. SunTour Cyclone derailleurs in conjunction with a Super Maxy crankset would be atypical for Seka imodels of the era. The Super Maxy crankset has a higher probability of being OEM, making a 2400 or 2500 the most likely candidates.

RaleighSport

Hmmm right, if it was 2700 it'd most likely have bar end levers correct?

T-Mar

During this era the 2700 was spec'd with down tube shift levers. The major factor distinguishing it from the 2500 at this time (besides the tubeset) was the crankset. The 2700 used the higher grade Sugino Super Mighty Tour, as opposed to the Sugino Super Maxy Tour used on the 2400 and 2500.