Help identify this 1980s frame

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01-16-13 | 08:20 AM

#26

jonwvara

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Joined: Apr 2006

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From: Washington County, Vermont, USA

Bikes: 1966 Dawes Double Blue, 1976 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1975 Raleigh Sprite 27, 1980 Univega Viva Sport, 1971 Gitane Tour de France, 1984 Lotus Classique, 1976 Motobecane Grand Record

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Mar

Those cable guides were standard items used by many manufacturers. That Schwinn has an entirely different serial number format from your bicycle. The Schwinn has a serial number format that is consistent with Matsu****a (i.e. Panasonic).

What, we can't say Matsu****a?

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01-16-13 | 11:40 AM

#27

T-Mar

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Quote:

Originally Posted by jonwvara

What, we can't say Matsu****a?

Well, I guess the moderators need some some of auto-censoring to keep the trash out of the forum. Obviously, I'm a trash type.

Talk about your irony. I just tried to add a sarcasm emoticon to the above paragraph and it's not working!

03-03-13 | 09:21 PM

#28

MrVo

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Thanks T-Mar. I googled Bridgestone bicycles and they look very much similar to the frame I have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Mar

Normally, I would defer to a knowledgeable person who has the opportunity to examine the frame in person, but in this case I take exception. A Univega frame of this apparent period would almost certainly have been manufactured by Miyata. However, if this were a Miyata manufactured frame, the serial number would place it circa 1974, predating the existance of the Univega brand. Given the era and serial number format, a Bridgestone manufactured frame is the best candidate.

03-03-13 | 09:32 PM

#29

TimmyT

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From: New York, NY

Bikes: Black Mountain Cycles Road and canti MX, Cannondale CAAD12, Bob Jackson Vigorelli

T-mar, do you have a database handy or do you have all formats for serial numbers memorized?

I have no reason to doubt that it's a Bridgestone. It's definitely not a Univega. It's a mid-level frame with the way the rear stays are joined to the dropouts. It's got something like ishiwata hi-ten rear stays and Ishiwata cromo main tubes. It should be a good rider whatever it is.

03-03-13 | 10:01 PM

#30

furballi

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Joined: Mar 2010

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Appears to be mid 80s Bridgestone with Ishiwata triple-butted Cr-Mo tubings.

03-04-13 | 07:41 AM

#31

T-Mar

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Quote:

Originally Posted by TimmyT

T-mar, do you have a database handy or do you have all formats for serial numbers memorized?

Both. I'm a long time member and have started numerous threads to analyze the serial number formats of several major brands. The resulting databases have led to the decryption of serial numbers for many brands including, but not limited to, Bianchi, Bridgestone, CCM, Centurion, Fuji, Miyata and Nishiki. Some of the threads have become quite large (the Centurion thread is well over a 1000 posts and several hundred pieces of data). When you've worked that closely with that many pieces of data, the formats become ingrained and easily recognizeable, so most of them have involuntarily been committed to memory.