my friend bought this bike last week (this was the "$150 track bike" from NYC craigslist).

it was the dirtiest bike i'd ever seen. it had been poorly painted with what looks like regular old latex house paint, and every last surface on the bike is covered in oxidation and crap from sitting outside for two years in the rain, snow and sun.

we've been disassembling it and stripping the paint over the last few days and found some interesting things.

the only markings on the frame are suntour stamps on the track ends (the old suntour logo, followed by "10mm"), and a serial number stamped into the drive side of the downtube, just above the BB. (perhaps bq can post the serial number to this thread later).

it's got 120 spacing, 68mm bb shell, rear brake hole (which may or may not be a home-brew mod).

i think the original parts left on the bike are the headset and the wheels. the headset was totally covered in grime and no markings were visibile until we removed it and soaked it in simple green for an hour or so. turns out to be a black 1" Hatta headset in pretty nice condition. we'll replace the bearings and it'll be good as new.

the wheels are old 36h, high flange suzue hubs, marked only "Suzue Japan" and are threaded on only one side. they're mated to araya rims (marked only "Araya 700c Japan").

the other parts on the bike were an assortment of mid-grade, road components.

anyway, it seems to be a japanese frame, but i have no idea who made it. the nice headset makes me think it was a high end bike. take a look at the following shots:

the frame and fork



the BB. anyone recognize those lugs? also note in this picture and the one above how the chainstays are a bit fatter right behind the bb.



seat lug - no markings!



suntour logo on the ends. all the rust disappeared when the paint was removed.



poor picture of the headtube lugs. you can't see all of it, but perhaps the most interesting feature of these lugs is how they come to a little point on the front of the head tube. that's somewhat unusual.

looks nice, whatever it is.

I love a good mystery. The serial number is essential in figuring it out. A bunch of numbers will more than likely indicate a larger maker where as a few numbers could be a small shop or builder. That bottom bracket lug is strange looking, but the rest look pretty standard. Maybe an old Fuji?

I bought a similar BB shell from Jon Kendziera (Jonny Cycles). I don't know the mfg or where it came from. he might. there's a huge, I mean huge pic of the shell here...
https://www.popdan.com/bonnie/DSCN0190.JPG

lol... shouldn't we be able to tell how nice a frame it is simply by riding it? after all, we spend our hard earned money for superior riding frames, not because it's cooler to ride a keirin frame... ahem... lol

Chrisgerne is the winner - I too believe it's a Duracycle - that fork is pretty much the same as well as the lugwork - check it:

https://fixedgeargallery.com/2005/mar/IanAdelman.htm

PS. Since that Duracycle on FGG was helped out by Trackstar and Bicycle Station, maybe they too can confirm. Or shoot the guy an email and see if serial numbers are close.

earjob will be able to tell you the name of the guy who owned it. i think he was up in the 60s on the west side. it sounded like he owned it for a while (he said he installed the stem, an ITM ti road stem, a few years ago), but maybe i'm wrong.

anyway, there were no signs of decals scratched off that i could see, but that duracycle on FGG looks pretty close!

yeah, the guy's name is Rob, Rob Gray i believe, and he claimed to have had the bike for years. middle aged guy, lives on w.66th. said the guy he bought it from years ago was the one who painted it with housepaint.

yep it looks like a dura cycle. They was the only Japanese compay with that fork back then.

S/F<
CEYA!

did you get it for $200?

yeah, $200. The serial number is on the left side of the seat tube actually, it's 473213 in case anyone's interested, though there seems to already be a consensus on the frame ID.

I've never heard of Duracycle before, what's their story?

I will revive this thread.

I have a 58cm Duracycle bought new about 12 to 13 years ago. It still has original black paint.

Lugged construction frame.
Suntour track dropouts
Sugino VP crankset for 130mm rings, 170mm cranks.
Serial number on seat tube above BB, right side.
Headset marked Hatta Sealed Japan.
Duracycle name on down tube and head tube.
Seat tube has a Made in Japan sticker and a "D" overlaying a diagonal stripe set that looks like a rainbow of colors. Same D and colored diagonal stripe on the head tube.
No tubing ID sticker. I do not remember removing such either.
Frame drilled for brakes front and rear. Requires medium reach brakes.
Araya 700C rims. No other ID on rims.
Suzue track hubs threaded one side only for fixed gear sprocket & lock ring.
Approximately 120mm rear width.
As I recall it came with MKS Sylvan track pedals and a steel track handlebar.

Probably not popular with the group but I currently have a 3 speed Sachs gear hub rear wheel installed and have a 5 speed SRAM P5 wheel in process. At my age better for town and country use. Also have a pair of 105 dual pivot brakes mounted, medium reach and some of the last available with the long bolts for old style external nut mounting so the frame and fork brake mounting holes have not been modified. I also have the original rear fixed gear wheel.