Another fine example of Japanese quality is a Zunow, which is on e-bay
now at:
http://ebay.com/
What a beautiful frameset! Too bad it's so "small"!
Rod Kronenberg Fort Collins (32" of snow yesterday!),
CO
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of ABikie@aol.com Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 6:58 AM To: dnovo@ix.netcom.com; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re: [CR]Re: Japanese Bikes
In a message dated 3/20/2003 8:46:10 AM Eastern Standard Time,
dnovo@ix.netcom.com writes:
>
>
>
>
> The idea that there are few, if any, 'classic' Japanese bikes from the
time
> period covered by our group is simply wrong. We are, perhaps, to
wrapped
> up in the world view that if it didn't come with Campy, Stronglight,
TA,
> etc and was not built from Italian, British or French tubing and
assembled
> there (or perhaps here in the US from those components such as a Masi)
it
> is simply not a 'classic.'
>
> One of the finest bikes I ever owned, and would love to find once
again
> today, was a mid to late 70s Nishiki Competition. SunTour components,
fine
> Japanese tubing, and superlative build quality. The ride and response
was
> matchless for it time, and the Sun Tour bar ends were easily the
finest
> system, coupled with what I recall was a VGT or VGLuxe that could be
had in
> what was then a contemporary bike. I recall my dealer had the PX
available
> in my size as well, but a back to back left the French rival in the
dust,
> and I left with a blue Nisihiki that day that was to remain my
principal
> ride even when it was later burdened with a child seat to haul my son
as a
> toddler to go for a ride with his 'Daddy'. (That toddler is now 23,
and
> sometimes hangs back so as not to drop his elderly Dad too badly when
he
> comes up from his condo in the city to go for a spin with his Pop.)
>
> The Nisihki and many other Japanese bikes of the period, and their
> components, were true classics IMHO. I am only sorry my bike was
destroyed
> in one of our moves about 15 years ago or I would still be riding one
> today.
>
> Anyone have one for sale in a smaller size? Love to rekindle that
love
> affair.
>
> Dave Novoselsky,
> Chicago, Illinois
>
Dave and other aficionados. I agree that there seems to be more poo-poo'ing of the Japanese machines of our era. I'll keep my eyes open in the next clean-up for a Nishiki Comp. I might even have one of their O.N.P. Pro models in the Champagne color with clean, tapered long point lugs and a full sloping crown. I would have had an extra one but in haste I returned it because the bottle eyes were placed on the seat tube instred of the downtube. I was supposed to get the corrected one but it never came. I can assuyme that there were bikes that never got exported to us from Japan that might have been even more elegant and interesting.
Larry Black
Mt Airy, Maryland.