Re: [CR]Re: Japanese Bikes

(Example: Production Builders:Frejus)

From: "David Feldman" <feldmans1@earthlink.net>
To: "Rod Kronenberg" <rodk3d@attbi.com>, <ABikie@aol.com>, <dnovo@ix.netcom.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <!~!UENERkVCMDkAAQACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgAAAAAAAAAf+Xj8WPwXES0TQSTL1wyx8KAAAAQAAAAe4dfVQwDyEqM7f98cp2WUwEAAAAA@attbi.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]Re: Japanese Bikes
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 10:24:51 -0600


Does any cyclist on this list whose experience reaches back to the early 60's know anything about Silk road bikes? I have seen a couple--Kissler's, the oldest continuously active bike store in the Portland, OR area sold them--but know nothing about them. They were very British looking, long point lugs, big seatstay wrapovers, and round fork blades with plate crowns.
David Feldman
Vancouver, WA


----- Original Message -----
From: Rod Kronenberg
To: ABikie@aol.com


<classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 8:14 AM Subject: RE: [CR]Re: Japanese Bikes


> Another fine example of Japanese quality is a Zunow, which is on e-bay
> now at:
> http://ebay.com/<blah>
> 2681
>
> 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.