Re: [CR]Japanese respect

Since I am not reading all mails, I may have misapprehension. Sorry. Since I am poor about English language, it is hard to reading English letters.

There are many fine steel frame builders in Japan. I think that one of the reason is existence of the Keirin race. If my memory is right, Organization of Keirin accepts only steel frame. Keirin racers are professional racers. They are sensitive to performance of bike. Since the performance of bike links with his income directly, it is natural. Skill of frame builders has been improved by meeting Keirin racers demand. Nagasawa, Makino (formerly known 3Rensyo), Kiyo Miyazawa, Samson, Vivalo, Levant, Kalavinka (He also designs lugs) etc... They build fine steel track frame. And, they also build road bike for hobby racers.

*Makino http://www.cc.rim.or.jp/~mackino/makino-j-new/makino-e/index-e.htm *Kiyo Miyazawa: http://www.kiyo-miyazawa.com/ *Karavinka: http://homepage3.nifty.com/kalavinka/

And also, There are many builders who build tour bike. They are mainly making the replicas of the French bike of the 1960s (Rene Herse or Alex Singer). Because, their customers demand it. I think that Toei, Pegasus, Watanabe, Yajima and Hirose are types. People who yearned for French bike (In their boyfood 1960s) fulfilled their wish by ordering these bicycles now.

*Pegasus http://www.bicycle.jp/jingane/ *Watanabe http://www.cycle-info.bpaj.or.jp/japanese/shop/shop000/shop002.html *HIrose http://www.cs-hirose.com/index.html

Of course, many young customers who does not know Herse and Singer, also exists in Japan. They ordered frames to builders who interested progress. Toyo (Testach / Tetsu Ishigaki), Raizin and some builders are types. Toyo builds frames for Rivendell. If my memory is right, Raizin builds frames for Jitensha studio.

*Raizin: http://www2.odn.ne.jp/raizin/index.htm

There are many fine frame builders in Japan. However, their future is dark, I think. Japanese economy is dull and it will not be improved in the future. And, many of foreign-made gorgeous frames are imported. They are carbon, titan or over sized aluminum. And, they have very impressive logo decal. Almost all young Japanese riders think that steel frame is outdated. The enthusiasts of French style tour bike grows older and does not have those who succeed. Since Keirin bike is just "professional tool", it is limitation-work. Since an economical success cannot be desired, there is also no successor.

Kenji Fusejima
Yokohama Japan