Don, There isn't anything in Japanese history like Colnago or Masi because there isn't any history of International racing or innovation until recently. {WADR} The Japanese Bicycling Industry has largely up until the mid/late 80's been an imitator not an innovator. Colnago and Masi were cutting edge in a moribund and dogmatic bicycle industry....they also had Campagnolo components in most all cases as well that fittingly finished the very race bicycles ridden by the GREATEST and legions of near great bicycle racers. Yes that guy from Austin won the Grande Boucle 6 times on Dura Ace but that is after Shim*no sponsoring racers for 30 years or so and no Japanese frameset is in sight.
Nakasawa and San Rensho are probably the only recognizable/credible /winning racing bikes that universally come to mind. Fuji made great track bikes and are themselves well worthy of ownership. If it's the collectability from a racing stand point you want it will be a track bicycle.
As Hugh writes below the Zunow and San Rensho are worthy bicycles. I would add Nagasawa, (even possible Yamaguchi who Immigrated to the US), and the French touring genre of bicycles from Toei and that vein of builders.
I have a Nishiki ONP which is a very nice racing bicycle. It's the beige one with simply styled and presented decals. It is built in the style of Colnago and Cinelli.... with thin tubes and long lugs... it is a real beauty. I was hit head-on in Topanga Canyon 25 years ago on it and bought a COLNAGO with what insurance money I got from the incident. Funny thing is I put a deposit on the Colnago that very morning before the accident. I guess the issue for me is that I have the real Italian iron that this bike is patterned after and ride that stuff. As with many of the Japanese-Italian collaborations of the 80's with their "Designed by Colnago, Cinelli or whoever" labels, it's still more fun to just buy and ride the real deal.
Just my $.02 Matt in CA
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of henox Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 7:09 PM To: HM & SS Sachs; gillies@cs.ubc.ca; Classic Rendezvous Subject: Re: [CR]Most Collectable Japanese Bikes ??
Subject: [CR]Most Collectable Japanese Bikes ??
"Is there a Japanese bike that holds
> the same place in Japanese history as a Colnago or MASI ??"
I'm afraid I don't know what "holds the same place in Japanese history" means.
3Rensho and Zunow are the two most innovative and surprising builders ever! Such a variety of designs and graphics!!! They would be my pick for bikes that list readers might have some chance to see and possibly collect.
Many other Japanese builders that I know are VERY VERY good, but like many top American or Italian builders, have basically been content to reproduce the same frame over and over again, only varying the size and finish.
Hugh Enox
La Honda