[CR]Craigslist Portland : SEKAI 4000, 1976, 22", $250

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing)

From: Donald Gillies <gillies@cs.ubc.ca>
Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2006 19:23:11 -0800 (PST)
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
cc: soper2x4@verizon.net
Subject: [CR]Craigslist Portland : SEKAI 4000, 1976, 22", $250

SEKAI 4000 bike on Craigslist Portland. Campy and Phil Wood drivetrain parts. The seat stay tops are chrome (like my SEKAI 4000) and so I believe he is correct about the model. He seems willing to taking the bike to a bike shop for shipping. With some sweet talking (this is his baby, a back injury forces sale), he might pack it for you.

soper2x4@verizon.net - Gary Sooper http://portland.craigslist.org/bik/129923258.html

"Jim Merz did the paint and Bruce Gordon brazed on cable housing guides for the derailleurs, brakes, chain hanger, and water bottle cage.

I paid nearly $300 for the frame in 1976 which I purchased separately from Pine Street Bike shop in Seattle. I also know that it is made from high quality chrome-moly, must be the 4000 model. Both Bruce Gordon and Jim Merz remarked to the high quality of the frame. Jim Merz used to design and braze his own frames in a small shop off 23rd Avenue. Last time I heard he was a production manager for TREK. Not sure if Bruce Gordon is still making frames in Eugene or not. I do remember that the" frame only" without the fork was quite light. The frame is very responsive and I've even raced on it a few times. The front hub is a low flange Campy and the rear is a brand new rebuilt mid-flange Phil Wood unit. The bottom bracket consists of Campy equipment, Campy chain rings, it has a chain hanger and lots of cable guides for the housing. This has been my "baby" and I have taken meticulous care of it, which I do with ALL my mechanical equipment. The spokes are double-butted, Campy brakes and All cables are teflon coated Campy. After the frame was worked on it was repainted with Imron which is used on commercial vehicles such as aircraft, semi-trucks, and ships."

Here is some SEKAI 4000 information from my 1977 catalogue / flyer. The 4000 was offered only as a racing frameset, with Tange Professional fork and Shimano Dropouts in that year :

http://www.ece.ubc.ca/~gillies/raleigh/Sekai_4000_5000_1977.JPG

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA