MikesChevelle

I love lamp.........

BlankCrows

In the mid-1980's the top of the line Maruishi was the SPR Professional.

unterhausen

I like this topic. I have removed some off topic posts. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Elev12k

It is even more extreme with the Columbus Max tubing FullPros of the early-mid nineties. Tubing had to come from Italy, Miyata made the frame and so on.

If your KM is Tw made frame it must be a post '95 model. The rise of both Tw capabilitys and Japenese yen did KM make the move. Maybe not coincidently Miyata itself left the US market around the same time.

ScottRyder 

The other two known to exist .. one attached to my '84 Opus III plus a few of the others already mentioned.


Opus III


Professional


Design Series

Julian, that Nishiki Superbe is beautiful. I know you've posted other photos of it, I'll need to track them down.

Scott

wrk101

I am a big fan of the "Schwinnasonics", Panasonic built Schwinns. My favorite is my 1987 Schwinn Prologue, sold as just a frameset, Tange Prestige tubing.

Lately, I have been on a Schwinnasonic accumulation phase. For the 1970s, I have a 1973 World Voyageur. For the 1980s, I have two Prologues, and for the 1990s, I have a 1991 Schwinn Paramount Series 5.

KonAaron Snake 

When you say the Full Pro L is higher in the food chain than the Miyata Team, what are the differences? A Miyata from Max tubing would be interesting!

OzarkKing

This question might seem self-serving since I'm lucky enough to own one but doesn't the Titanium Fuji top the hierarchy in the years it was offered (NOTE: this assumption is based on a limited scientific method involving the order in which the bikes appear in the catalog over at classicfuji)?

MikesChevelle

Thats sick, makes me hate my Premis

T-Mar

I apologize if I'm duplicating previously mentioned models. To keep things mangeable, I'm only listing Dura-Ace, Superbe Pro and Campagnolo NR/SR equipped models. I'm including Canadian & USA brands typically considered Japanese but I am not including models souced from Italy or elsewhere, such as the Centurion Cinelli Equipe. Offhand, here's what I remember:

Apollo: Imperial
Bridgestone:Grand Velo 3000/3100/2000, Radac 3100
Centurion: Professional, Turbo, Prestige, Ironman Carbon
Fuji: Professional, Opus III/V, Titanium
KHS: (John Howard) Team Pro
Lotus: Super Pro, Supeme, Competition, Legend Compe
Maruishi: Road Ace 707, SPR Porofessional
Miyata: Team, Team SL, Aero, Pro, Carbon Tech 5000/7000
Nishiki: Professional, Ultimate, Maxima, Carbon, Superbe, Fusion
Panasonic: Pro 7000, Aero Road 6000, Ream Europe, Team America, Team Japan, Team National, DX6000
Sekai: 5000
Sekine: PR10
SR: Maxima
Soma: Dura-Ace, Superbe
Univega: Super Speciale
Zebrakenko: Professional

Elev12k

A FullPro or Team Miyata is a professional level allround roadbike. The FullPro-Luxe is a special. It shorter and steeper and it is particularly suited for criteriums and time trials. The tubing is lighter and some detailing is done different. For example it has wrap over stays (see my previous post), an even nicer shell, vertical drop outs and there is a braze on for the front derailleur present. Parts: Stem and post are SR Extra Super Light with ti hardware instead of DA and there is leather wrap.

For 1981 the FP-L frame got many aero influences, but had still lugs and round tubes. It was equipped with than new full Dura-Ace AX. It was succeeded by a fillet brazed drop shape tubing bike, the FullPro-Aero (Aero Miyata).

A FP-L was substantially more expensive than a FP back in the day and it is also more rare than the already rare regular FullPro. Both the FullPro as the FullPro-L were available with custom geometry btw. I do have a 2nd FullPro-L example and that one is tailored for a specific rider. It is an oddball. It has the tubing and shell of the FP-L, but caps and dropouts as with the FP. Tail and fork are not chromed to save even more weight.



Check the normal thread 'DynaDrive' cranks!

It absolutely is. A Max tubing FullPro in a 1993 FIETS issue >>

Elev12k

I happen to have a nice apple-candy green Zebrakenko. I haven't discovered 'Professional' anywhere, but given it is specced with full early Dura-Ace I would think it sits somewhere in the top of the hierarchy.

sauze

I stole the pic from 'my ten speeds' but it's of a Sekine SHX a Japanese company that manufatured in Canada during the seventies (Rivers, Manitoba to be exact) Sekine's are extremely common in my home town (Winnipeg) but I've never seen their highest-end model. Perhaps 'grail bike' is too strong a term but I'm always looking for one. Apparently they came equipped with 1st gen Dura Ace or Nouvo Record.

velomateo

That would be a very nice find. I wonder how many of these they made. First I ever heard of a MAX Miyata.

rat fink

What are you planning on doing with that?

Elev12k

The review mentions there will be 100 made of this Max tubing FullPro-Limited. Because the bike received much raving there was the FullPro-S issued for '94 and '95. Same frame, another fade paintjob (two tone blue). A while ago I acquired a mint FullPro-S complete with Chorus ErgoPower for a friend. He is not really a vintage bike afficionado, so maybe I will buy it back one day. I know a small sized NOS frameset somewhere and there is currently a non original spec bike advertised overhere under this link.

rat fink

As for Univega, I believe the Super Strada was considered the top frame in terms of spec, circa 1987. Most that I have seen came with full Dura Ace 7400:

rat fink

What was 3 Rensho's best road model? I have seen many that say "Export" on them... Colnago made some "Export" models of some of their best frames, too. However, the Colnago Export models seemed to have been a lesser version of the better models. Ex: Super Export vs. Super.

KonAaron Snake 

Thanks for all of the helpful information. If I hadn't just gotten a max tubeset, I'd probably be asking you about that small frame you mentioned.

KonAaron Snake 

I have no idea how accurate this is over all, but a couple folks I've spoken to think the 3rensho road bikes are not desirable and suffer from a too track bike'ish influence. I did have the chance to buy a 3rensho road bike in my size and passed on it after riding it. I was not impressed. I know the track bike is a whole other story.

T-Mar

I didn't mention the SHX in my list, because it was outside the OP's timeframe, specifically being the boom era model. It was replaced by the PR10 mentioned in my list. I sold Sekine during the boom and I've never seen an SHX with anything but Dura-Ace. The SHX was a nicely spec'd bicycle but in my opinion did not rate well as a competition bicycle. The bicycle has a dead feel and requires a stiffer fork. BTW, I have one which is awaiting restoration, pending a 1st generation Dura-Ace headset, so if anyone has one that they are willing to part with, please PM me.

Undoubtedly, it was very near the top of the line, if not the top of the line. However, it may not be a Professional, as that was the model name in the 1980s. Yours appears to be circa 1973-1977 by virtue of the shifter clamps and 1st generation components. Possibly the latter end of the timeframe, based on the bottle bosses. I don't know for sure, but for some reason I recall Olympic Ace but that may have been another brand, as the lower end models had names like, Fire, Wind (I wonder if there was an Ice), Storm and Thunder. Then of course, your being in Europe throws another modifier into the mix. Would you mind posting the serial number for my database? TIA.

Elev12k

Exactly! That is what I read on the frame: Zebrakenko (and Zebra Bicycle) Golden Sports Olympic Ace

https://www.flickr.com/photos/39479610@N08/

I doubt whether the Zebrakenko brand was ever seriously representated on the European market. I wouldn't be surprised if mine was for testing water purposes or so.

afilado

Thanks, Scott. Recognize the seat? ;-)

J

norskagent

I flipped this Nishiki team issue a few years ago:

Tange prestige tubing, came stock w/ 6 spd dura ace.
2cm too big for me, otherwise I would of kept it.

Zaphod Beeblebrox 

That Miyata fullpro L is siiiiiick, thanks for the awesome info elev2k I think I have to throw my '84 Team in the compactor now