Bridgestone Kabuki DT Out Of Storage
05-24-09, 07:09 AM
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Bridgestone Kabuki DT Out Of Storage
Just brought my Bridgestone Kabuki Diamond Touring (DT) out of attic storage, where it has been since Ronald Reagan's 2nd term in office! For me, it was like opening up a time capsule! I had probably put 3,000 miles on it before I stored it. I had several bikes at the time, and didn't ride this one that heavily. I had put the original receipt in the original box (I had bought it in the box, and set it up myself), and it was dated November 8, 1979. The toe clips and reflectors are still in their original bags, unopened! Double-butted 25" Chrome Moly frame and Chrome Moly forks, Suntour Cyclone deraileurs, and Gran-Compe brakes, Brooks leather saddle (upgrade), Araya rims on Shimano hubs. Needs new handlebar tape...but I threw 2 new rolls (from the '70s) into the box when I stored it! Can't wait to start riding it again! Hey, anybody else pack their bikes away for 25 +/- years? The tough part about it for me is...the bike looks the same, but I don't!
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05-24-09, 07:17 AM
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All the fun of buying a vintage bike without the painful payment part.
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05-24-09, 07:49 AM
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05-24-09, 08:02 AM
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That's so cool. Post some more pictures when you have it assembled and ready to ride.
I'm too new to the sport to have anything stored away, but I might be inclined to stow away my modern bikes, as I don't ride them.
I'm too new to the sport to have anything stored away, but I might be inclined to stow away my modern bikes, as I don't ride them.
05-26-09, 04:12 PM
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Will post pix when it is all ready to ride. Need to treat the Brooks saddle. Looks like new still, but don't want to take a chance on having it fall apart.
05-26-09, 06:15 PM
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I guess the Kabuki's in for a complete overhaul - are you going to keep it all stock?
Good going - I wouldn't have been able to ever have done this - I must have moved 7 times in the last 25 years.
05-30-09, 02:10 PM
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Reassembled the DT for a test ride (stem will be lowered). The seat post and peddles were date stamped "77" (1977). Washed the bike down throroughly, and shined it up with liquid Simonize car wax (C&V car wax from 1984 of course!). Soaked the 30+ year old Brooks saddle in Neat's Foot compound. Seems supple enough now. I just hope it doesn't tear apart when I am riding. I remember that the red paint was supposedly an unusual color for a DT, and bright metallic orange was typical. The Diamond Touring was the top-of-the-line touring model for Bridgestone Kabuki (imported by C. Itoh). The Diamond Road was their only other model of any type that was above it. I remember "Jonesing" awhile for a Diamond Road. Below is a picture of my reassembled red DT, and somebody else's (from an older BF posting) in the more typical orange and most likely with the stock saddle. This DT replaced the Fuji Special Road Racer (S-10-S & S-12-S) as my favorite ride after I bought it on November 8, 1979.
06-01-09, 06:35 AM
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Update, just bought an old Fuji road bike in my size (excellent condition & all original) to relive those pre-DT "Special Road Racer" years. BF has definitely effected by buying habits. 
06-15-20, 06:00 PM
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Out of storage again 11 years later!
I got distracted with other bikes since I started this thread. I just narrowed the heard down to 5 road bikes and 1 MTB. This is one of the five, which I haven't ridden in 11 years. I bought it when I was in college. I am sure glad I held onto it, and the box it came in & the original receipt & everything else that came with it in the box. Sure is fun riding it again! WOW! It is still in near perfect shape .. like me! 
Last edited by cycleheimer; 06-15-20 at 06:11 PM.
06-15-20, 07:46 PM
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Water bottle cage to go on tomorrow. Something that should have been done in 1979.
06-15-20, 08:14 PM
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Awesome! It seems like we haven't seen many Kabukis around here lately. Think we could get some higher quality photos?
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06-15-20, 08:56 PM
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I love everything about this...
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06-16-20, 02:59 PM
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I missed this the 1st time around. I must have been on one of my sabbaticals. I've always found this model a bit odd. While the geometry is a bit longer and stretched out than a Diamond Road, it has what I would consider competition gearing. It's closer to what would now be considered a randonneur. You should check the hubs. Despite the SunTour derailleurs, Sugino crankset and Dia-Compe brakeset, many of these very late 1970s models broke rank and were outfitted with Shimano hubs. If you don't mind, I'd appreciate the serial number for my database. TIA.
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06-16-20, 06:59 PM
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I missed this the 1st time around. I must have been on one of my sabbaticals. I've always found this model a bit odd. While the geometry is a bit longer and stretched out than a Diamond Road, it has what I would consider competition gearing. It's closer to what would now be considered a randonneur. You should check the hubs. Despite the SunTour derailleurs, Sugino crankset and Dia-Compe brakeset, many of these very late 1970s models broke rank and were outfitted with Shimano hubs. If you don't mind, I'd appreciate the serial number for my database. TIA.
Last edited by cycleheimer; 06-17-20 at 05:36 AM.
06-17-20, 02:59 AM
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T-Mar, it does have Shimano hubs. The clamps on the top tube for the rear brake cable are also Shimano, and are stamped "DURA-ACE". All the date codes on the components are from 1977. The red color was used the prior year, but with chrome fork tips. You would think something called "Diamond Touring" would have been spec'd with "Alpine" versus competition gearing. You need legs like Fausto Coppi to power it up a steep hill. I finally clamped a bottle cage onto the down tube today! X7255156
What you have is almost certainly a 1978 model, as the serial number indicates that the frame was manufactured during weeks 47-48 of 1977.
06-17-20, 05:34 AM
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06-17-20, 04:07 PM
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Breaking Away hit the theaters on July 13, 1979
I saw that movie a half dozen times in the theater that year. The DT was more within my budget at that time.
The bike featured in the film was a Masi Gran Criterium.
The bike featured in the film was a Masi Gran Criterium.
