combover

Found a bike today with ycf stamped on the front fork dropout and what looks like nervous legs but no nerve X stamp on the bottom bracket, all vintage Dura-Ace parts except the bullseye hubs..... what is ycf, that's not one I've seen before, . will try post some pics later

noobinsf 

Yuko Cold Forged, a Japanese firm. I'm curious to see the frame!

3speedslow

+1

unworthy1

Correct and I think these were used on some early Nishiki frames (IIRC), in any case I would expect if the fork is original those may not be Nervex (nervous) lugs but some JP copies.

juvela

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IIRC Takahashi Press Ltd. did one or more patterns which resemble the NERVEX Professional set.

T-Mar shall enlighten us when images become available.


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verktyg 

I've seen YCF dropouts of some Fuji bikes back in the early to mid 70's. We had a trashed round blade Fuji fork that we threw in a vise for quick and dirty wheel truing when someone else was using the wheel truing stand.

Sold Nishikis but don't remember seeing those dropouts on them.

verktyg

combover

nervous legs ..haaa...damn phone

combover

nervous legs ..haaa...damn phone

juvela

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thank you for the pictures

had been trying to puzzle out the connection between "nervous legs" and a mystery bicycle frame

yes, this is the lug pattern was thinking of

we are clearly in the early seventies here

seems odd from a modern perspective to see a frame with forged ends, dropout adjusters and chromed lugs which exhibits a welded crown

perhaps Japan did not have any forged crowns at this time

suspect the seat stay treatment might be telling if we could get a better view of it...

find it refreshing that the person who did the respray did not succumb to "braze-on fever" - clips work just fine

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headset is a Tange MA60


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juvela

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was thinking about what appears to be a distinctive seat stay treatment and remember one Japan bicycle from this time which had it or something similar

it was the Volkscycle Semi-Pro, also called the Mark 100

this forum thread illustrates two examples -

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ts-o-pics.html

if we have any Volkscycle experts reading today perhaps they can comment...

have never known the actual maker for the Japan built Volkscycle badged bicycles

if the subject bicycle is not a Volkscycle perhaps it was manufactured by the same producer

some models had labels reading "MADE IN GERMANY"

the operation only seems to have been around for two years or so

their business office was on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA. AFAIK this was just an accommodation address, no warehouse or showroom.

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found this good size picture which shows the seat stay treatment fairly well -



forum member Bikedued owns/owned one of these in brown. perhaps he shall be able to comment...
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T-Mar

I concur, it would appear to be one of the later, Japanese manufactured Volkscycles. The lugset appears to the Eisho Seisakusho 800 series. I'd appreciate the serial number for my database. TIA.

combover

Mine DOES have that seat stay !

combover

Mine DOES have that seat stay !
so would mine be the German built version due to the clamp on cable stays ?

juvela

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it is the Honshu version. this model produced only there, not in both venues.

one check you might wish to make should you open the MA60 would be to see if there is evidence of headplate fastener holes being filled in.

some examples came through with metal headplates secured by two fasteners and some received a large recatangular head treansfer in silver or goldish colour and black affixed with adhesive.




On Germany made models the head emblem states the origin:




velocals offers replacement transfer sets for models Mark XV & Mark XX but apparantly not for the Mark V, the Mark X nor the Mark 100 (the company changed from Roman to Arabic numerals for the Mark 100)



https://velocals.com/search.php?search_query=volkscycle

company launch was 19 October 1971 in Los Angeles, California:

https://www.corporationwiki.com/Cali.../39923706.aspx

found this image of a Mark 100 which looks to be nearly all original save for saddle and pedals:




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combover

Wow, cool, that looks sharp ! And they were only aronnd for a couple years ? .... I was digging through my stash of vintage 27 inch tires and came across some old Tioga Bloodhound Nobbies and threw them on there just for schitts and giggles.....kinda gave it some attitude ! Looks like a vintage cycle cross machine now, kind of sorta

combover

Wow, cool, that looks sharp ! And they were only aronnd for a couple years ? .... I was digging through my stash of vintage 27 inch tires and came across some old Tioga Bloodhound Nobbies and threw them on there just for schitts and giggles.....kinda gave it some attitude ! Looks like a vintage cycle cross machine now, kind of sorta

Piff 

Funny, a Volkscycle XX popped up on San Diego's craigslist a couple weeks ago for a very nice price. I didn't grab it but someone else did, quickly.

combover

I had no idea what it was when I bought it but I stood over it and it fit and the color was cool and the lugs were cool and it had those hubs on it and I couldn't refuse... it just looked gorgeous and all of its 30 years of dust piled on it. I cant wait to ride it, its it's in the process of getting torn down, cleaned and re-greased, re-cabled, new chain, not sure if I'm going to leave the knobby tires on it that I just put on or what rubber its it's getting yet.....

dddd

Cool bike there with all the Dura-Ace bits. Seems that all these years I thought I had been seeing things when I once spied one of the German-Made ones at Goodwill.

I would be tres careful cornering on those aged knobbies on pavement!

combover

[QUOTE

I would be tres careful cornering on those aged knobbies on pavement![/QUOTE]
Fer sure.......

OldCoot

I am the new owner of the green unlabeled Volkscycle. I bought it as a cheap way to get a ride for the eroica, as my 73ish Bob Jackson and 82 Univega Specialissima have been modernized and therefore won't ' qualify'. I bought without wheels, as I have some wheels I can put on it ( 700c 126mm spacing... should be ok...).

Here is a summary of what you all discussed above plus the serial # ( Per T-Mar's request).

Brand: Volks Cycle
Model: Mark 100 or Semi-Pro
Tubes: Ishiwata 022 or Tange Champion
Lugs: Eisho Seisakusho 800 series
Drop outs: Yuko Cold Forging
Serial Number: G446246
Headset: Range Ma40
Components: Mostly Dura Ace 1st gen
SR seat post (27.2mm), SR stem and bars.

T-Mar

Based on serial number (Thank-you!), in conjunction with the components, it's tempting to say it's 1974. Regardless, assuming the components are OEM, it would be 1974 (1st year for Dura-Ace brakes) to 1977 (last year for Crane rear derailleur. A Dura-Ace rear derailleur introduced for 1977 but it and the Crane were offered concurrently for that single year). That range can be narrowed down somewhat based on the two letter date codes on the Dura-Ace components.

The only Tange tubeset of the era that would use a 27.2mm seat post, was Tange Champion Pro with the ultra light seat seat tube option, but it was rarely spec'd. More likely, the tubeset is Ishiwata 022, which also employed a 27.2mm seat post.

If you remove the fork to overhaul the headset, there may be a date code and tube manufacturer's symbol on the steering column.

OldCoot

Thanks for the information. I will be tearing down to clean and lube the whole shebang. So will look both on the brakes and fork. When I am allowed to poat photos I will....

T-Mar

That reminds me, I forgot the photo assist...

tornai

I recently acquired this frame that looks to be an unmarked / repainted Volkscycle. The dropouts are marked Yuko Cold Forged in the rear and Y.C.F on the fork.
Serial # either 743186 or perhaps I43186. Would this indicate a 1974 frame ? Also would like some confirmation on whether this is in fact a Volkscycle (made in Japan).

The interesting thing is this must have been a special frame for someone because it came with full NOS Super Record groupset in original boxes and three sets of wheels with Campy record hubs. The cranks, headset and BB were mounted on the frame the rest of the group is still boxed.