RaleighSport

Thank you for sharing your bike and that bit of it's history!

steve25

In the spring of 1976 I bought a silver with a brown seat, Sekai Competition. A freind had bought a black one. I put alot of miles on it for a few years and then it sat several years. I gave it away and l got it back in 2010. It is sanded down and completely apart. I had to find a few old pieces, but I think other than the decals I have everything now. Serial # is 76B91533
Can anyone tell me anything about this bicycle? I knew nothing about it whenI bought it and little more now

T-Mar

Circa 1976, the Competition (model 2500) was the top end Sekai bicycle, though they did offer the even higher Superlite (model 5000) and Criterium (model 4000) as framesets. The Competition used a butted hi-tensile tubeset and was a lower mid-range model for the day. It sold for about $200 US. For 1977 the 2500 was redesignated the Gran Tour and was demoted to 2nd standing in the bicycle line with the introduction of the Professional.

steve25

Thanks, I think up in Alaska I paid about $225 new, but everything was higher there than the lower 48. I hope to get it repainted and back together by spring.

RaleighSport

My understanding was the model designated as 2500 went back and forth between the two, and in 77 wasn't the "top" factory model the 2700 Grand Tour Deluxe? Always love how much there's left to be learned from you man!

unworthy1

Friend of mine bought a "NOS" (almost) gold color Sekai 2500 that I just worked on to make into a wet-weather commuter. He lost a lot of the "collector value" (was there any?) by going that route, but he uses the bikes he owns. I'll take some pics next time I'm in the bike cave: it's still a pretty bike.

steve25

One thing I need that I don't have is a seatpost. Can you tell me what size I need to fit the original seat?

T-Mar

Yes, you're right on both counts. There was quite a bit of bouncing around on the modelnames and numbers. The 2700 Gran Tour Deluxe was a new model in 1977.

T-Mar

A slightly later catalog specs it with a 26.4mm post, though it's possible it might be 26.8mm. Tange had two different hi-tensile butted tubesets and I don't know which was used in 1976.

3alarmer 

I had promised long ago to add two bikes I have in the project pile in the garage.

The first is a Sekai 2700, GT Deluxe, serial number Y1E2677. It is labeled with
a green Champion tubing decal, unlike the ones I've seen prior, states double butted
but no other designation, and feels heavy enough that I thought at first it was
straight gauge tubing.

It also has a small label "Yamaguchi sports frame, Sakai, Japan.

The components are quite beautiful, and I'll try to get some photos up here tomorrow,
prior to reassembly, as it is too dark right now. Should go together pretty quickly.

Here are the hubs, from a prior photo ( I relaced the wheels to somewhat heavier and
a little more modern hook bead Araya rims. The rims that were on it were still straight,
but very lightweight for my tastes, and a little narrow for 27x1 1/4, my current tire size
of preference for these older bikes that came with 27's.





The old, presumably original rims.........


The other one in the garage is a 4000, so it ought to be interesting as well.

3alarmer 

RaleighSport

Thanks for the info dump! I was suspecting a lot of things were holding it up. I just scooped up a 2400 in really bad shape the other week, well the frame's in terrible shape but I'm salvaging almost everything componentwise from it, I find it amazing the components they put on these bikes considering the frame material.. so what size is the 4000?

3alarmer 

I only buy stuff in my size, so it has to be 58-60 or pretty close.

I'll dig it out and add some photos as is in the interests of historical accuracy.

This one (2700) still lacks chain, bar tape, and derailleur cables so I can probably
finish it up in a couple of hours sometime soon. It is very shiny. You will like it.

RaleighSport

As always looking forward to it! And yes, yes soup for me.

3alarmer 

RaleighSport

I'm digging the bike man, cept it's quite odd seeing those DT shifters on a 2700 for me. I love your decals, even the branded seat one is actually in tact too.

3alarmer 

This one has some "issues", but not huge ones. It might get pushed back
until a couple of other projects are rolling (Masi, Fuso...stay tuned).

I find it interesting that the components on this seem to be a step below
those standard on the 2700, which would lend some credence to the idea
that you could buy them as frames and pick your own components,

These wheels are not the ones that came with the bike, but a better fit, IMO.

3alarmer 

RaleighSport

It's gonna be a stunner man! And despite the fact you could probably buy a complete 4000 or 5000 at some bike shops, Sekai/Norco only sold them as frame/fork sets typically via mail order, so you see a lot of different groupo's and mixes as well on these bikes. So how feathery light does it feel?

3alarmer 

Actually, it feels, stripped down, about the same as any other Champion #2 frame
I've had. this is great for me, because as a heavyweight, I need at least a #2 to feel confident.


I went ahead and stripped it down, because from the outside you
could kinda tell there were some corrosion issues....and those continue
to develop if ignored. I figure I'll clean it up, treat inside with a couple of coats of this stuff,


And then put it aside to dry thoroughly on the inside of the tubes prior to reassembly.

Also, as you might expect, the seat tube is a little stuck, so I'll pour some magical
ammonia up in there from the BB side and try to free it up in a couple of days.


Here are some pictures:

3alarmer 

.......so i took it for a little spin this warm, sunny California afternoon.

It does feel relatively light for a total bike of it's vintage, probably more
than anything because of the wheelset ( I cleaned up and went with the
original wheels with which it came to me.

Very responsive, accelerates nicely, feels pretty solid (again, for a bike of
comparable vintage.) All in all, probably worth the derustification process
(inside and out) that was accomplished mostly with Evaporust tm.

It was pretty tedious, and probably ate up an extra four or five hours, but
now it's done.........I'm not anxious to do another.

RaleighSport

Looks like it was well worth it, I don't blame you not wanting to add another though. I think it looks really nice, the holey chain rings give it a lil flair too. That RD is Blue Line?

3alarmer 

They were semi trendy, briefly. Here's one on a KHS Olympian.




They are lightweight, simple to adjust, have excellent springs......not much
cage length, but very positive shifting for the era.

raverson

Speaking of Sekai 2500 Grand Touring, here's one currently on Seattle CL. Might be there a while at $625.


https://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/bik/3571562570.html

3alarmer 

Ouch...........................$625 buys a lotta bike here in the SF Bay Area.