FS 3Rensho C97 show/experimental frame set
10-16-19, 09:45 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
FS 3Rensho C97 show/experimental frame set
The words rare and unique are thrown around these forums and others with little concern for actual scarcity of the item being discussed. I believe this frame would fall into both of those categories. The 3Rensho marque is not particularly rare in my opinion, but finding one in your size, in good shape and at a decent price will require some patience to be sure.
That being said, I am offering up my 3Rensho / Cyclone / Cherubim Cycle Super Record Export show or experimental concept (depending who you ask) frame set.
I've communicated with Koichi Yamaguchi (of Yamaguchi Bicycles, Inc.), Keigo Hirota (of Cherubim by Konno Cycle Works) and Andrew Muzi (of Yellow Jersey) regarding this frame. Some excerpts below:
Koichi Yamaguchi was very helpful, even going as far as providing pictures of similar examples from the era and newer!
"Pictured bike is 100% sure 3Rensho built and in '79~'81-ish. (sorry, I don't remember) not a show bike one of the design experiment frame. Also serial # is fit 3Rensho format, (start with "Cxx" which is CYCLONE then serial #) I don't have access to 3Rensho serial book. So I can't tell much more ... Your pictured bike are base on this one:
"1978 Tokyo Show Bike" (with similar ovalized tube set, seat stay treatment, extended seat tube, fork and aero section behind head tube, but lugged vs filet brazed) Builder: Yamaguchi and Makino (some frames we built as team). Actually Original CYCLONE has Cherubim-Cycle head badge and some 3Rensho logo frame use this head badge too."
-Koichi Yamaguchi
"...First of all, this frame and fork is definitely a genuine 3Rensho frame from very early '80s. Many details of brazing parts and shape tells us that it's definitely made by 3Rensho factory ... Master builder of 3Rensho in that age is either Mr.Yamaguchi (currently running Yamaguchi Bicycles in USA), or Mr. Makino (currently running M.Makino Cycle Factory in Tokyo) ... This is not only for a trade show bike. I have seem many similar frame which was used in real cycling and racing ... Stickers seems very identical to the original ... Fork is definitely original."
-Keigo Hirota
"I don't recall that exact bike but it is very typical of his bike-show display bikes. From what detail I can see, plus the low C-number, I'd bet on 1981~1982 probably. He was showing metallic earth tones (brown beige ochre grey tan gold etc) a lot then for one-offs. Or, as we said at the time, a tweed jacket is the color chart for 3Rensho prototypes and all the Treks. We got involved then and sorta suppressed his creativity into a few standard colors mostly, at least theoretically.
He didn't stamp serial numbers on fork columns until 1983 if that helps. Oh, and Cherubim is his brother and yes they were nondogmatic about mixing graphics back then."
-Andrew Muzi
Frame specs:
Seat tube: center to center of top tube: 57cm
Seat tube: center to top of seat tube: 61.5cm
Top tube: center to center: 55.5cm
Wheel base: 100cm (to the best of my ability to measure accurately)
Tube set: Unknown. Seat tube, down tube, fork blades, seat stays and chain stays have all been "ovalized". They are not a perfect oval shape, they are more flat on the sides. I'd wager that standard round tubes were pressed to create this shape.
Aero foil behind head tube is made of metal and transitions into the shifter bosses. Shifter cables travel internally through the down tube and exit in front of the bottom bracket. Front derailleur cable comes up through the chain stay bridge, while the rear derailleur cable travels under the chain stay then through it at the rear, with an added cable stop on the seat stay.
Campagnolo drop outs and fork tips: F/R spacing: 100mm/126mm
English thread bottom bracket is clean and solid. All other threads are clean and solid.
Accepts a 26.8mm seat post.
Includes Tange Levin headset in fine shape and seat binder bolt.
No dents or dings. Paint and decals are in gorgeous shape. The paint color actually fades from dark to light and back to dark starting at the head tube going towards the rear drop outs, very difficult to capture in pictures. There is a scratch in the paint on the left side of the head tube aero foil and on the drop outs and typical areas.
Asking$1600 $1200 net to me, but open to offers. I will ship or meet in person for local pick up. I have shipped many frame sets without issue. I pack the hell out 'em and this one would receive the ultimate care in packing.
Pictures are more or less as received with a couple parts swapped in to make it look slightly more presentable.
My email is alexjries@live.com
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmog3gBq
DSC09878 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09889 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09883 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09884 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09888 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09891 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09903 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09895 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09894 by alex ries, on Flickr
That being said, I am offering up my 3Rensho / Cyclone / Cherubim Cycle Super Record Export show or experimental concept (depending who you ask) frame set.
I've communicated with Koichi Yamaguchi (of Yamaguchi Bicycles, Inc.), Keigo Hirota (of Cherubim by Konno Cycle Works) and Andrew Muzi (of Yellow Jersey) regarding this frame. Some excerpts below:
Koichi Yamaguchi was very helpful, even going as far as providing pictures of similar examples from the era and newer!
"Pictured bike is 100% sure 3Rensho built and in '79~'81-ish. (sorry, I don't remember) not a show bike one of the design experiment frame. Also serial # is fit 3Rensho format, (start with "Cxx" which is CYCLONE then serial #) I don't have access to 3Rensho serial book. So I can't tell much more ... Your pictured bike are base on this one:
"1978 Tokyo Show Bike" (with similar ovalized tube set, seat stay treatment, extended seat tube, fork and aero section behind head tube, but lugged vs filet brazed) Builder: Yamaguchi and Makino (some frames we built as team). Actually Original CYCLONE has Cherubim-Cycle head badge and some 3Rensho logo frame use this head badge too."
-Koichi Yamaguchi
"...First of all, this frame and fork is definitely a genuine 3Rensho frame from very early '80s. Many details of brazing parts and shape tells us that it's definitely made by 3Rensho factory ... Master builder of 3Rensho in that age is either Mr.Yamaguchi (currently running Yamaguchi Bicycles in USA), or Mr. Makino (currently running M.Makino Cycle Factory in Tokyo) ... This is not only for a trade show bike. I have seem many similar frame which was used in real cycling and racing ... Stickers seems very identical to the original ... Fork is definitely original."
-Keigo Hirota
"I don't recall that exact bike but it is very typical of his bike-show display bikes. From what detail I can see, plus the low C-number, I'd bet on 1981~1982 probably. He was showing metallic earth tones (brown beige ochre grey tan gold etc) a lot then for one-offs. Or, as we said at the time, a tweed jacket is the color chart for 3Rensho prototypes and all the Treks. We got involved then and sorta suppressed his creativity into a few standard colors mostly, at least theoretically.
He didn't stamp serial numbers on fork columns until 1983 if that helps. Oh, and Cherubim is his brother and yes they were nondogmatic about mixing graphics back then."
-Andrew Muzi
Frame specs:
Seat tube: center to center of top tube: 57cm
Seat tube: center to top of seat tube: 61.5cm
Top tube: center to center: 55.5cm
Wheel base: 100cm (to the best of my ability to measure accurately)
Tube set: Unknown. Seat tube, down tube, fork blades, seat stays and chain stays have all been "ovalized". They are not a perfect oval shape, they are more flat on the sides. I'd wager that standard round tubes were pressed to create this shape.
Aero foil behind head tube is made of metal and transitions into the shifter bosses. Shifter cables travel internally through the down tube and exit in front of the bottom bracket. Front derailleur cable comes up through the chain stay bridge, while the rear derailleur cable travels under the chain stay then through it at the rear, with an added cable stop on the seat stay.
Campagnolo drop outs and fork tips: F/R spacing: 100mm/126mm
English thread bottom bracket is clean and solid. All other threads are clean and solid.
Accepts a 26.8mm seat post.
Includes Tange Levin headset in fine shape and seat binder bolt.
No dents or dings. Paint and decals are in gorgeous shape. The paint color actually fades from dark to light and back to dark starting at the head tube going towards the rear drop outs, very difficult to capture in pictures. There is a scratch in the paint on the left side of the head tube aero foil and on the drop outs and typical areas.
Asking
Pictures are more or less as received with a couple parts swapped in to make it look slightly more presentable.
My email is alexjries@live.com
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmog3gBq
DSC09878 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09889 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09883 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09884 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09888 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09891 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09903 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09895 by alex ries, on Flickr
DSC09894 by alex ries, on Flickr
Last edited by shnibop; 07-29-20 at 08:12 PM.
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10-16-19, 10:46 PM
#2
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Oakland, CA
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The stuff that shows up here blows me away sometimes. I hope this bike is documented in a book somewhere. Ahem, @ScottRyder...
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10-17-19, 09:11 AM
#5
Senior Member
Wow!!! Giga-cool...tera-cool...peta-cool!!!! So cool I had to google terms for ridiculously high quantities.
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10-17-19, 12:27 PM
#6
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Location: Washington, DC
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Bikes: 82 De Rosa Sammontana, 82 3Rensho Aero, 83 Bianchi Specialissima X3, 89 De Rosa Professional, 90s De Rosa Primato, 99 Colnago Mapei Master X-Light
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Great first hand info. My favorite 3Rensho details are the Modeulo lugs and three point fork crowns which came later. I have an early 3Rensho aero frame. Serial number is C29. It's a little small for me, sadly. Good luck with the sale!
10-19-19, 10:06 AM
#8
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The stuff that shows up here blows me away sometimes. I hope this bike is documented in a book somewhere. Ahem, @ScottRyder...
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ClassicFuji.posthaven.com.archive
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IG @scottryder.surf.cycle
IG @scottryder.fine.art
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10-30-19, 09:39 AM
#12
Senior Member
Too bad (Thank God?) this is not my size! I have always wanted a 3Rensho since I saw one hanging on the wall at my LBS oh those many years ago. Definitely a fabulous example of something unique. GLWS...someone will come away very lucky!
03-12-20, 05:29 PM
#14
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Anyone starting a bicycle museum care to give me a six-figure acquisition budget? So many nice bikes on the sale block.
03-31-20, 08:36 PM
#16
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Hi, I got a message from u but I can't access to it cause I am restricted to pm as a new user.
Please email me at enquiry_32bitz@live.com 🙏🙏🙏
Please email me at enquiry_32bitz@live.com 🙏🙏🙏
05-16-20, 03:47 PM
#19
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shnibop ping!
07-29-20, 08:12 PM
#20
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Thread Starter
Back at it. Trying to sell some things. If you’re interested but don’t have PM ability, my email is alexjries@live.com hope it’s ok to mention that
07-31-20, 12:24 AM
#21
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Wow. Insane. I was hoping to get to the part of the post where you told us how you came into this bike. Maybe that’s a secret, but I’d hope for a good background story.
I also really don’t know if I would feel comfortable riding this thing. It would stress me out.
I also really don’t know if I would feel comfortable riding this thing. It would stress me out.
Last edited by polymorphself; 07-31-20 at 12:29 AM.
07-31-20, 07:30 AM
#22
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So gorgeous but maybe a tad too big as 56cm is normally my largest. I wonder if cables with liners can still be found to protect that paint during use. My one Giordana has those but I've never been able to source new ones....
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08-04-20, 12:32 PM
#23
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I can't decide if immediately after moving in together is the perfect time or the worst time to test my relationship with my GF by trying to convince her that this would be good wall art.
Bump in hopes that someone else buys this before me.
Bump in hopes that someone else buys this before me.
