New to me Azuki 10 speed
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Illinois quad cities (Colona)
Posts: 194
Bikes: Trek Marlin 6 29r - Scattanti road bike w carbon fork - Trek 6500 - Univega Alpina 503 - Specialized Sworks M4 made in USA
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 90 Post(s)
Liked 103 Times
in
57 Posts
New to me Azuki 10 speed
I had seen a yellow bike in the corner of a garage at an estate sale this weekend. It was still dressed in dust and cobwebs gained from years of storage. I had never heard of this brand and a license sticker was still in place for 1973 to 1975 . I thought the $40.00 tag price was high so I asked for a last day sale quote. She sold it to me for $10.00 After getting it out in good light, I think I may have been a bit loose with my $10.00 .
The frame appears to be steel, but I have no idea of quality. I don't have any pictures yet but from web search it is the popular yellow color for this bike. The decals seem faded and some partly missing but a Texas company has a full decal set for it . Handlebars seem very narrow .
Have any of you ridden one of these? It would be enjoyable to work on it IF it is worthwhile. If not I will wash it up good, oil the chain , and give it a lift to the Salvation Army store.
I would appreciate your thoughts. Thank you
The frame appears to be steel, but I have no idea of quality. I don't have any pictures yet but from web search it is the popular yellow color for this bike. The decals seem faded and some partly missing but a Texas company has a full decal set for it . Handlebars seem very narrow .
Have any of you ridden one of these? It would be enjoyable to work on it IF it is worthwhile. If not I will wash it up good, oil the chain , and give it a lift to the Salvation Army store.
I would appreciate your thoughts. Thank you
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: San Jose (Willow Glen) Ca
Posts: 9,856
Bikes: Kirk Custom JK Special, '84 Team Miyata,(dura ace old school) 80?? SR Semi-Pro 600 Arabesque
Mentioned: 104 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2304 Post(s)
Liked 2,741 Times
in
1,499 Posts
PIcture would help, but my first 10 speed as a nice blue Azuki, bought new in 1971 or so in Havre, MT $160 if i recall correctly. Mine was mid level quality, straight gauge chrome moly IIRC and the components were typical of the time...sugino crank, suntour gears, shifters, diacompe brakes..... depending on the model you have and condition this could be an ok to good ride....not super but capable.
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 679
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 254 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 182 Times
in
141 Posts
Azuki is essentially the same as Nishiki. Same manufacturer (Kawamura), same importer (West Coast Cycles), just different branding. Look up Nishiki on Wikipedia for more info. And check T-mar's Asian serial number guide, which should pin down the year of manufacture.
Any hints of a tubing decal? What are the components? With a good drive-side pic, someone here will probably recognize the exact model.
Any hints of a tubing decal? What are the components? With a good drive-side pic, someone here will probably recognize the exact model.
#4
Senior Member
Since you only paid $10 for it, you may actually be able to break even after fixing it up and selling it.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 2,870
Bikes: 2009 Handsome Devil, 1987 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1978 Motobecane Grand Touring, 1987 Nishiki Cresta GT, 1989 Specialized Allez Former bikes; 1986 Miyata Trail Runner, 1979 Miyata 912, 2011 VO Rando, 1999 Cannondale R800, 1986 Schwinn Passage
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 796 Post(s)
Liked 522 Times
in
367 Posts
I had one briefly that I got for free and turned into a single speed back in about 2006 as I understood it from my LBS Azuki built entry level bikes during the bike boom, for $10 its tough to go wrong,clean it up and see how it rides.
my for free find on CL 15 years ago
my for free find on CL 15 years ago
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Bloomington, IN
Posts: 2,939
Bikes: Paramount, Faggin, Ochsner, Ciocc, Basso
Mentioned: 114 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1285 Post(s)
Liked 1,836 Times
in
1,110 Posts
Azuki's were the predecessor for Nishiki. They were solidly built but used a lot of early Shimano parts like the 333 series of derailleurs and shifters. Definitely old school steel with first generation style of lugs. Worth the $10. build and ride with a lot of smiles for a lot of miles, MH
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Illinois quad cities (Colona)
Posts: 194
Bikes: Trek Marlin 6 29r - Scattanti road bike w carbon fork - Trek 6500 - Univega Alpina 503 - Specialized Sworks M4 made in USA
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 90 Post(s)
Liked 103 Times
in
57 Posts
Thank you for all the comments. No surprise that it is an entry level bike , but it is just different enough that I'm going to at least get it to the point that I can ride it around the neighborhood and get a bit of a feel for the frame .
I'll work on the ability to post pictures.
I'll work on the ability to post pictures.
#8
low end rider
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 793
Bikes: 80's. hoarder.
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 56 Post(s)
Liked 43 Times
in
37 Posts
How anybody could go wrong with a $10 Azuki.. IMO you did fine. At least in my area, having a low end beater is not necessarily a bad thing...it will still be there when you get back from whatever errand.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,233
Mentioned: 652 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4719 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3,034 Times
in
1,874 Posts
Azuki's were the predecessor for Nishiki. They were solidly built but used a lot of early Shimano parts like the 333 series of derailleurs and shifters. Definitely old school steel with first generation style of lugs. Worth the $10. build and ride with a lot of smiles for a lot of miles, MH
Like Nishiki, Azuki was a full range brand. Consequently, there are higher end Azuki, though statistically speaking, the entry level models turn up far more often. The brand survived into at least the mid-1980s. I've seen at least three different manufacturers for Azuki, with Kawamuara and Kuwahara being the most dominant.
#10
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,765
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1384 Post(s)
Liked 1,294 Times
in
819 Posts
I worked at a Peugeot/Nishiki dealership (Bikecology) from 1972 to 1974. We sold a few Azukis when Nishikis were in short supply. The Azuki paint looked slightly better, and the Azuki equivalent of the Nishiki Competition (formerly American Eagle Semi-Pro) got an integral derailleur hanger first.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#11
Full Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Grove, Ok
Posts: 205
Bikes: 71 American Eagle Olympiad, 03 Trek 5200 P1, 2013 Trek 6 series Domane, 83 Apollo branded Kuwahara, 78 Trek TX 300, 73 Nishiki Intl. 86 Nishiki Prestige, Nishiki Olympic, 72 and 73 Nishiki Safari', two-speed Electra BMX cruiser 1, 87 Nishiki Linear
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 32 Post(s)
Liked 65 Times
in
38 Posts
Good deal for ten bucks! Tune it up and have some fun on the road......