bpford59

I need help identifying this sweet, vintage, orange/red bike! make/model/year?
the only decal is a small, multi-color sticker with a small silver horse head on the headtube,
It has Suntour GS dropouts,
Serial number is DOA 1145
Z8OE,
it measures 22" top tube center to center and 23.5" seat tube center to center, so a 58cm?
Its got the following components:
Campy brakes, levers
Campy record hubs on a Mavic Module E front rim and an Ayaya Japan rear rim,
Campy quick release skewers,
Campy Strada 170 crankset, 53/42,
Suntour Pro-Comp 5 cog casette,
Suntour ARX FD/ Cyclone RD,
Suntour downtube shifters,
Tange Falcon headset/ Medallion 1000 Kusuki stem,
Turbo saddle on a SR alu post that adjusts horizontally

T-Mar

It's a 1980, mid-range Zebrakenko with Campagnolo replacement parts. Sorry, I don't know the model name.

bpford59

awesome, Thanks T-Mar,
do you know any other specifics I may not be able to find elsewhere like tubing etc..?

T-Mar

A couple of these from the very late 1970s have surfaced. The frames had Ishiwata 022 decals. SunTour Cyclone derailleurs were OEM. I recall stating that the wheels (27" aluminum rims as opposed to 700C), the crankset (swaged SR Apex) and brakes (mundane Dia-Compe N-series) appeared to be cost concessions to bring the price down to a lower mid-range mark. Curiously, all these items have been addressed on your bicycle.

Edit: That SR ATB seat post is worth some good money if you're willing to part with it.

bpford59

Ishiwata tubes? is that cro-mo, double butted? That's good news as I think I have read good things about it, any comparison to Columbus, Reynolds, Tange, True Temper or others?
I have read about the different models such as Wind, Thunder, Lightning... there's no sign of it on this bike, any thoughts of which model this may be?
Thanks again T-Mar, you know your Zebra's! I acquired this bike at an antique shop, it was stashed away in the rear portion of the shop and sold for a very nice price!
How much do you think the SR seat post is worth? it is very cool, easy adjusting.

JohnDThompson 

Ishiwata 022 tubing is double-butted, seamless chrome/moly alloy, like Columbus SL and Tange Champion. Wall thickness of the 022 set was essentially the same as Columbus SL and Champion #2 tubing.

It's good quality tubing, but just didn't have the same cachet as Columbus.

T-Mar

Ishiwata 022 was seamless, double butted,chromium-molybdenum tubeset. The gauge was roughly equivalent to Columbus SL and Tange #2. The "022" refers to the approximate weight of the tubeset (i.e. 2.2 kg). It is highly regarded and was used on mid and upper end Asian frames during the period under discussion.

When Zebrakenko started USA distribution in the mid-1970s, there were nine models. In addition to those you've mentioned there was a Storm and Record Tour. The only one of the mentioned models for which I haven't been able uncover OEM specs, is the Lightning. Of the known models, yours most represents the Record Tour, in that it used Ishiwata 022 and Cyclone (but the long cage GT version). Other specs were a Sugino Mighty Tour Triple crankset and Gran Compe brakes. Still, it was cost efficient to make a frame perform double duty and the previously mentioned bicycle with SR Apex, Dia-Compe N-series and 16A rims seems more likely, given the short cage Cyclone. If this were my bicycle, I'd likely install a Sugino Mighty variant and one the Gran Compe brakesets.

The lineup underwent a revamp sometime in the early 1980s, being pared down to four models by 1984, The Cyclone (GT) equipped model at that time was called the OM4. Circa 1985-1986, the brand name was shortened/anglicized to Zebra.

The SR MTE-100 seat posts, in good condition and popular sizes, tend to sell for ~$50. If you don't need the extra set back, there's always someone looking for one.

John E

Yet another educational feature from T-Mar.

I figured it was Japanese of about the era cited, and I know Ishiwata tubing, but Zebrakenko is a completely new marque to me. Were these imported into a specific geographic area in the U.S.?

bpford59

great info and much appreciated, the ride of this ishiwata 022 seems very nice although I haven't yet taken it for a long ride.
T-Mar, just curious why you would change out some of the components? personal preference? any more comments on what it has now?

T-Mar

The distributor was located in New York City, so I'd expect the northeast USA to have the highest concentration. This is supported by data that I've collected from members but I've seen samples reported from such diverse locations as Virginia, Florida, Texas, California, Oregon and even the Netherlands. BTW, I forgot to mention that the origins of the brand dates back to 1901.

T-Mar

When you inquired about specifics,I assumed that you were interested in restoring it to original condition. Since that configuration is unknown, my preference would would be Japanese components typically found on on a bicycle with Ishiwata 022 & Cyclone. There's nothing wrong with the Campagnolo parts on the bicycle. They are highly desirable but I'd likely save them for an Italian frameset.

juvela

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Thanks as ever for this great information T-Mar!

Briefly owned a Zeb pista frameset. It had been the recipient of a respray so never knew knew anything regarding model name/number.

WRT to subject bicycle - am slightly puzzled by the combination of the very nice seat stay treatment with the modest fork crown. Seems like a bit of a mismatch.

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bpford59

juvela, not sure what you mean about the fork crown and seat stay being mismatched?

TenGrainBread 

Juvela is saying the seat cluster on the bike is very well-constructed, with some attention being paid to nice scallops, thinning the lugs a bit, etc... versus the fork crown which has the look of a run-of-the-mill crown with no extra attention spent on finishing work to make it more elegant.

Sean.B

Great looking bike

T-Mar

I suspect this is a stock, off-the-shelf fork from Ishiwata or Tange. It looks like either an Ishiawata #505 crown or Tange's very similar A-18. The frame has some other cost concessions. By 1980, it would be atypical for an Ishiwata 022 frame not to have brazed-on top tube tunnels, shift lever bosses or water bottle bosses. Yet this is the same as the other Zebrakenko frames with Ishiwata 022 that I've seen.

Regarding the track frame, the early advertisements featured one with Dura-Ace 10 but the model name was not provided.

bpford59

thanks Sean and again T-Mar, very interesting info,
not sure if anyone noticed the 'cycle binding' pedals that were initially installed, those are pretty neat, doubtful to find some size 12 shoes that are needed for use, hah!

bpford59

jon c. 

Nice ride. Love the color.

AdventureManCO 

Hey! A Zebrakenko!

I have one of these bikes and I love it. Very lightweight, inspiring ride. Ishiwata 022. Have fun with it!

AdventureManCO 

So I recently picked up a Zebrakenko Lightning, which looked to be in all original configuration.

It came with Suntour Cyclone II FD and RD, Sugino Super Mighty cranks, and I can't remember what else off the top of my head

If you want, I can make a component list.