jalopanista!

You had the sense to keep the original fork, however. I replaced mine with an aluminum one my brother gave me, then replaced that with a Tange fork recently because I no longer had the original and the aluminum fork was dangerously short (it just barely cleared 2/3 of the head tube).

I like the color much better than the dual color (silver and black?) that was more standard on that model.

js

vwaddict

Miyata 512. Details here

dashngracie

ok - know not what I do - but I love my blke. Sure it is not vintage but seems the best place to learn what it is - carbon Tech Miyata 3000 (NOS). Anybody have any info.

Thanks,
Dashngracie

grolby

Here are a couple for you. Sorry for the bad lighting/indoor shots, but it's night time and I wanted to show these things off . Also, the bikes are both a bit dirty. What can I say, I ride them!

First: My 1987 Univega Gran Record. I was able to date this by codes on the cranks and brake calipers. This bike came, stock, with a full Shimano 105 group and absurdly skinny 700 x 20 tires. It now sports Shimano 600 7-speed DT shifters (thanks cuda2k!), a SunRace 13-28 freewheel, a Bontrager Race Lux saddle (the guy I bought it from off CL had replaced the original saddle with an ugly and uncomfortable Gelite) and 700 x 26 tires that I found in my basement, probably left there by a previous tenant. It's overdue for re-cabling and re-taping... maybe later this spring. This is a speedy little bike. It makes me want to go fast, and is therefore extremely good at highlighting how badly I am out of shape!

Second: My Panasonic-built 1978 Schwinn LeTour III. This bike has gone through a number of different builds - 4, to be exact, and that's not counting how it came from the factory! Currently, it is my singlespeed beater and about-town bike. I don't anticipate any changes except for a lower gear. 44-17 is really too high for this kind of bike. The handlebars are Bontrager copies of the old all-rounder style of 3-speed bars. They have a somewhat longer grip section to accommodate modern controls and levers, a 25.4mm clamp section, and are very comfortable indeed.

And lastly, a bike that is no longer with me: my 1986 Miyata 210. My first road bike and my first quality bicycle of any kind, it met a tragic end last summer when I rear-ended a car at a stoplight. This is the reason that I love Japanese bicycles so much. It treated me well while I knew it.

I wish I had some pictures that did better justice to these bicycles! Some of your rides are very lovely indeed.

bnr40

Any chance I could get the serial number for the 1973? Finest?

pinnah

Grolby,

Any chance you could measure up the frame geometry on the Gran Record. We currently only have a single solitary Univega listed in the Bike Geometry Project spreadsheet.

https://home.comcast.net/~pinnah/dirt...y-project.html

-Dave

pinnah

Dahoss,

Could you be talked into measuring the geometry of that Centurian? Man, I remember when those were out. I've not been able to find any documentation on Centurian geometries (pointers anyone?) and so there are none listed in the Bike Geometry Project's spreadsheet. If you could measure yours up, I'll toss it in the list!

https://home.comcast.net/~pinnah/dirt...y-project.html

Many thanks,

-Dave

pinnah

Ollo_ollo,

Great collection of light tourers! Would love to get those frames documented. I'm especially interested in the Specialized and Centurian as those bikes are under represented in the Bike Geometry Project spreadsheet.
Would love to get the data on the 710 too.

https://home.comcast.net/~pinnah/dirt...y-project.html

-Dave

East Hill

pinnah, should I ask if you'd like the info for the Centurion LeMans mixte, and my tiny little Ironman with the 24 inch front wheel?

Although that would mean I would have to do some work.

East Hill

USAZorro

It is quite faint, being under both paint and chrome. It is possible I'm missing one character before the 3: K7C 304

grolby

Might do, might do! It would be tough to do, I'm not sure if I have even the most rudimentary of tools for accomplishing the task. But I'll look into it. I can assure you that it fits in the "racer" category, though. It has short chainstays, no eyelets, a short wheel base and tight geometry. Speedy bike, when I can make myself push hard enough on it. It's tiring to ride, though - I always want to go fast!

Your webpage looked familiar. Turns out I've seen it before - I've browsed your backcountry skiing page. It's a great resource, thanks for that! Skiing is (one of) my other love(s). I just bought myself my first pair of cross-country skis in a while last month, I'm hoping to get into the backcountry. I'll be praying for early snow in New England this December, but for now I just want the white stuff gone!

the beef

My Japan-built Schwinn Super Sport (shown with a Campagnolo Zonda front wheel).

pinnah

East Hill, the mixte would be great. You might have a hard time getting an accurate measurement of the angles though due to the lack of a top tube. Not impossible, just harder. Ken Freeman has some good advice on the web page about measuring.

I'm not sure what to do with dedicated Tri/TT bikes. I suspect they've taken a very interesting evolutionary path. I won't say no to any frame data at this point but I can't say when I'd be able to hunt down other TT type bikes to put in there. We've got so much to do just to get the basic road bike types documented.

I'm particularly interested in the light touring and sport touring type bikes. They've pretty much disappeared from the market place and I really think the 70s and 80s Japanese bikes were doing a lot of things very right. One of my real hopes is that by documenting the geometries of those bikes we might be able see more choices of decent road frames. I'm sure many in this forum have been asked by friends what kind of bike they should get. Too bad the choices are a full out race bike design that can take no fenders and nothing wider than a 25mm tire or a full on touring bike or cross bike with super slack front ends and cantis.

I really think the sport tourers and light tourers from the 70s and 80s were among the most versatile bikes made. That mixte would share much of it geometry with that class, I'm guessing.

East Hill

The Ironman is still actually the Dave Scott Expert, it's just that it's apparently the smallest frame they made. I'll measure both for you, and if you can use the Ironman meaurements, great! If not, the measurements will still be there if and when you need them.

East Hill

Lamplight

OK I finally have new pictures plus another Japanese bike to post. I bought this Shogun Monday for my brother. He still hasn't paid me for it so technically it's still mine. It came with drop bars and as a fixed gear bike, but apparently my brother's been bored during the week so it is different in this picture.


And here is a new shot of my Nishiki with a Brooks Flyer saddle, Nigel Smythe bag, and Brooks bar tape.


Also, I believe my Bianchi is Japanese, and there's a picture of it in my sig.

smurfy

Um...from Rivendell, right?

Bikedued

Love that Nishiki!! The seat, wrap, silver paint, and chrome fenders. A tasty combo, hehe.,,,,BD

ollo_ollo

I sent you an e-mail with a scan of the 1984 Centurion chart of frame geometry for all models that year. Hopefully I will find time to measure some other frames in the next few weeks.

Lamplight

The bag, yes.

10speed

Mariner Fan

My Japanese Schwinn Voyageur.

I was in the process of putting new brake cables on the bike.

gbarchus

Almost ready!

intron

cool idea with the hub cleaners.

McDave

Just finished this Nishiki Olympic 12. Though it's not top of the line I was impressed with the quality throughout. Sweet ride!

East Hill

McDave, what year is your Olympic 12, and are those the original components?

Here's my Olympic 12. I got the frameset from BF member ChilliPepper:



It's nowhere near being done, but I could not resist adding this after seeing yours.

It's also a really nice red--it was very cloudy when I took the photo, so it doesn't sparkle as it should.

East Hill