Chrisb1216

I have zero experience with Japanese brands but as I just picked this up I will say Takara.

This is a screen grab from a short video I shot

3alarmer 

...as always, thanks.

Miele Man

I had an Equipe Pro with Dura Ace index and a Colnago bottom bracket but no serial number anywhere on the bike. It was a red and white frame and the bike was purchased in 1985 or 1986. Possibly an Italian built frame then?

Cheers

polymorphself 

Another brand I wanted to put in the poll but didn't have space. Lets see the whole bike! It looks nice.

ramzilla

I voted Centurion because I just finished restoring this one and, it rides as good as it looks.............................

merziac

Well it was Fuji, I have 2 more modern ones and have long been a fan but pulling them from the Police smacks of a publicity grab to me.

Hindering a very specific segment of their work over a few bad actors is shortsighted IMO.

And just to be clear, I agree that drastic measures are needed in too much of this but this isn't it, again IMO.

Piff 

I'm 100% for BLM, but it does seem an odd choice by Fuji. It's not terribly constructive. They can support BLM in other ways, more meaningful ways.

Chrisb1216

Right now a friend is performing a tune up. I should be able to pick it up this weekend and will take some photos to post.

viffer

I’ll vote Panasonic since I still own one. But a quality vintage Japanese steel frame? You can’t go wrong.

I think the Japanese know something about making high quality steel. ⚔️

CoolCanuck

Miyata. Even my lowly 110 beats some of the others. Have only owned it since 94, but... still such a sweet ride.

balindamood

Many of the choices listed are BRANDS, not manufacturers. The brand owner contracted with manufacturers. While there differences in the quality, and more importantly, consistency of that respective quality, the specifications and designs provided by the brand owner will further affect what we associate with quality as the end user. In many cases, the brand owner listed switched manufacturers over the years, so it is difficult to simply say this brand is better than that brand. It depends upon the year built. While some manufacturers also produce(d) bikes under their own name in the North American market, there were some very good manufactures, Kuwamara comes to mind, that did not. Bridgestone originally produced bikes under the brand Kabuki before switching to their name int he early/mid-1980's.

I believe that of the choices, only Fuji, Panasonic, Miyata and Bridgestone I chose Miyata as of the examples that have crossed my stand, the seem to have the most consistently good brazing/lug-work of the four. However, I would not scoff at any of them as they are all good to very good.

I will also point out that listing makers such as 3Rensho, Zunlow, Cheribum is not really a good comparison as they are doing two different things relative to production.

run50

None!

casanewt

I was leaning towards Fuji because I just like their design and specs, but Miyata takes the nod for me for many of the reasons stated earlier. Made their own tubing, very high quality production, and the trickle down effect similar to early Cannondales where even lower and mid-level models had very high quality frames/tubing. They still watched the bottom line like in my former 1989 312 where it wore the "Spline Triple Butted" sticker, but the only splined tube was the downtube.

cromagnum

I have to say that just about any Japanese bikes are very good even the schwinn stuff made there. They just hold-up. I have a Lotus Elan 75 that I am completing and a Matsuri that I have to get more info on.

robertorolfo

Well, I obviously voted for Lotus, although I don't have much experience with the other brands. My Lotus Unique was what got me started with the C&V bug, and I especially liked that is was a Long Island based brand.




My Legend is a great bike, both to ride and to look at. I noticed a few nice Centurions with Tange 1 tubing, but I think Lotus did it better with the all chrome fork and rear triangle, plus fastback stays. I got this bike a few years ago and it looked like it had just been sitting, unridden, for at least 25 years. Aside from a saddle swap, tape, tires and some very minor adjustments, it performs very well.

fleslider 

I chose Centurion as well i just really like them. Although Centurion is not a Japanese brand . They are a US brand started in SoCal . they just contracted the bike manufacturing with companies in Japan and Taiwan. err i digress.

here is a few of my Centurions:

1987 Master and Expert Ironman


1988 Master Ironman



1985 Ironman

rranchhand60

For me it's 1.Univega 2.Miyata 3.Centurion....Have 9 Univegas in collection.No longer have a Miyata 1000 nor the Centurion Pro Tour.The first model not the last version.

sykerocker 

I've always had a fondness for Fujis. Helping my buddy in Erie start the town's third bicycle shop based around Fuji and Atala (and, unfortunately, Lambert) ensured that there would always be a place in my mind for the marque. And, thirty years later, I finally restored a Fuji Finest:




But that wasn't my first one. Back in 2004, getting back into the sport after a 27 year absence, I did a lot of catching up on the market. Having finished restoring the Raleigh Gran Sport that dragged me back, I figured I needed to build something modern (at this point 9-speed with brifters) to catch up on the technology. Still being somewhat bewildered after living in a 27 year bicycle vacuum, I'm digging thru the Westminster, MD swap meet and I run across what appeared to be a really nice looking steel frame with a very familiar name: Fuji Finest.




Which, while still being double butted steel, was far from the top of Fuji's line. Nevertheless, it got built in 9-speed Ultegra, sew up rims, and served me well for many years. Not that they were my only Fujis:



Followed by a couple of others too modern for this venue. Always keeping my eye out for another one.

mstateglfr 

If contract marketing brands are removed from consideration and manufacturers are all that are considered, then I like Miyata and Panasonic the most. This is based on what Ive ridden, what Ive worked on, and what ive seen/read online.

This also excludes the smaller builders. Manufacturers like Zunow, 3Rensho, Kalavinka, Cherubim, etc were so limited in volume and didnt sell a full range of bikes that I dont really consider them in the same category as Fuji, Panasonic, Miyata, etc.
It would be like comparing a 70s handbuilt Ritchey to a 70s Chicago produced Schwinn when discussing American manufacturers.


Panasonic- their own line was super nice in the mid and late 80s. Great spec, nice paint designs, and the ones I have seen had clean joints especially the dropouts. What they built on contract for other brands was also nice, from the handful Ive seen/owned.
Miyata- well finished, used their own tubing by the mid-80s(so clearly invested in quality), and very durable paint. What they built on contract for Univega was also nice. Miyata's attempt to further vertically integrate their manufacturing process is a really neat part of history.

mstateglfr 

1- comments like this push a thread about 30-40 year old bikes towards being moved to the political board. that isnt necessary.
2- the fuji of 40, 30, 20, and even 2 years ago is different from fuji of today. The brand name has been sold 4 or so times since the original company declared bankruptcy in the 90s.

Point is- complaining about what the brand name did in recent weeks has 0 to do with what we are discussing and also has 0 to do with the brand fuji we refer to in this forum.

jdawginsc 

The pink Lotus Supreme danced in my memories and dreams for a long time. Simply exquisite bicycle...

My Japanese Bianchi Randonneur (still crying over my stupidity in selling that in 1990) was one of the finest finish/built production level bicycles I have ever seen/owned.

merziac

Huh, well thanx for sharing.

If the current company regime taints the legacy then it's relevant, which this doe's, again IMO.

Your opinion has 0 to do with mine.

Again, tx for sharing.

Kabuki12

I have only owned a couple of Japanese bikes, one I still own. One I bought new in the late seventies a Kabuki Diamond Formula which I still own and ride. It was my transportation for over two years and never any trouble with the Suntour equipment that came with it. The Sunshine hubs were smooth enough and lasted several thousand miles in all the Southern California weather and locked to the shrouds of my sail boat (salt spray) that I was living on . I did relace the wheels which I changed to Gentleman 700c with stainless steel spokes. The other bike I owned for two years was a new Centurion Elite RS with Cyclone drive and Champion Tubing and that was a great bike a 1984 or so I think. I bought it in 2013 and it had never been ridden! It had nice bronze anodized group including the wheels , SS spokes , and Gran Come brakes. I paid $100 for it , rode it for two years and sold it for $300 so I could buy a Raleigh Competition GS 1977 that I like better. I think a lot of the Japanese bikes are really nice and hold up well. I couldn't tell you how many miles I have on my Kabuki , but it is a bunch and it still rides nicely.

droppedandlost 

Someone else voted Shogun! I'm not alone anymore!

sheddle

Prarie Breakers are sick as hell