Hummer

Begin the experiment.

I have been a member of bikeforums.net for several years.

In that time I have seen different ideas presented in threads.

These ideas are sometimes repeated or quoted in other threads by other members.

Eventually some of these ideas are taken as fact, probably because they have been repeated so many times.

These ideas take on an orthodoxy and it becomes difficult for any member to dispute or argue against.

Some of these ideas, which may have started in this forum, even move beyond this forum and are put forward as fact in publications and other websites.

This is in fact why I am writing this series of articles.


Recently I have read in two separate places where an orthodox idea from bikeforums.net, which has not been fully verified, has been published.
This idea will no doubt be considered a fact because it is published in a book.

Sometimes on this forum I read posts that state something that does not sound quite right or does not fit with things that I have observed.

I want to say something about the questionable idea but I do not have anything concrete to counter with or the argument against the idea is complex and cannot be easily presented by me in a sentence or a paragraph.

What to do when you want to question orthodox beliefs?

Over the next days I intend to put forward information that challenges two ideas that have been present in the bikeforums.net for more than a decade.
These ideas relate to the origin and serial numbers of vintage Japanese bicycles largely associated with one brand name, Centurion from Western States Imports.

- - - -

There will be a question and answer period at the end of the presentation. We kindly ask that you hold your questions until that time.


- - - -

"Do you want your ears blown out some more?"

Johnny Rotten on stage at the Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco, California 01/14/78