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Old 12-27-20, 11:33 AM
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Part 3. The second orthodoxy

Another orthodox idea that has long been present on the vintage enthusiasts bikeforums.net is about a Japanese company: H. Tano and Company.

The idea that has been put forward is that H. Tano and company is reportedly to have manufactured bicycles for the USA brand name Centurion.

It is unclear to me what is meant by the word "manufactured". Manufactured could mean only the frame of the bicycle was manufactured, or some other component/components were manufactured, or that the bicycle was assembled from other manufactures frames and components.

It is also unclear to me what "reportedly" is supposed to mean. Something concrete or something purposefully ambiguous.

The original idea that "reportedly H. Tano and Company manufactured bicycles" has morphed into "H. Tano and Company manufactured bicycles". The caveat "reportedly" has been removed and this new version of what kind of a company H. Tano and Company was now exists.

The removal of the caveat "reportedly" has gone unnoticed or unchallenged, even by the originator of the first statement where "reportedly" is used.

The idea that is repeated is "H. Tano and company manufactured bicycles".

I have several references to H. Tano and Company as a Japanese export company that supplied bicycles.

The first place that I found the reference to "Tano" as a "manufacturer" is in this post from February of 2006 by bikeforums.net member @T-Mar:

https://www.bikeforums.net/2208689-post62.html

Originally Posted by T-Mar

Example: N4E0283 indicates the 283 frame manufactured during the period of weeks 9-10, for the year 1984.

The letter prefix for these codes is typically 'N'. It has been suggested that this represents National, the Japanese market brand for Panasonic, which are built my Matsu****a. While the Panasonic branded models use a similar format, there is no prefix letter, nor is there a letter prefix on the Matsu****a manufactured Schwinns. This suggests the N-codes are be another manufacturer. reportedly Tano, though this is unconfirmed.

I have not seen where T-Mar reveals the source that reported Tano as a manufacturer.

Two bikeforum.net members have questioned T-Mar about his reportedly Tano assertion, once in May 2017 by member @msl109 and once in August 2019 by member @madpogue.

member mls109 thread with question and T-Mar's response:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...an-frames.html

Originally Posted by T-Mar
The majority of 1980s Centurion use S/N with an N prefix, in conjunction with the standard year-fortnight-sequential manufacturing number format. There's a 2011 Korn Ferry Institute article on Georgina Terry, where it is reported that her supplier, Tano, copied her frame design for use on Centurion models, which they manufactured for WSI. We know that Centurion introduced the Terry style Ironman Expert Women's model in 1987, followed by the LeMans Proportional in 1988. Samples on these bicycles in my database show them having S/N with N-codes. This would seem to be reliable information suggesting that the N-codes represent Tano. However, the sole 1987 Terry S/N I've found is an S-code. While it's possible that Tano used a different prefix for different customers, this does not appear to have been a common practice among manufacturers and is enough to leave some doubt as to the manufacturer of the N-codes. Still, they are currently the leading prospect, in addition to the article statement, they were the original source and are often reported as being WSI's major supplier in the 1980s.

Member madpogue question in the Centurion Serial Number Database thread:

https://www.bikeforums.net/21094234-post2248.html

Originally Posted by madpogue
A 1980 Omega just followed me home. Second from the bottom of the line, hi-ten and plenty of chromed steel bits. According to the 1979 catalog, 30 lb. Serial number is on the NDS of the seat tube; curve of the tube makes for an incomplete strike. Excuse the fuzzy photo; taken in the middle of the night while yawning....

@T-Mar , could it be that the "N" in the Japan-made Centurions with the N(1) format stands for Nippon?

[
Member T-Mar's response:

https://www.bikeforums.net/21151985-post2255.html

Originally Posted by T-Mar
There's a 2011 Korn Ferry Institute article on Georgina Terry, where it is reported that her supplier, Tano, copied her frame design for use on Centurion models, which they manufactured for WSI. We know that Centurion introduced the Terry style Ironman Expert Women's model in 1987, followed by the LeMans Proportional in 1988. Samples of these bicycles in my database show them having S/N with N-codes. This would seem to be reliable information suggesting that the N-codes represent Tano. However, the sole 1987 Terry S/N I've found is an S-code. While it's possible that Tano used a different prefix for different customers, this does not appear to have been a common practice among manufacturers and is enough to leave some doubt as to the manufacturer of the N-codes. Still, Tano is currently my leading candidate for the N-codes. In addition to the article statement, Tano is generally cited as being the original Centurion source and is often reported as being WSI's major supplier in the 1980s.

In neither response does member T-Mar say the source of his 2006 assertion of "reportedly Tano".

In both responses member T-Mar cites an article in 2011 publication of the Korn Ferry Institute
written by Lawrence M. Fisher entitled "Georgena Terry's Long-Distance Ride".
(Note: In both responses member T-Mar spelt Georgena incorrectly.)

In the second response member T-Mar also adds a new assertion:

Originally Posted by T-Mar
In addition to the article statement, Tano is generally cited as being the original Centurion source and is often reported as being WSI's major supplier in the 1980s.
From what I have seen this assertion is true. Other sources do credit H. Tano and Company with suppling bicycles to Western States Imports(WSI) or their predecessor organization.

These sources do not say that H. Tano and Company manufactered the bicycles or any part of the bicycles.

Is the Korn Ferry Institute article a credible confirmation?
What is the Korn Ferry Institute?





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