A Fake 3Rensho?
01-02-23, 01:31 AM
#26
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None of the details in this bike are 3R except the decals. Hasn’t this bike been posted before in a thread about making a 3R I can’t afford?
01-02-23, 06:45 AM
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01-02-23, 06:59 AM
#28
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Does the serial format match up to any known ones?
I think it's hard to get a good return on your investment taking a decent quality Japanese frameset and turning into a highend brand and only selling it for the price of the kit on the bike.
I think I'd buy it, although with the knowledge I might be buying a Nishiki, SR or Centurion (I just picked three brands at random) because I could likely get most of my money back reselling it as kit and frame.
I think it's hard to get a good return on your investment taking a decent quality Japanese frameset and turning into a highend brand and only selling it for the price of the kit on the bike.
I think I'd buy it, although with the knowledge I might be buying a Nishiki, SR or Centurion (I just picked three brands at random) because I could likely get most of my money back reselling it as kit and frame.
01-02-23, 07:03 AM
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I'd be afraid of the rust under the paint. You can see it coming out on the headset and dropouts. The more you look, the more rust you see. The CL listing should be flagged until the poster puts some clarification/disclosure in the title. Save some potential buyers some time and gas money.
Last edited by seypat; 01-02-23 at 07:09 AM.
01-02-23, 10:22 AM
#31
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here is a real 3 rensho katana for sale in comparison, price of the frame alone is 1800$ and this one is real thing
01-03-23, 11:03 AM
#32
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This may be an authentic 3Rensho. Not all 3Renshos had offset forks, the distinctive cast "Superend" dropouts, or engraved seat stay caps. They had fairly large sales of entry-level models that lacked any of the features associated with the collectable 3Renshos; I've seen many of them pop up on Japanese auction sites. In the USA, they were sometimes, but not always, sold under the "3Rensho Athlete" moniker.
Instead of asking "is this legit?" the question should be, what do you want in a 3Rensho and what do you want to pay for that? If you want it because you're deeply interested in the brand and/or want a premium Japanese steel bike, pass on this one because it's not a great example of a 3Rensho, legit or otherwise. Be ready to shell out the big $$$'s if you want a 3Rensho that's unquestionably legit and handmade in the 3Rensho shop, as opposed to a mass-produced model. For this bike, if you like it for what it is and what it's priced at, go for it. Just don't fool yourself that it's going to be worth a lot if/when you sell it, because it's clearly not a premium steel bike and the provenance will always be in question due to the lack of the traditional features that identify it as a 3Rensho.
Instead of asking "is this legit?" the question should be, what do you want in a 3Rensho and what do you want to pay for that? If you want it because you're deeply interested in the brand and/or want a premium Japanese steel bike, pass on this one because it's not a great example of a 3Rensho, legit or otherwise. Be ready to shell out the big $$$'s if you want a 3Rensho that's unquestionably legit and handmade in the 3Rensho shop, as opposed to a mass-produced model. For this bike, if you like it for what it is and what it's priced at, go for it. Just don't fool yourself that it's going to be worth a lot if/when you sell it, because it's clearly not a premium steel bike and the provenance will always be in question due to the lack of the traditional features that identify it as a 3Rensho.
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Check out www.djcatnap.com for articles on vintage Japanese & French bicycle restorations, components and history.
Check out www.djcatnap.com for articles on vintage Japanese & French bicycle restorations, components and history.
Last edited by Catnap; 01-03-23 at 11:09 AM.
01-03-23, 11:12 AM
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This may be an authentic 3Rensho. Not all 3Renshos had offset forks, the distinctive cast "Superend" dropouts, or engraved seat stay caps. They had fairly large sales of entry-level models that lacked any of the features associated with the collectable 3Renshos; I've seen many of them pop up on Japanese auction sites. In the USA, they were sometimes, but not always, sold under the "3Rensho Athlete" moniker.
Instead of asking "is this legit?" the question should be, what do you want in a 3Rensho and what do you want to pay for that? If you want it because you're deeply interested in the brand and/or want a premium Japanese steel bike, pass on this one because it's not a great example of a 3Rensho, legit or otherwise. Be ready to shell out the big $$$'s if you want a 3Rensho that's unquestionably legit and handmade in the 3Rensho shop, as opposed to a mass-produced model. For this bike, if you like it for what it is and what it's priced at, go for it. Just don't fool yourself that it's going to be worth a lot if/when you sell it, because it's clearly not a premium steel bike and the provenance will always be in question due to the lack of the traditional features that identify it as a 3Rensho.
Instead of asking "is this legit?" the question should be, what do you want in a 3Rensho and what do you want to pay for that? If you want it because you're deeply interested in the brand and/or want a premium Japanese steel bike, pass on this one because it's not a great example of a 3Rensho, legit or otherwise. Be ready to shell out the big $$$'s if you want a 3Rensho that's unquestionably legit and handmade in the 3Rensho shop, as opposed to a mass-produced model. For this bike, if you like it for what it is and what it's priced at, go for it. Just don't fool yourself that it's going to be worth a lot if/when you sell it, because it's clearly not a premium steel bike and the provenance will always be in question due to the lack of the traditional features that identify it as a 3Rensho.
01-03-23, 05:13 PM
#34
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Yes, I was wondering the same thing, could it be the lighting. I take it this bike has passed through a few hands, it would be nice if cdaniels would chime in with a bit of history.
Best, Ben
Best, Ben
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01-03-23, 07:56 PM
#35
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I must say that someone did an excellent job with the paint and decals. I would probably give it a second look if it were local.
