What were/are top-end japanese frames?
05-29-21, 07:59 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 2,820
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1106 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,328 Times
in
784 Posts
What were/are top-end japanese frames?
Asking for a friend - well, no, not a friend, just a fellow who asked me; but he says he wants period correct original condition 80's 56-58cm as he wants to put a Superbe Pro groupset on it. I do not know what his budget is but if he knows all those words I suspect he's not looking for cheap. Bikes that recent aren't my thing, what should he look for?
05-29-21, 08:07 AM
#2
Forum Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kalamazoo MI
Posts: 20,650
Bikes: Fuji SL2.1 Carbon Di2 Cannondale Synapse Alloy 4 Trek Checkpoint ALR-5 Viscount Aerospace Pro Colnago Classic Rabobank Schwinn Waterford PMount Raleigh C50 Cromoly Hybrid Legnano Tipo Roma Pista
Mentioned: 59 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3090 Post(s)
Liked 6,595 Times
in
3,781 Posts
Team Panasonic
Fuji Opus III
Team Miyata
3Rensho
Zunow
Bridgestone RB-1
Centurion Prestige
Fuji Opus III
Team Miyata
3Rensho
Zunow
Bridgestone RB-1
Centurion Prestige
__________________
Last edited by cb400bill; 05-29-21 at 08:12 AM.
Likes For cb400bill:
05-29-21, 08:25 AM
#3
aka: Dr. Cannondale
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,733
Mentioned: 234 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2155 Post(s)
Liked 3,404 Times
in
1,205 Posts
Schwinn Peloton and Schwinn Prologue, both made by Panasonic for Schwinn.
Miyata 1200
Miyata 1200
__________________
Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
Likes For rccardr:
05-29-21, 08:46 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Utah
Posts: 8,671
Bikes: Paletti,Pinarello Monviso,Duell Vienna,Giordana XL Super,Lemond Maillot Juane.& custom,PDG Paramount,Fuji Opus III,Davidson Impulse,Pashley Guv'nor,Evans,Fishlips,Y-Foil,Softride, Tetra Pro, CAAD8 Optimo,
Mentioned: 156 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2323 Post(s)
Liked 4,988 Times
in
1,776 Posts
Yep, to echo the above comments.
Fuji Opus III is superb:
With Superbe Pro, good stuff!
My Prologue was a bit rough cosmetically but such a fine ride!
Dura Ace goodness
Tange Prestige is quality stuff!
Fuji Opus III is superb:
With Superbe Pro, good stuff!
My Prologue was a bit rough cosmetically but such a fine ride!
Dura Ace goodness
Tange Prestige is quality stuff!
__________________
Steel is real...and comfy.
Steel is real...and comfy.
Likes For jamesdak:
05-29-21, 08:52 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 3,299
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1143 Post(s)
Liked 1,740 Times
in
961 Posts
I'm very happy with the Nishiki Competition. I am also on the the bandwagon for the Univega Gran Premio, and Miyata Professional, those round out my Japanese built.
05-29-21, 08:52 AM
#6
Pedal to the medal
Any of the top models from the Japanese marks, beyond the ones mentioned above, Univega made some beautiful bikes. Well, they were built by Miyata, but still beautiful.
05-29-21, 11:52 AM
#7
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,798
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1393 Post(s)
Liked 1,324 Times
in
836 Posts
I do like my 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10 mountain bike, which reportedly nearly matches a high end Panasonic model in geometry and Tange Prestige tubing specs.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
05-29-21, 12:28 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 3,265
Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1088 Post(s)
Liked 1,205 Times
in
701 Posts
Univega Competizione -- mine is an 82 that had Cyclone MKII stock, but I think the next year (?) they started using Superbe. Made of Champion #1.
Last edited by noobinsf; 05-29-21 at 01:18 PM.
Likes For noobinsf:
05-29-21, 12:55 PM
#11
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 17,962
Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10424 Post(s)
Liked 11,898 Times
in
6,094 Posts
What about the top end of Lotus bikes, during the time when they were being built by Tsunoda? My Supreme is build out of Tange Champion #2 tubing.
__________________
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
"Don't take life so serious-it ain't nohow permanent."
"Everybody's gotta be somewhere." - Eccles
Last edited by genejockey; 05-29-21 at 12:59 PM.
Likes For genejockey:
05-29-21, 08:09 PM
#12
_______
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 65
Bikes: Merckx Corsa Extra, Ciocc Mockba, Zeus Victoria, Serotta CDA, Willier Cento 1SR, Pinarello FP Quattro, Teledyne Titan, Chesini Arena Precision 83, Denti Master, De Rosa 35th Anniversario, 3Rensho Super Record, Koga Miyata Full Pro, Klein Rascal
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 21 Post(s)
Liked 127 Times
in
31 Posts
I’m loving my 3Rensho and the workmanship is really beautiful.
Likes For joluja:
05-29-21, 11:42 PM
#13
Master Parts Rearranger
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,403
Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present
Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1556 Post(s)
Liked 2,024 Times
in
989 Posts
Hope your friend/acquaintance is ready to pay some serious coin for both a top-flight frameset as well as Superbe Pro groupset (if he doesn't have it already). Market is NUTS right now.
05-30-21, 12:45 AM
#14
(rhymes with spook)
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Winslow, AR
Posts: 2,788
Bikes: '83 univega gran turismo x2, '85 schwinn super le tour,'89 miyata triple cross, '91 GT tequesta, '90 yokota grizzly peak, '94 GT backwoods, '95'ish scott tampico, '98 bonty privateer, '93 mongoose crossway 625, '98 parkpre ariel, 2k'ish giant fcr3
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 919 Post(s)
Liked 745 Times
in
546 Posts
Likes For thook:
05-30-21, 12:50 AM
#15
Master Parts Rearranger
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,403
Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1985 Trek 620 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1980 Trek 510 - Other luminaries past and present
Mentioned: 221 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1556 Post(s)
Liked 2,024 Times
in
989 Posts
Likes For RiddleOfSteel:
05-30-21, 12:55 AM
#16
(rhymes with spook)
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Winslow, AR
Posts: 2,788
Bikes: '83 univega gran turismo x2, '85 schwinn super le tour,'89 miyata triple cross, '91 GT tequesta, '90 yokota grizzly peak, '94 GT backwoods, '95'ish scott tampico, '98 bonty privateer, '93 mongoose crossway 625, '98 parkpre ariel, 2k'ish giant fcr3
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 919 Post(s)
Liked 745 Times
in
546 Posts
05-30-21, 08:33 AM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 3,299
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1143 Post(s)
Liked 1,740 Times
in
961 Posts
What model year? Kawamura frames improved substantially during the 1970s. I happily put 40K miles over 20 years on my 1971 American Eagle Semi-Pro / Nishiki Competition until the seat tube lug broke away from the bottom bracket shell, and only later learned how much better some of the European frames of the time were.
