baumgrenze

I have a black, 23" (58.4 cm) Detel Marathon 2000. It was built from Ishikawa 025 tubing (not 022 or 024 as many web references suggest.) It was my commute bicycle from 1986 (when the Reynolds 531 tubing Sears-Roebuck bike I previously rode failed at a braze, at the stem as I recall) until 2002, when a very conscientious local bicycle dealer told me to walk it home and not ride it until I'd rebuilt the wheels. I'd come to his shop to get a new spoke. The spokes were rusty. I bought the spokes and nipples and somehow never found time to work on the wheels. It spent the last ~15 years in northern California sunshine and rain. The chain is badly rusted and stiff, but I opened a link and removed it. The steering, crank, and front and rear axles all move smoothly. When I used and maintained it, I used Phil's waterproof lubricants. There are two small places where the paint was lost to a scrape in time out of mind.

When I got it, I removed the original shifters and installed Suntour handlebar. I ran the cables inside the handlebar past the curves to within 4" either side of the stem. Otherwise I believe the components are what came from the factory.

I'd post some images, but I have too few posts to qualify.

thanks
baumgrenze

unterhausen

moved here from user assistance.

I have never heard of that brand, good pictures will help people answer your questions

juvela

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Is/was your Sears Reynolds 531 machine one of these:


Big Al?s Sears Ted Williams Free Spirit | Old Ten Speed Gallery

Suspect tubing manufacturer you mention may be Ishiwata rather than Ishikawa. Just mentioning in case it may assist you in any searches you may wish to make.

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Kevindale

Take a variety of good photos; post them on a photo hosting site like Imgur or Flickr; post link to photos here. If you lack of posting causes the site to block the full link from showing up, then post the like without the "https:" part or something like that. Also, are you just looking for information, or are you thinking of selling it, or restoring it for yourself?

bargainguy

Detel was a short-lived brand started by Brent Emery, an Olympic cyclist from Milwaukee who still operates a shop there. His idea was to import Ishiwata frames, build them up with parts and sell them as branded bikes. Apparently shortly into that venture, some investors pulled out, and I think the brand was out of business in less than a year.

There were two models produced, the Legend and the Marathon, and the only difference I remember was the particular Ishiwata tubing used in each. There may have been parts differences as well, but the parts were fairly pedestrian, so it's not exactly like one model had high-end parts and the other didn't.

I've seen a few Detels. Most of the value is in the Ishiwata frame rather than the entire bike. Otherwise there is nothing much to distinguish these bikes from comparable models from more well-known brands.

CuttersRidge

Stickers for Detels often say they were made in Green Bay.

Budget Bicycle Center often has high prices, they seem to have a vast amount of bikes. Here is a Detel Marathon there.

https://budgetbicyclectr.com/1985-de...d-bicycle.html

One was on our CL lately but too small. Another one was on about a year ago, I believe one of those silver or gray Marathons. I'm sure they are good bikes.

I'd look at one in good condition to sell say from $150-$200 in the Midwest area, Wisconsin etc. If one is on the West coast, maybe the cost changes some.

Here is a Detel Legend 4000, I think there actually 2 different Legends, 4000 and 6000 as the ad says.

https://madison.craigslist.org/bik/6123009435.html
DETEL Legend 4000 built in Green Bay Wi! - $200



The Detel Legend 4000 is in Very Good Shape, Everything moves as it should. These bikes are hard to come by as they where only built for a Very Short Time! So if interested let me know. Serious Buyers Only Please. I am Asking $200 for the bike.
You will need to email or text to set up a time to look at the bike. Please Include the name of the bike Detel in ANY Text show contact info so I know which bike your interested in.

Details: Detel Bikes were made in the USA for less than a year in 1985 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They went out of business about seven months after production began when they did not have the cash promised to start up, or as some say, an investor backed out. Once the company went out of business the bikes were mostly given away as bonuses by companies selling autos or appliances, although quite a few were sold in real bicycle stores. They have been found with Ohio bicycle store labels on them. Only two models were made, the higher-end Marathon (Ishiwata 022) and the more standard Legend (Ishiwata 024). There was also a numeric designation (either 6000 or 4000) added to the model name to indicate the grade of the componentry.

baumgrenze

Thank you everyone for your contributions to this thread. I will try to get back to it again tomorrow.

To answer one important question, at age 77 with vision problems among other things, I am looking to sell and hope for an honest opinion regarding the value to a restorer.

From my end, I will try to put together an honest description and some photos on Imgur or Flickr and post a 'pseudolink' if that does not offend the moderators.

thanks
baumgrenze

thanks

baumgrenze

I apologize for being so slow to get back with access to some photos (one each side.)

I just posted 2 to Imgur. They display together here:

(Please copy and paste - I have 6 posts and 10 are needed, even with a trial premium account, to post an image.)

imgur.com/a/qAXsI

I also have a repair stand I no longer need. I posted it on the forums here:

Bike Forums > Community Connections > Regional Discussions > Northern California

with this subject heading:

New Member - Attach and Image? - Catch22?

I have a box containing tools and vintage parts which I've photographed. It includes a full set of DT Swiss spokes and nipples to rebuild the wheels.

Let's see how this post works.

thanks
baumgrenze

baumgrenze

I was asked for some pictures.

Here is a link to the 2 images I posted to Imgur, one from each side. They display together here:

https://imgur.com/a/qAXsI

You can see that the chain is rusted beyond recovery. Both axels turn smoothly as does the crank and steering. The chainrings are 62 & 39, and the rear cluster is (was) 14, 17, 20, 24, and 28; I had the bike set up for flatland commuting. The crank arms SR Melt Forging (eagle logo) and are stamped 171.5 mm. I cannot read the date. You can see the Suntour handlebar shifters I moved from the Free Spirit to the Detel.

I also have a repair stand I no longer need. I posted it on the forums here:

https://www.bikeforums.net/northern-california/1110453-new-member-attach-image-catch22.html

I have a box containing tools and vintage parts which I've photographed. It includes a full set of DT Swiss spokes and nipples to rebuild the wheels. Would it make sense to list everything in one craigslist posting?

Should I create an album of parts images on Imgur? I can tell Campagnolo from Shimano but knowing which exact part may prove to be beyond my ability.

I have images of all the components on the Detel if they are of interest.

thanks
baumgrenze

Bikemery

bargainguy, Hi, I am Brent Emery. The founder of Detel Bicycles was Louis Lacount. It was his company. I was hired as the plant manager just off my retiring off the bike racing circuit after I medaled at the 1984 Olympics. The rest of your recollection is correct. Keep the pedals turning, Brent

baumgrenze

I'm glad to see that Brent Emery took the time to correct one of the errors about Detel on this forum.


The Marathon 2000 I described in the OP was clearly built on a complete 025 CrMo Ishiwata frame (main tubes, head tube, fork blades and rear stays) so Detel did not exclusively use 022 and 024 tubing. The 022 frame was called 'Speed Gallant,' the 024, Ultra Strong,' and the 025, 'Super Cyclist.' You can learn a lot more here by perusing their catalog pages in pdf format:


Ishiwata Tubing Catalog circa early 1980's


For a more detailed look at Brent Emery's athletic career look here:


https://www.emerys.com/about/brent-e...reer-pg101.htm


Also there is a briefer Wikipedia entry at:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brent_Emery


I tried to learn more about Louis Lacount (Google "Louis Lacount" and "WI") but gave up reading legalese.


I enjoyed commuting to work on my Detel! Nice bike; nice ride.


baumgrenze

CasatiCosmo

Hi Brent,
I've got a deep green metallic Detel Legend 8000 which appears to be pretty much all original and in excellent condition. With everything I have found, there is no such model. Any ideas?
Thanks, CasatiCosmo