notgr

I picked up a track frameset + wheelset at a swap meet over the weekend, and I'm hoping someone can help point me towards figuring out what it is. (The cockpit, saddle, post, and cranks in the pictures are just parts I had sitting around, because who can resist a little visualization?)

It's got an NJS stamp and the serial seems to indicate a build year of 1983, which is consistent with the Dura-Ace 7320 hubs on the wheels. It also has a "V" stamp, which might suggest Vivalo or Vogue or ??



Beyond that, I'm stumped. It has some interesting details. I've not seen another NJS frame with wraparound seat stays. It's a detail I more associate with British bikes.



The lugs have no cutouts and seem very minimalistic and carefully filed.





The dropouts are Shimano UFP-10s, which further supports the '83 model year. They're filed to points where they connect to the stays, which is a detail I like.



For posterity, here's a full side view. I cannot emphasize enough that I won't be riding it with that cockpit, no matter how much I like the look.



Anyone have thoughts or insights here? Or a 7500 crankset sitting around? Those Ofmega road cranks are very much placeholders.

delicious

Cool bike. Early Vivalo seems like a good guess - the serial format roughly matches this one: https://villaveloframes.wordpress.co...ivalo-special/

P!N20

Good spot. Interestingly the (V) stamp doesn't seem to appear on any of the examples I can find online. Even the serial number placement seems to differ, although that may be due to the lack of drain holes.

The part wrapped seat stay caps look more akin to a British road frame than a Japanese Keirin frame! Again, I can't find any Vivalos online that have this detail - maybe some have a slight curve at the top of the cap.

The fork crown looks very Vivalo, but the lack of any engravings anywhere adds to the confusion. Custom job? Apprentice framebuilder? You'd have to say it was a Vivalo though.

But really, we just want to see pictures of the OP's 3Rensho!

P!N20

I'm wondering if the 'brake' bridge has this detail:



Similarly, the chainstay bridge:

Catnap 

I think you're correct about the timeline / year it was built as the rear drop-outs and the curved seat stay caps are both indicative of a bike made in the early 80s. As others noted, curved seat stay caps with no engraving are uncommon among NJS bikes, meaning it's either an early build from a manufacturer that later used engraved seat stay caps, or from one that fully pre-dates that, such as King Speed, Everest, Katakura Silk, etc.

notgr

Thanks everyone for the various leads. There’s a bit of a delay in my replying because about an hour after I posted I learned my partner and I will be moving 700 miles by the end of March. Lots of scrambling logistics, including 25 or so bikes to move.

It’s nice to have some agreement that it’s a somewhat unusual frame. I like the idea of it being from a builder from an era that predates the “modern” field of NJS builders.

It does not. The seat stay bridge has pretty standard cutouts, if my Gan Well is anything to go by. I’d get a picture, but I’m not currently in a place to.

Best picture I have. The decals are knockoff. I have a NOS set for when I eventually have it repainted and cleared.

Catnap 

I did some searching and it seems that Bridgestone used that seatstay treatment on their Grand Velo bikes in the 80s.

Here's a Grand Velo track for example: https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/...ng=en&rc=yaucc



However, the serial number on the BB includes a stamping of "BS" (Bridgestone) so that might disqualify yours from being a Grand Velo.

notgr

Just thought I'd post an update now that the bike is together. I managed to track down a 7500 crankset to match the hubs, which I'm pretty excited about. Still haven't been able to identify the frame.

juvela

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Very fine job; looking most sharp!


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this is the latest use have seen of one of these shells with a notch for the tooth of a lock washer

previous latest was 1974

wonder if it represents a case of using up old stock found in the back of the warehouse...

other examples -









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