Vintage Bridgestone Skyway with disc brakes? Early Seventies?
09-13-13, 10:04 PM
#1
Long haired freak.
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Vintage Bridgestone Skyway with disc brakes? Early Seventies?
I have a trade pending for this bike here:
https://classifieds.castanet.net/deta...ue_26/1284343/
I was offering a 2010 GT Ruckus with Hayes Nines (8" rotors), King Headset, Ringle rear hub, etc. A nice dirtjumper that I cant ride anymore do to health constraints. Was looking for a unique bike to use for commuting and tinkering and kinda fell in love with that Bridgestone.
Question is of course whether or not it's worthwhile or is that just a quirky bike full of headaches.
https://classifieds.castanet.net/deta...ue_26/1284343/
I was offering a 2010 GT Ruckus with Hayes Nines (8" rotors), King Headset, Ringle rear hub, etc. A nice dirtjumper that I cant ride anymore do to health constraints. Was looking for a unique bike to use for commuting and tinkering and kinda fell in love with that Bridgestone.
Question is of course whether or not it's worthwhile or is that just a quirky bike full of headaches.
__________________
"the bus came by and I got on, that's when it all began...there was Cowboy Neal at the wheel of a bus to never-ever land."
"the bus came by and I got on, that's when it all began...there was Cowboy Neal at the wheel of a bus to never-ever land."
09-14-13, 05:58 AM
#2
Thrifty Bill
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Unique? For sure. As something to display in the window of a bike shop or restaurant, it would be pretty amazing. I'd probably do it.
As something to commute on, it would be dreadful. Heavy, bottom of the barrel components, looks like FFS (read up on those, avoid). Department store bikes in the 1970s had those disk brakes, they were awful.
As something to commute on, it would be dreadful. Heavy, bottom of the barrel components, looks like FFS (read up on those, avoid). Department store bikes in the 1970s had those disk brakes, they were awful.
09-14-13, 08:13 AM
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The subject bicycles appears to be a circa 1972-1973, Japanese market model. It is quite different from the North American market Skyways.
The frame construction is one one of Bridgestone's proprietary die cast frames. The tube ends are plugged and flared, then the the aluminum lugs are cast around the tubes. This eliminated the variantion inherent in hand brazing and allowed the joining of dissimilar materials. The Skyway was a hi-tensile frame but this one exhibits a highly reflective top tube reminescent of the Submariner's stainless steel main tubess and I wonder if this one might be stainless and hi-tensile. Another difference from the North American version is the cost oncession of crimping the stays to the rear dropouts. The frame may use an internally expanding seat post as the cinch bolt ears on the die cast lugs turned out to be very brittle. It's hard to tell which version this is, as it is being used as a rack mounting point. Regardless, carefully inspect the lug ears, should you decide to view it.
The components are all entry level. The crankset is not a Front Freewheel System unit but a Bridgestone Oval, so the only thing different is the shape of the chainrings, The rear disc appears appears to be Bridgestone's own Super Disc as opposed to a Shimano disc. The shifting sytem is entry level with Shimano S-Super Shifters paired to what appears to be a Lark variant rear derailleur, possibly the early Sky Lark. The front derailleur does not appear to be Shimano but a replacemet Sun Tour Spirt. I see no aluminum components on it with the exceptions of the stam and shifters. The NOrht American version of the Skyway with a Super Disc weighed in the mid-30 lb range but with the racks, fenders and lighting system this one should easily be 40+ lbs.
As noted, it is rare and unique (in North America) However, it is alos entry level and very heavy. Whether it's uniqueness offests the heavy weight and asking price is personal opinion. For it to interest me, it would have to be about 1/3 of the asking price.
(21)
The frame construction is one one of Bridgestone's proprietary die cast frames. The tube ends are plugged and flared, then the the aluminum lugs are cast around the tubes. This eliminated the variantion inherent in hand brazing and allowed the joining of dissimilar materials. The Skyway was a hi-tensile frame but this one exhibits a highly reflective top tube reminescent of the Submariner's stainless steel main tubess and I wonder if this one might be stainless and hi-tensile. Another difference from the North American version is the cost oncession of crimping the stays to the rear dropouts. The frame may use an internally expanding seat post as the cinch bolt ears on the die cast lugs turned out to be very brittle. It's hard to tell which version this is, as it is being used as a rack mounting point. Regardless, carefully inspect the lug ears, should you decide to view it.
The components are all entry level. The crankset is not a Front Freewheel System unit but a Bridgestone Oval, so the only thing different is the shape of the chainrings, The rear disc appears appears to be Bridgestone's own Super Disc as opposed to a Shimano disc. The shifting sytem is entry level with Shimano S-Super Shifters paired to what appears to be a Lark variant rear derailleur, possibly the early Sky Lark. The front derailleur does not appear to be Shimano but a replacemet Sun Tour Spirt. I see no aluminum components on it with the exceptions of the stam and shifters. The NOrht American version of the Skyway with a Super Disc weighed in the mid-30 lb range but with the racks, fenders and lighting system this one should easily be 40+ lbs.
As noted, it is rare and unique (in North America) However, it is alos entry level and very heavy. Whether it's uniqueness offests the heavy weight and asking price is personal opinion. For it to interest me, it would have to be about 1/3 of the asking price.
(21)
09-14-13, 04:03 PM
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That helped me out lots, thanks T-Mar. I'm now not so keen after viewing the pictures a bit more. I'll still most likely take a look at it and view it in person, but the more i look at it the less I love it.
Thank you
Thank you
__________________
"the bus came by and I got on, that's when it all began...there was Cowboy Neal at the wheel of a bus to never-ever land."
"the bus came by and I got on, that's when it all began...there was Cowboy Neal at the wheel of a bus to never-ever land."
09-14-13, 04:27 PM
#5
Still learning
I think if you were a member of the Shriners and had a Fez, it would be the perfect parade bike!
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