thea_vc

T-Mar,

I have a new lead. Someone from New Zealand quotes:

"The bike is probably a Sanki. I have one similar I found at the rubbish transfer station, which I am currently restoring/embellishing. Mine was similar in aspects, different in other ways. It shares the fluted tubing, and has decals in that area (similar to what you can just see on the original photo). It also has dia-compe centre pulls, chromed fork ends (but not chain/seat stays), chromed stamped cover at the top part of the fork etc. What I can see of the lugs looks similar, but it did not have brazeons for a pump or the rear brake cable.

I would be interested in knowing more about this brand of bike, as googling doesn't show alot, apart from a craiglist add in california. I don't think its anything particularly special build wise, but maybe rare(ish)/unique now."

And he is right... there is not much on the net about that particular brand. Any ideas?

East Hill

There are quite a few city directories available at the Havre Library (which is a Carnegie Library, by the way)

https://www.mtha.mt.lib.org/ipac20/ip...rch&ri=1#focus

I did not get anywhere searching for telephone directories, but you would definitely want to ask. The city directories may give you the information needed anyway. Check for advertisements in the city directories, not just the text.

East Hill

T-Mar

Glad to hear that you got a lead. Sanki is new to me, so I cannot add to anything that you have found on the web. However, it does appear to match the few descriptions on the web, with the exception of that 70mm wide bottom bracket shell. The web references indicate Japanese manufacture, which makes sense for the era and components, but I would have expected a 68mm wide bottom bracket shell.

Contact info for Braxton's was:
2100 South Avenue W,
Missoula MT 59801
(406)549-2513

Good luck! Keep us informed.

thea_vc

Wow, just like he said some things are the same, ie, the fluted frame & the checkerboard decals, chromed fork ends, center pulls, possibly the lugs. And...

Some things are different, ie. no pump pegs, no rear brake cable, and to me the other decals with the brand labeling are totally different. It's still questionable.

Roll-Monroe-Co

Might also look at some microfiched newspapers (or the real ones, if they still have them). Maybe you'd find an ad for the shop that would give a clue.

T-Mar

I also noticed that the pictured bicycle does not appear to have crimped stays like yours. Some of those differences could be easily explained if your model was one step higher ot lower or from a different model year. What disturbs me is that the name did not appear to ring a bell with you. Of course, Sanki may have produced several brands with similar frames. Still, I think the fluted tubes are the critical factor and this is the best candidate we have, so it warrants further investigation.

The clincher would probably be the serial number. Assuming that your frame is a Sanki and knowing it was purchased in 1973 allows us to apply reverse engineering. Your serial number is S2110C461. The leading S probably designates Sanki. Then the sixth character is also a letter, in your case a C. I suspect this represents the year, with C being the 3rd year of the decade (i.e. 1973). Of course this is only hypothetical, but if the pictured bicycle has a matching serial number format (i.e. Snnnnlnnn, where n = number and l = letter), then that would would give me very high confidence that your bicycle is a Sanki, even if it was sold under a different brand name.

tspoon

I only just noticed this thread here. I can give some more info on the frame I have. The serial # is MYD5493. The bottom bracket is 68mm. The seat tube I.D is 26.1 or thereabouts. As noted the rear dropouts are not crimped on this model, although they are stamped, but look slightly different to the ones belonging to thea_vc. The makers decal on the seat tube is not fully readable, but what I can salvage is '(something) Bea Cycle Co'. The picture is of some sort of lion-like creature, with a crown in front. There is no longer any detectable lettering on the head badge.
I'm thinking that this frame was sold under different brand names in different countries perhaps. The componants on mine were similar, although clearly some were not original. The steel rims were dimpled. The front hub was a 'Chair' brand high flange alloy. The rear hub is a steel low flange type marked only with "Suzue, Japan", although the chain spoke protector is a Suntour, and the two prong 13-26 5 speed freewheel is likely a Suntour brand too. The rear axle is bolt-type and not high tensile or in any way strong. The front hub is quick release. The brakes were Dia-compe centre pull, with quick release type hangers. I no longer have the Drop Bars or levers, the only thing I recall is how narrow they were. The gear derailleurs were bottom line Shimano, from a later era I'm thinking, as the rear was the el cheapo Index compatible model. The shifters were plastic shimano stem mounted and the downtube guides,stops were Shimano bolt-on models. The only thing written on the stem is AP70.
I hope this is some help. While some parts of my frame are of slightly better quality, the componants were probably inferior to those on that belonging to thea_vc, which is why I belive they may have been sold under different brand names.

edit: I just noticed on the fork steerer tube the stamping: Tange Made In Japan 9C

luker

again, y'all are probably right. the bikes were made in the same japanese factories and sold to different retailers, just like today, except probably not japanese any more. I think the strangest thing is that a smaller frame manufacturer managed to market to both New Zealand and Montana at the same, or very nearly the same, time frame.

cooker

Here's an earlier Sanki thread
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=229666


easychaironfire's bike sounds like yours.

T-Mar

Unfortunately, the serial numbers formats of the frames owned by thea vc and tspoon are not even remotely similar. This would suggest different manufacturers, though there is the possibility that some frames were subcontracted. The other possibility is the fluted tubes were actually a standard offering by a tube manufacture, as opposed to being proprietary to a bicycle manufacturer. It would be interesting to get pics and the serial numbers for the bicycles owned by easychaironfire and gearandgreens.

BlankCrows

Just last month there was this thread about a Jupiter Beat from Japan with even funkier tubing. The linked images in the thread apparently didn't survive but I recall similar long checkered decals as I commented on them there.

Perhaps a cousin of yours and at least a competitor. Wild stickers and different looking tubing were all it took to hook some customers during the boom.

Looks like it survived a few decades in good shape! I remember my bike boom ride didn't look so nice after a couple years. A good example of how boys and girls treat their stuff differently. Yours is repainted but as I recall mine wasn't even worthy of that.

(EDIT: Below, T-Mar has added links to the photos in that thread.)

cooker

The thread I linked mentioned that Jupiter and Sanki were connected.

T-Mar

I concur that this avenue would also be worth pursuing. Despite the hexagonal tubing, it does have the checkerboard decals and more importantly the cyclindrical cable stop and wire chain protector. It's hard to tell from the pic, but the stays look crimped.


https://s224.photobucket.com/albums/d...t=P1010007.jpg
https://s224.photobucket.com/albums/d...t=P1010006.jpg
https://s224.photobucket.com/albums/d...t=P1010005.jpg

BlankCrows

Hmmm, the seat tube sticker is identical on the Jupiter Beat and the old birthday photo!

And that crown logo is on the headbadge as well with the brand name.

East Hill

Could Thea be closing in on the identity of her mystery bike?

Stay tuned....

East Hill

tspoon

Actually I just took another look at the makers decal on the seat tube of mine. Where I previously posted that it said "(something) Bea Bicycle Co", on second inspection, and knowing what to look for I could discern a 't' as well, which makes it "(something) Beat Bicycle Co". we are starting to close in, on my frame at any rate, if not thea_vc's as well.

thea_vc

OMG you guys..... That is IT! Jupiter Beat ~ I recall the crown now! YOU GUYS ROCK!

East Hill

Another mystery solved !



A round of applause and some huzzahs for the sleuths!

East Hill