WGB 

I saw this bike for sale on CL with bad photo simply stating "27 bike" with a price and thought possible donor wheels...

The next day there was another ad on CL, a very angry ad about the retailer of the bike. Per the new ad.

"Watch scam-27"-10 speed bike 25.00 Williamsville

Its a scam all u get is comercial garbadge,report this scum bug,maybe he,ll get off welfare and find a real job.the looser."

I googled the sellers address and saw it was a very very nice neighborhood and wondered. Neighbor dispute? Disgruntled ex-employee? Years ago I went to look at a Corvette and the seller and the neighbor both had pistols on their belts and screamed at each other and I didn't want that again so I wasn't sure if it was worth it to go look a this bike.

After a week I emailed the seller and he replied it was a

"SEEKING, probably Chinese. Alloy rims, crank set, handlebar"

then another reply said
"Cromoly steel frame, fully lugged, alloy rims, crank set, handle bar, no name hardware, good rubber, ready to ride.
smaller frame - good for a rider about 5' 6" or so.
I'm 5'11" and the bike is too small for me."

I went and looked and I got it. Seller was an older man who rides a Giant hybrid and he got it from an elderly neighbor. I saw immediately it was Japanese writing and not Chinese on the bike. It needs a good cleaning and there is a tiny bit of rust. It has no pretensions it just looks like a nice little bike and I think I think I did okay for way, way less than the price of a new Campy chain. Seller seemed to be a complete gentleman and had no idea who had posted the second ad, he did say he had had several other inquiries.

I think the person who posted the ad was a flipper who saw a road bike cheap, worked out "SEEKING"was Sekine and assumed when the seller said Chinese that it was just another Walmart, mainland China bike. Having said that, there was no justification for his or her follow up ad that I could see.

Please forgive the non drive side photo, its raining and I'm not getting wet and yes, I know the rear wheel is out of the dropouts but I am going out with the family and didn't want to get my hands and suit dirty, will clean tomorrow.

Serial number of W 43432. Per T-Mar "there's a difference of opinion on the interpretation of the Sekine serial number format. Yours is either April 1971 or April 1972."

Bars are Sakae Custom (unknown stem). The black tape was where a bell sat.

Derailleurs are Suntour as are shifters.

Actual brakes were made by Anonymous as were the gear wheels and brakes.

It still has the tire saver mounted to the front brake, though not the rear.

Brake levers show serious scuffing. There is a name, but not sure as printing is very much gone.

Cranks are marked "Maxy" and forged 165. Pedals might be Suntour, just wasn't getting on my knees in a suit.

Rims are Trek Matrix 700 meaning someone switched out the original 27's, more good for me. The hubs are Suntour.

Tires are Kenda 23mm and very new

Seat is a Trico Sports Memoflex with big springs under it. That will go as I think it looks terrible on this bike.

The seat tube has a "Claytons" bike store sticker (I think they are now Campus Wheelworks in Buffalo) though the street address has changed.

It has a City of Buffalo bike licence expirying March 31st, 1975.

There is a sticker on the down tube stating "World Finest Bicycle made by Sekine"

Lastly there is a "Distributed by Beacon Bicycles" sticker.

ramzilla

Looks like a fine bike to me. Somebody upgraded the brake levers & the wheels. Should clean up very nice. I don't know too much about Sekine bikes. It seems like most of them are pre-1980's items. Probably built by one of the big manufacturers like Bridgestone. Nice thing about the old Japanese bikes is that you can still get brand new threaded parts for them. Enjoy.

bikemig 

Nice catch. I picked up a Sekine SHS 271 last year and I'm looking forward to rebuilding it this year. Mine sat under a cover in someone's garage for over 30 years. There is not a heck of a lot of info on Sekines online.

Here is a catalog,

https://thesekineproject.blogspot.co...catalogue.html

I don't know how much of a "thing" this is but some Sekines have english threaded 70mm bottom brackets which means finding replacements are a pain (probably best to use a 73 mm BB and use spacers as needed to fine tune the drive line). My bike has a 70 mm BB.

And, of course, you'll want to post your catch here, https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...t-bicycle.html

Btw, evaporust will do wonders for the rusty bits.

WGB 

Thank you and t-mar for your comments. I like the bike but since it doesn't fit will move it on. I will keep the wheel set (it was supposed to be a donor bike for those anyway) and put in a spare set. I really like the bike, very light and if it fit I'd keep it if only for the quirky factor. I'm tempted to seach for a new sekine sticker for the seat tube as the current one is torn.

Any idea on value? I'm seeing 125 to 300 on sale sites in area.

bikemig 

I think this is a hi tensile steel model (stamped drop outs) so fixed up with alloy wheels $125 roughly. I figure you can always ask for more than the market price if you put in the work and detail it in the ad. Still this is not a fancy bike and the make isn't that famous in the US. Of course you're right there on the US/Canada border so that may help the value a bit assuming that Sekine was a thing in your area.

WGB 

Adding a photo of the rear of the FD. It's a Suntour Spirt. Per Sheldon Brown Suntour Spirt came out 1966, per Velobase Suntour Spirt came out in 1976. The only photo I have found was from Velobase but it's not the same printing.

T-Mar

While the subject bicycle slightly pre-dates my LBS becoming a Sekine dealer, it is a Sekine SHR, not an SHS or SHT. Basically, it's the immediate predecessor to the SHS. It would appear to be 1972 or possibly 1973 based on serial number and crank codes (discussed via P.M.).

I believe the frame is CrMo main tubes with hi-tensile stays and forks. Typically, the hi-tensile frames used top tube cable stops, while those with CrMo content used cable clips. To confirm, measure the seat post diameter, which should be ~26.6mm if the frame has a CrMo seat tube.

I see a spacer behind the bottom bracket lockring, so it appears to be consistent with the later swaged crankset Sekine models, which used a 71mm bottom bracket (70mm shell plus spacer). At least it has the standard 2 degree taper Sugino Maxy crankset, unlike the 3 degree taper SR Silver used on the later Sekine SHB/C and SHS.

The Spirt front derailleur is OEM. The Spirt definitely pre-dates 1976s but there's no evidence of them in the 1966 Maeda product line based on my 1966 literature. However, I have been able to trace them back at least as far as 1970. The Spirt on Velo-Base is the later version, which was introduced circa 1977-1978.

Regarding price, I think $300 would be a real stretch, even with OEM wheels, pedals, saddle and brake levers. If you're selling as is, without the wheelset then $50 CDN would be realistic, maybe $75 CDN to someone who actually appreciates what it is. Ready to ride with era correct wheels having aluminum rims should bring about $150 CDN.

cb400bill

T-Mar is an International Treasure.

WGB 

T-Mar - I will be going back to the Co-op where I can measure the seat post and replace the cable housing which was a mixture of black and beige. I will PM you when I have the number. Also what if any was the difference between the SHR and the GS or is the SHR the real name and GS was what some people call the pre-Canadian Sekines simply because the initials were on the headbadge? I see a lot of listings for the "Sekine GS" but all the rhinestone head badges have those initials.

And bikemig I did see that thread on Sekines. I was going to re-photo next week or so when (if) we get sun again. I prefer to photo bikes for sale in natural light.

The only issues with this Sekine (SHR - must remember that) were dirt, the Trico Sports Memoflex seat and the cable housings (the black was in good shape, the beige not so much) and the Beacon Bicycle sticker is badly torn. I may removed the sticker as I think it looks worse with it on.

I will install either a very clean steel 27 inch wheel set or an aluminum 700c set and advertise. The lowest prices I found in Ontario was $70 for a frame with mismatched rims, a SHT that really needs a tuneup and cleanup for $135 and from there they jump up. I will list for $150 and see, after all they do come with a lifetime warranty....

ramzilla

It's definitely worth more if it's all cleaned up with new bearing grease, bar tape and, other touches. Those old Spirt FD's can catch people off guard. The Spirt will put the chain up onto the big chainring when the shift lever is in the normal position. That drives a lot of people nuts. Good luck on selling it.

T-Mar

WGB, you see CS on most but not all Sekine. It stands for Cycles Sekine or Sekine Cycles. A lot of people erroneously think it stands for Canada Sekine or Sekine Canada, but its usage pre-dates the Canadian division.

As I stated earlier,the SHR was the immediate predecessor to the SHS. They are similar but not the same;

The SHR used a Suntour V/Spirt derailleur combination, while the SHS used similar level Shimano Titlist derailleurs.
The SHR used standard SunTour friction shift levers while the SHS had Shimano's Finger Tip shift levers with a counterbalanced ratchet mechanism.
The SHR used a Sugino Maxy crankset while the SHS used the similar SR Silver.
The SHR used Cherry or Dia-Compe brakes while the SHS used similar Shimano Tourney.
The SHR used stamped dropouts while the SHS used forged dropouts with an integral derailler hanger.

Basically, the SHR was outfitted using components from the JEX consortium, while the SHS switched to components from the competing JBM alliance and received a dropout upgrade.

They are more minor differences but the above are the relevant identifiers. The one thing I'm not positive about is the frame material. The SHS was double butted CrMo. I'm pretty sure the SHR has a CrMo main triangle but not if it's also double butted.

Both bicycles had their quirks. The SHR had the top-normal Spirt derailleur while the SHS had the SR Silver crankset with a 3 degree taper. Of course, the reverse operation of the Spirt immediately confuses most people, while the Silver's eccentricity is transparent until you have to replace the spindle.

Personally, I think the SHS is slightly more refined, desirable and warrants a premium over an SHR. The SHS is confirmed butted CrMo and the forged dropouts with integral hanger are a key mid-range indicator for potential buyers. IMO, the SHS graphics are also nicer. The foil seat tube decal and 'World Finest Bicycle' down tube decal on the SHR do not have the same class as the white panel seat tube decal and the bold Sekine down tube decal ofthe SHS. Then there is the pink paint...

ramzilla

The nice thing about the Spirt is the basic ergonomics of high normal. On steep uphills pull both shift levers all the way back. Throw both levers forward on steep downhill. No brainer. Works like a charm in hilly Atlanta where the key to success is rapidly shifting from high to low and back.

juvela

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wrt the Beacon name -

there was an importer/distributor located in Oakland, California during the "boom" years with this name. given the bicycle's location it may be from another "Beacon." IIRC the one in Oakland called itself Beacon Sales Co. rather than Beacon Bicycle Co. most of the cycle lines they stocked were of french origin.

perhaps other readers will have better information on this...

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T-Mar

It almost certainly the same company. The official name around this time was Beacon Cycle and Supply Co.Ltd. My understanding is that the head office was in Milwaukee, but there where regional offices in Fort Worth, Watertown and Oakland. Around this time they were also distributors for Jeunet and Mercier.

juvela

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Ah, thanks very much T-Mar!

Had never known anything regarding the business side of Beacon.

Interesting note -

When the Oakland facility closed the space became, in part, the Albert Eisentraut workshop.

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WGB 

Checked seat post with gauge and it was 26.2mm.

uncle uncle

My brakes, on a similar model and vintage Sekine, where made by Cherry, as evident by the logo's on the pivot bolts. I don't think there was any other name on them. The brakes on your bike appear similar. I really dig the fuschia color. So it sounds, T-Mar, that this bottom bracket width is a much more standard 68mm, minus the spacer, and thus a much easier size to find a replacement spindle? Now, I'll have to go look at my Sekine a bit closer...

browngw 

For reference, a couple of photos of a mostly original 1974 SHS acquired from the original owner who was a Canadian Sekine sales rep back in the day. I refurbished it completely and sold it for $180 four years ago. I would have kept it, but alas the 21" frame was too small.

WGB 

Fyi

I added bar tape ($3), put on a pair of no-name 27 inch aluminum rims (maybe $20) and two cheap tires from Niagara Cycle ($17.96) (but got to keep the Trek Matrix 700 rims and very new Kenda tires that were on it), added new brake cables and shifter cables ($10) and a replacement seat ($2) and sold it for $125 Canadian. No sooner did I have the first caller booked than I had a second call and offer $135 so might have been a little low when I let it leave.

Couldn't say no first guy as I hate it when sellers have tried to do that to me....

I figure the Trek Matrix 700 rims and Kenda 23mm tires were a nice bonus I will either sell or use for myself.

bikemig 

I'm updating this thread as I recently picked up what I believe to be a Sekine SHR. The main triangle though is double butted chrome moly as per the stickers on the frame. Also the drop outs appear to be a little better than a typical stamped steel drop out as they are nice and thick and have an integral hanger. This is a pic of the bike as found in the wild and one of the frame with bars and stem after I broke it down: