Mike_Kelly

Just ran across one of these on eBay and was surprised to see what appears to be oversize tubing and internal lugs. Can anybody give me the readers digest on when these were made and if they are internal lugs ala Masi 3V?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/23403928814...Cclp%3A2499334

Thanks

Mike Kelly
Hayward, WI USA

icemilkcoffee 

SpeedofLite posted a Bicycle magazine review of this bike:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...vega-trek.html

BTW these bikes are reasonably common, so don't buy that Ebay one that has the big dent in the top tube.

dddd

I recall that the construction technique is quite a bit different than on the 3V.

The "LD" oversized .8-.6-.8 tubes were said to be first slipped over and brazed onto the spigots, followed by heliarc welding at the tube's ends.
This sounds odd since the brazing material might contaminate the weld(???).
The copycat "distinctive "stress rings"" were fitted over the OS tubing near the ends, mid-way along the brazed overlap joint.
I guess the rings were intended to prevent bursting/cracking, which sounds odd since the tube was fully brazed to the spigot under the rings (would have made more sense to me if this was some kind of compression fit imo).

Good frames though, I bought a nicely repainted one and was pleasantly surprised at how sporting of a frameset that the "old" International had evolved into over the years!

Similar looking to Raleigh's Technium frames that similarly used oversized tubing slipped over internal lugs, but Raleigh used various metals and were bonded instead of brazed at the ends of the main tubes.

T-Mar

The subject Ebay bicycle is a Nishiki International LD (Large Diameter). Based on the serial number it is from 1986. Construction as previously noted, with internal lugs that are both brazed and heli-arc welded. One known issue with these frames is cracking of the seat lug. The bicycles were shipped with 27.2mm seat posts but these often slipped and overtightening to prevent slippage would cause the lug to crack. Reportedly, 27.4mm posts are a better fit on some of these frames.

Mike_Kelly

Thanks for the replies. No worries I have no intention of buying a frame in that bad a condition. Doubt that dent could be rolled out even if you were crazy enough to pay for the work.
I read that they were brazed and welded but it did not make any sense to me and I thought the writer was mistaken. That article also stated the ring was crimped on.