oktober 

This bike came up in the eBay/Craigslist thread a few times because it was listed on Goodwill’s online auction site. I know a few people here were bidding on it, because I found their posts after I won. Maybe they’ll be curious how the story turns out.

The photos on goodwill’s site weren’t terrible but they weren’t great. I knew the bike was special, but it was really hard to tell just how rough it was under the dust and grime. After some logistical jockeying, I don’t live in Spokane, the bike arrived today and with it comes a minor mystery. What is the story of this bike?


How it appeared on goodwill.

TPL

Dyna drive pedals ....yet another part that was abandoned mid-stream by ShimaNO ....a company that seemingly takes great pleasure in leaving cyclists 'holding the bag'

oktober 

Shout out to Wheel Sport South in Spokane for doing such a fantastic job packing the bike and getting it to me, it arrived this afternoon a day earlier than I was expecting.

To be honest, I was prepared for something with a lot of little issues the photo didn’t catch, rust creeping under the paint, chips, wear and tear etc. The more I dig into this bike, the more I’m surprised. It looks like it has no road wear. Like none.

it’s dirty, one the decals have some minor issues, but everything else about this bike looks like it rolled off the ship floor. There’s still release compound on the tires, parting lines on the brake pads, no wear on the anodized rims, the list goes on. It’s got a mix of Shimano ax, and campy components, which Andrew Muzi from Yellow Jersey said is pretty common of the era. It’s roughly a 1986 bike, but the mystery is the fork. It’s not stock, but it is an Ishiwata. Why did this bike need a replacement fork if all the other evidence points to it being barely ridden if it all.

I’d love help deciphering what I’m seeing as I pull it apart for cleaning, re-lubing and tuning.

Drillium Dude 

Take the pump off and shoot a photo similar to the Goodwill pic you posted - the pump is giving the impression the top tube is bowed. Since the fork doesn't appear to be original to the frame (the photo isn't detailed enough to make an informed call, so I could be wrong about that), perhaps the bike was involved in a header at some point in its life.

More detailed photos will bring the experts out of the woodwork. I dare say you'll then find out more than you ever wanted to know about this bike

DD

EDIT: I made the fork comment before the OP's second post pointing out the fork is made by Ishiwata. But again, perhaps a replacement fork due to a crash; is there any paint cracking above or below the head lugs? Damaged paint in this area normally betrays a crash in the bike's past.

oktober 

Here’s all the photos I could take before I lost light.

oktober 

More photos.


A small patch of cleaned paint. The depth of the metallic paint is hard to capture in my shop

No rust in the head tube.

Dirty but oddly unworn




Anyone know anything about tire labels? Are these period correct?

oktober 

I was honestly expecting crash damage, but can’t find any evidence of it. No bulges, no paint cracks, no dents. It’s almost spooky. I was expecting a really nice, but well used vintage road bike. One that I’d feel fine riding around on nice days, but honestly, I’m feeling like I should be handling this thing with cotton gloves and I worry that I’ll be too nervous to put any miles on it.

I know the photos are a little weird at the moment. But tomorrow, when it’s light, I’ll get better while bike shots and give it a good cleaning to see what’s really under the dirt.

interestingly, it’s a lot dirtier than it was in the goodwill shots. Like they stored it where it got splashed with muddy water.

Drillium Dude 

^ Not problem - but yes, some pics when all the packing materials have been removed and the grime cleaned up will definitely tell a clearer story.

Stored in a place where it got splashed with muddy water? In Washington? Say it isn't so

(I just recently left the Seattle area after over a decade of dodging raindrops there)

DD

merziac

Just spitballin here so take it for what its worth, maybe someone robbed an offset crown fork off it?

Aside from that I think you're doing just fine, especially if the PIA was in your comfort zone.

styggno1

I recommend everyone to take it cool when it comes to speculating about the fork. It could actually be original to the frame. All 3Rensho: s do not have the offset fork crown. This bike has the NSA investment cast fork crown designed by 3Rensho and standard on the SRA ans SA models. It is in their catalog material at least from 1983. In the material from 1984 there is a list of chromed replacement forks and one like this cost 85 USD. The fork can be original to the frame - it is not unheard of special requests and orders. It can be a repleacment fork for unknow reasons (if there is no crash damage or any other signs on the frame itself). No matter - the fork is a 3Rensho fork and period correct. And better looking than the offset ones if you ask me.

edit - Ishiwata is not the maker of the fork. It is the maker of the tubing used to build the fork.

My 3Rensho Super Record Aero with NSA fork crown:

Kabuki12

I can't wait to see it cleaned up. I have a couple of bikes I have bought without actually looking at them in person and there is always a level of anxiety when it is unpacked and the cleaning / maintenance begins. Pictures from someone who is selling the bike don't always tell the story . In my case it turned out very well both times , and it looks like it may for you as well. That paint is beautiful!!

rancho66 

The fork appears to be same as this 3Rensho in the C&V sales section:
FS: 53cm 3Rensho SR Aero Katana: Pink - $850 Frame/Fork - Bike Forums

daverup 

oktober Congrats on winning this bike, I'm sure you will enjoy it. Please do post more pictures as you rehab it.

CV-6 

I have been looking at the photos of the two 3Renshos i have owned and I agree that the fork is the same.

EDIT: Later posts have shown me to be wrong.

JohnDThompson 

I, too, suspect the fork is a replacement. The Ishiwata and JIS stamps on the steer tube are characteristic of Ishiwata factory brazed replacement forks, and the Shimano fork ends don't match the Campagnolo dropouts on the rear.







N.B. that crown race looks nasty, but may just be solidified grease. Hope it cleans off to reveal a smooth race underneath!

JohnDThompson 

FWIW, the unbrazed Ishiwata steer tubes we got at Trek to build into forks in Waterloo were not stamped in that manner, only the pre-made Ishiwata-brazed forks from Japan.

noobinsf 

I appreciate learning the story of this bike, as I was following both this and the green one on the Goodwill site after seeing them posted here. (When the green one's bidding went up to $700, I had no regrets about not bidding.) I hope everything turns out well, and I'm looking forward to seeing it refurbished. Welcome to the site!

oktober 

I couldn’t wait for it to warm up this morning before I washed it. This is just after washing. No wax, no paint correction, just cleaned bike.

unfortunately, it measures 60cm c-c, which is a touch big for me, I typically ride 57-59.

oktober 

More photos

oktober 

Solidified grease. Really solidified. I used a toothpick and hot soapy water to get it clean. Under a jewelers loupe, there is almost no wear at all.

oktober 

i bid on both, but honestly glad I didn’t win the green one, it was way too small for me (I think). I definitely had second thoughts about this one as I waited for it to arrive, but I’m more than happy on how it’s turning out.

romperrr 

Excellent job cleaning up the bike. I hope you find a way to make it fit. That stem looks very cool with the screwed on plate and those lugs look svelte and well done

3alarmer 

...but perfect for me.

In case you do not know, there's a guy making and selling adapters for those overlarge pedal eyes on Shimano cranks made for those extinct pedals. He's in eastern Europe somewhere, IIRC, and lists them on e-bay. I bought and used a set of them on a bicycle I got here, so I could just switch over to standard pedals. Since those are probably low mileage, you might want to use them for a while, but eventually, because of the bearing arrangement for the pedal shaft, they have a reputation for failure.

But they are serviceable and rebuildable, if you prefer to use them.

Drillium Dude 

Oh, man, that is a beauty, and it sure hasn't been crashed - good deal

I did notice something that may support the idea that the fork is a replacement (but for what reason I don't know - certainly not because of a crash or there'd be some evidence on the frame): the bit of a gap between the headset lock nut and the spacer. Either a different headset with a taller stack height was originally used, or this fork is a replacement and a few millimeters longer than the original one. But again, pure speculation.

The detailed pics tell me this didn't get used much. I'm guessing they didn't use clear coat, which prolly explains the light flaking of the decals (which I imagine can be found online from the usual suspects). Make it fit, somehow - that's a time capsule

DD

oktober 

Definitely no clear coat, and the paint seems quite thin judging by the crisp edges and definition of the lugs.

Yeah, I keep looking for signs of wear and other than some rub from the cables, I'm not really finding any. The brake pad arms have no marks from the brake pad washers, the cable guides have little to no wear on the paint, the hoods have no wear on the rubber, the crank arms have no wear from pedaling. One pedal has a tiny patch of wear on the inner side, but no scrapes on the toe clips, no marks on the brushed aluminum pedal surfaces, etc. 60 is probably too big, I'll end up running the seat post with two or three fingers of post showing which will look goofy, but I'm gonna do it anyway just to see how it rides if nothing else. I'm very temped to swap out most of the components and wheel-set with other stuff I have laying around so I don't put any marks on any of the "unused" stuff. The other part of me is saying "It's a bike, it's made to be ridden."

If I can't live with the size, I guess I'll have to sell it because I can't abide just keeping a bike around that doesn't fit. We'll see.

The other part that is making me scratch my chin, is the seat choice and the bar wrap choice. Lycra covered comfort seat, and lycra/neoprene bar wraps are just odd for a bike like this. I peeled back the grips and there are no marks from previous bar wrap, or scratches or anything. It's pristine aluminum under there.