mckinnon

Hi, I have had this bike for about 5 years know and was thinking if I want to try to switch out some parts or if I should buy a new bike. Specifically would be switching the handle bars for some drop bars, need to get new tires, and maybe new wheels. I wanted to know if this is a quality bike or if the parts are good parts.


It is a Sekai Bigfoot, I was unable to find a serial number on the bottom bracket but it may be covered by a bracket that the shifter cable is running through. Is this a good bike or is there a place to see more information about it? It was made in Taiwan and says it is made with chromoly steel.


Parts:

Shimano Exage 300 LX crankset, front derailleur, back derailleur

Shimano Deore LX shifter / brake lever

Tektro oryx cantilever brakes front

Shimano cantilever brakes back


Can't add photos yet since my account is new, but I will add some in a reply if I can there.


Thank you for your thoughts and help.

easyupbug 

What are you wanting to ultimately accomplish? Tires are routine wear items, why change the wheels, lighter maybe? Drop bars get expensive fast, possible stem replaced, new shifters, new brake levers, maybe new brakes to work correctly with the levers, new cables and housings. I would sure look around for a used road bike you fancy and see what you can get for your bike as a check on on all of this $ , time and possible frustration.

Dylansbob 

*Most* bikes made in Taiwan and made of chromoly are going to be of fairly good quality. The parts you list sound like a mid-range model (with the exception of the more modern Oryx brake). If you have a bike co-op nearby, you could probably tinker all the changes you're considering. I wouldn't really bother upgrading the wheels unless they're really bad, but an upgrade of tires (and potentially tubes if they're slime) will be a noticeable upgrade.

daverup 

OP album,
https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/21488457

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. The subject bicycle should be a 1990 model, as Shimano introduced their 300LX components that year and it was also the last year that Norco marketed their Sekai brand. The Bigfoot was the top model in the Sekai line of 7 ATB models and sold for $400 US. However, despite it's position in the line, it was not a high end model. Norco was marketing Sekai as more of an entry level brand, with the higher end ATB models being offered under their Fiori and Norco brands. From an overall ATB market perspective. it was more of a very low mid-range model. Norco themselves were marketing ATBs up to $1,000 US and 300LX was 6th in Shimano's line of 7 ATB groups. FYI, while CrMo tubing was employed, it was only for the three main tubes. Lower grade hi-ternilse steel was employed in the forks and rear triangle as a cost concession to hit the target price.

While it is only very low mid-range, it should be solid and depedable bicycle, though relatively heavy. You mention drop bars and new wheels but don't say if the intention is to create a road bicycle, gravel bicycle or cyclo-cross bicycle. It could certainly function reasonably well in the last two, with appropriate tyres, though the question is how much to sink into it, as it will always be a compomise and somewhat heavy.

cb400bill

Pic Assist

mckinnon

Thanks for the information on my current bike.

I would say my original thoughts were to get a gravel bike or a road bike since I don't think I would spend much time not riding on paved roads. I was looking at a some used bikes priced around $1000, but was trying to decide if I should just work with what I already had.

I was looking at a few on Facebook marketplace like a 2018 Kona Wheelhouse Road Bike, 2016 Fuji Altamira XC 1.3, 2017 KONA JAKE THE SNAKE, 2021 Salsa.

merziac

That's a fine basic bike for whatever you want to do with it IMO, I would encourage you to keep it and then also pursue a dedicated road bike that can also do what you want it to do.

Dig around on here and look for these being converted to drop bar tourer/gravel grinders, etc. We have a lot of folks that can diversify bikes like there is no tomorrow.

madpogue 

Interesting, appears to be the same as a Norco Bigfoot. Nice mid-level components and a conversation-starter frame design. Definitely a keeper and good gravel/drop conversion candidate. There's a whole thread here on C&V titled something like "Show your MTB drop-bar conversion".

T-Mar

It would be the same as the 1990 Canadian market Norco Bigfoot. Norco acquired the Sekai brand in 1983 but continued to market the Sekai brand in the USA through 1990, due to the low recognition and prestige of the Norco brand in the USA. Norco started phasing in their eponymous brand by replacing the top Sekai ATB models with Norco ATB models. This built up the recogntion and image of the Norco brand in the USA, as initially there were no low end Norco ATB models. Sekai would be dropped in the USA for 1991, with all the models, including the Bigfoot, being marketed under the Norco marque.

mckinnon

Thanks for the help, I'll take a look for those conversion threads and whatever I decide to do I will definitely be keeping it.

Hudson308 

Here's that thread. Might want to pack a lunch!
Show Your Vintage MTB Drop Bar Conversions

Hummer

Hello mckinnon,

welcome to the forum.

The serial number is not on the bottom bracket. It is on the down tube and may be difficult to read.






The serial number in the picture starts with A8908, where 89 is the year of frame manufacture and 08 is the month of frame manufacture