Japanese commuter bike from 1982(?)

[Senri]

I found this bike and was actually triggered by the tube stickers. It turned out not to be 531 or 501, but Hi-Ten, which in this case is Tange 2. The bike looks to be totally unused!
I gave it a good clean and removed the AGU sport - Airliner stickers, a new KMC chain, some NOS Wolber 700c x 25 skin tires, some new Benotto tape, NOS blue Shimano brake cables and an older Rolls saddle. Added the guards that I still had lying around for the coming rain season.
I won't bore you with all the specs, but it is mostly SR and Shimano with Ukai rims. Although pretty cheap, I like the Adamas AX shift group.
It is a very comfortable ride!
If any body has an idea who made the frame.....

 

[PIGEON]

The lugs and the seat tube clamp area remind me of my Nishiki. Not the same model as mine though. If it is indeed a Nishiki, the serial number should be on one of the drop outs instead of under the BB.

 

[kaiser]

I really really like that great find

 

[Jamiedyer]

Unknown

You have given that machine a real touch of class. It looks 'just right'
The colour is really nice.
You must be really tall as it looks like a massive size. Then again I ride a 48 so everything looks massive from down here

Jamie

 

[Senri]

I don't think it is a Nishiki. I have a Nishiki as well and it has the serial on the BB. But, the second letter of the serial on a Nishiki gives the year (A=1, B=2,....), this one has it on the BB; #DH01794 which would make it either 78 or 88, neither being credible.
Could be the same lugs though.

Regarding the size, I am 1.85. I have some 58cm bikes, but this is a 60 and I have found out that 60 fits me better when it is a japanese bike. The are often short in relation to their height. European bikes are more "square", as I would call it, like 58 height, 58 toptube. This one is 60 height, 56 top.

But thanks for the compliments guys! Not a bad buy for 20 euro's

 

[Jamiedyer]

20 euros

20 euros :shock:
You must have done something to really impress the karma gods :!:
Which means you deserve it, so ride and enjoy.

Jamie

 

[Senri]

A well, often with these "noname" bicycles, the buying price is not the problem. It is the spending on the other parts that makes it doubtfull to do it. In this case, 30 for tires, 15 for tape, 12 for the chain, 8 for the cables and 15 for the lever hoods. Then it comes to 100 euro's excluding the guards and the saddle. That's why I only build these bikes for myself, it would never sell well.

But I will certainly enjoy it!!

 

[dirtydaniel]

20 euros is a steal - nice find

 

[CyclingTheLakes]

Headtube badge?? Was this mentioned?? Something is there.

It looks good, I'd want to have even the more obscure Japanese brands rather than the wellknown mainstream ones, not that they are better, just more of an unknown variable.

Adjusting screws in the rear, a good sign.

It does look like a bit of a "boat" meaning a big bike.

Nice find and colours. I like how the tape combines with the frame colour.

Maybe Univega or something, they were suppose to make real good bikes though I believe they are part Italian part Japanese. Univega are real sought after.

Maybe not though, blue Samurai seems to be one of their more popular colours though most Japanese bikes I've seen are darker bikes. Univega doesn't seem to make the dark coloured bikes like some of the other Japanese companies but I don't know how exclusively Japanese they are.

 

[CyclingTheLakes]

There is a book, expensive, on Japanese bikes. A seller in Japan, they make or sell the famous Honjo Koken mudguard/fenders sells it. A lot of bicycling industry still over there in Japan. You might be on the look out for that website and book. I know people sell some of their products but it might be worth it looking at the original website.

I guess this bike shop bills itself as experts in Japanese bicycles and parts. http://www.alexscycle.com/ but not the site i was looking for.