PRICE DROP:Rare ARAYA 53cm touring bike - Perfect for Eroica

reynoldsfan

Onnnne Huuuunnnndrreeed and Eigggghhhhty
ARAYA Touring bike. Frame No. ARYB461741











53cm frame from centre to centre
54.5cm top tube, centre to centre

Built in Japan from Tange No 5 Champion PG (plain gauge) tubing (Reynolds 531 equivalent). Tange forks. Araya forged rear drop-outs with (working) wheel adjusters, Tange forged fork ends, headset and bottom bracket.

Wheels: Suzue Juno 36 h hubs with grease port, 27”Araya alloy rims (practically no wear to the braking surfaces): 6-speed Suntour AP screw-on freewheel (13/15/17/21/26/32)
Brakes: Dia Compe 500 calipers (with q/r), Dia Compe non-aero brake levers (original hoods in great condition).
Gears: Suntour VX GT (long cage) rear, Suntour 7 front derailleur, Suntour retro-friction d/ t levers
Sugino triple chainset: 170mm crank length. 52-46-34 chain rings – no wear.
Winpista bars & stem (moves freely).
Suntour SR Laprade seat post (moves freely).
Schwalbe 27 x 1/1/4 puncture resistant tyres with excellent tread.
ESGE chromoplastic mudguards (recently purchased, in excellent condition)
Kashimax saddle (original, no scuffs, wear or damage)
Pedals: Currently fitted with new Shimano SPDs, but the original KKT-PRO toe-clips and straps can be fitted if preferred.

The bike was manufactured in Japan and dates from the late 1970s. Though little used from new, the frame had collected numerous chips and scratches, so it had a bare metal re-spray with new Araya decals custom made and fitted. When stripped of paint the frame was in remarkably sound condition. I was amazed at the neatness and quality of the brazing – as good, if not better than on any British hand-built frame I’ve ever seen (and I’ve been on the Mercian factory tour!) Every component is original and has been thoroughly cleaned, serviced (hubs, bottom bracket, headset etc) and re-fitted.

This is a very rare bike indeed, as Araya never imported their bikes into the UK, so I doubt you will ever see another like it. (It’s worth googling Araya – there are many aficionados in the Far East) and they still build high quality frames in Japan in limited numbers for the home market. Araya have a great reputation for their superb quality alloy rims – which naturally are fitted to this bike. Suzue hubs are very popular with tandem riders because of their strength, longevity and smoothness.

Having ridden the Eroica Britannia twice, I prepared this bike for the 2016 event, but it’s unlikely I’ll be able to take part this year. The Derbyshire hills can be particularly steep, so this bike is geared perfectly to save walking up them! It would also make an excellent touring bike – which of course was its original purpose.

Below is an example of an Araya touring bike recently produced in Japan.

http://www.vanguard-designs.com/?/bikes ... ya-excella

I have a lightly used Blackburn alloy rear pannier rack which I’ll include (with all fittings). The frame has mudguard eyes on the rear drop-outs and two sets of eyes on the fork ends, so fitting a front pannier rack would be easy. As you will see from the photographs, the condition is like new. The price is a very reasonable £325 - REDUCED TO £250.

Inspection and test ride welcomed. I will pack carefully and ship in a bike box for £25. I have lots of close up photos which I can e-mail if you ask via PM.

I’m 3 miles from Lancaster (on the London–Glasgow rail line) and 4 miles from J34 M6.
 
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