Tag Archives: old-school

3Rensho Aluminum Bikes – Part Two: Yamakuni

Posted on by
1

Translation: “With a basic weight of 8.9kg, the 7000 series aluminum frame produces the lightness and stiffness required for racing.”

In the early 1990s, TIG-welding was rapidly eclipsing the “screwed and glued” method of aluminum bicycle frame construction. At the same time, aluminum frames were enjoying peak popularity among professional racers, being ridden to victories in the Tour de France and other major events.  This was the era of stiff, lightweight aluminum race bikes with extra-skinny tires, and 3Rensho was not going to be left behind.  Enter the Yamakuni 7000 bicycles, which would replace the SR Litage in the final years of 3Rensho.  Before we get there, let’s dig into a brief history of welded aluminum frames after the jump.

Continue reading →

3Rensho Aluminum Bikes – Part One: SR Litage

Posted on by
4

In this multi-part series of articles, I’m going to explore one of the more obscure corners of the 3Rensho story: aluminum-framed bikes.  The 3Rensho brand is generally associated with steel-framed bikes of the highest quality, often hand-made and utilizing proprietary lug designs that make then instantly identifiable.  However, from time-to-time, aluminum frames with 3Rensho logos surface in online sales or fan pages.  This typically leads to a rambling debate about whether they are “legitimate” 3Renshos and who manufactured them.  I can say with 100% certainty that they are legitimate, as they appear in multiple 3Rensho catalogs that I’ll share here, as well as shedding some light on their background.

In this first part of the series, I’ll focus on the most common aluminum 3Rensho: the Sakae Ringyo Litage.  Read on for more info and photos!

Continue reading →

Look KG 196 Monoblade

Posted on by
1

The Look KG 196 is the bicycle equivalent of techno music: no matter how many decades pass, it still looks like a radical vision of the future.  First introduced in 1993, the Look KG 196 introduced several groundbreaking new developments in the design and manufacture of carbon bicycles.  Most modern carbon bikes can trace their roots directly back to the KG 196, with its monocoque frame design and radical Monoblade fork.  I spent almost a decade searching for one in my size, and finally found one in early 2020.  It took another two years to build it up with a carefully chosen parts kit designed to balance the kind of riding I like to do with components that compliment the aesthetics of the bike.  Read on for more photos and history of the Look KG 196!

Continue reading →

Zunow KYGM 650B Randonneur

Posted on by
4

Two years ago, as the COVID pandemic was sweeping across the country, I began searching Yahoo Japan auctions daily, purchasing items via their Buyee proxy service as a way to distract myself and pass the time.  I’d done this before, from 2011-2016, stopping after I began a new job that left no time for bicycle collecting and restoring.  In April 2020, I was working from home for the first time during the scariest, and at times surreal, period of history I have ever lived through.  The daily treasure hunt was a welcome respite, and soon I found a twin of my “Zunow grail bike“.  Read on to learn more about it.

Continue reading →

Italian Steel in the Eighties: The Gios Compact

Posted on by
2

The Gios Compact debuted in 1986, and has since been considered by cyclists and collectors to be one of the best frames Gios ever produced. The most revolutionary technical innovation introduced by the Gios Compact was its adjustable dropout system.  The wheelbase can be lengthened or shortened by 8mm, to create an aggressive hill-climber or a more sedate roadie, depending on the terrain and the rider’s preference.  This example from 1987 was recently restored in my shop with a period-correct mix of Shimano Dura Ace and 600 components.  Read on to learn more about the Gios Compact and the Gios story.

Continue reading →

Restored 3Rensho Super Record Aero

Posted on by
Reply

I put this bike together in 2016, after I completed the restoration of the frame.  The restoration process is documented here.  The smaller of the two Super Record Aero frames sold quickly, but this larger one hung around for a while.  I came into possession of a Lotus Classique bicycle, which I stripped in order to build up this 3Rensho.

In addition to the stock Sugino and Suntour components, I added modern Tektro brake levers, and cork bar tape that was shellacked a dark brown.  I also added a 3Rensho pantographed stem I had at the time, to give it some extra flair.  It was sold soon afterwards.  I realized recently that I’d never published any photos of the built up bike, so click “Read More” to check out the full hi-res gallery after the jump.

Continue reading →

Vivalo Touring, Sportif and Road Bikes

Posted on by
Reply

I’ve always been fascinated by non-Keirin bikes built by Japanese frame builders who are famous for their track bikes. All of the most well-known builders of NJS track bikes began their careers in the late 1960s – early 1970s, when the bicycle touring craze was sweeping the world and Japan in particular. They apprenticed in shops that built road and touring bikes, and many of them built these kinds of bikes early in their careers. Touring and sportif bikes are often custom-made for clients, and are expected to include the kinds of beautiful details and high level of finish common with this kind of luxury item.

Shuichi Kusaka, the master builder behind the Vivalo brand, built a number of road, touring, and sportif customs. In the past 15 years, I have only seen a handful, and in this article I’ll be highlighting a few of these lovely bicycles. Read on to learn more!

Continue reading →