Return to

The Catalog of Reminiscence

The Invitation for Cycling by Mr.Gami

Part 28: Japan made bicycle in 1967




At here, I introduce several bicycles which were made in Japan.
This time, I selected the photos from the magazine "Trip and Cyclist". The magazine was published by Cycling times co., Ltd in Osaka, and had been sold at the Kansai region (around Osaka). People used to call it "Tabi-sai" (Tabi means trip in Japanese).
8 photos were shown here (two Bridgestone, two Maruishi, two Tsubame (Araya), one Katakura Silk, and one Tsunoda).
Please note that I used several obsolete words in the explanation.

By the way I checked about a monthly salary of new college graduates of those days. It was 26,000 yen. Please compare it to the bicycle price.

Then enjoy the 10-speed "drop-handle" bicycles that boys yearned for in those days.




Bridgestone Diamond Junior 10

The bicycle was equipped with the "front derailleur which was distributed by DNB as OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) products", Suntour Skitter rear derailleur, and "Sugino DJI chain wheel which was composed of steel cottered-cranks and aluminum sprocket". It was a fast-riding model for beginner.

The frame was a die-casting product which was a strong point of Bridgestone.
Head light was BS original which was similar to JOS. The wheel size was "27* 1-1/4" which was a standard of fast-riding model in those days.
Due to reasonable price, Hub was not quick release type but wing nut type. However, it was Huret Looks. How amazing it was!





Bridgestone Diamond Randonneur 15

This bicycle was announced as a professional Randonneur. The style and specification were not bad.
A high grade bicycle which was made in Japan in those days was equipped with many imported parts. Young people might not be able to realize that. The function of domestic parts in those days such as hub, brake, and derailleur were still not enough. This bicycle was equipped with Normandy hub, Huret Looks wing-nut, Mafac criterium brake, Mafac guidonnet brake lever. All of those parts were made in France, had good reputation in those days.
The chain-wheel was Sugino Frontier-Ace Triple which had aluminum cranks and exchangeable inner and outer sprocket. It was functional product of those days. The rear derailleur was a double wires type Suntour Competition Twin. The headlight was a bullet shape type of BS original and had twin lights. And the tail had a light bulb. Rear carrier for the pannier bags and toe clips were standard equipments.
You could go for a "long-distance trip" as soon as you bought it.





Maruishi Speed-Japan (Racing model)

Speed-Japan was a typical professional bicycle of Maruishi of those days. The catalog was saying that "if you remove the fender and the kick-stand from the frame, you can use the bicycle for a competition immediately". It was similar to Clubman model of England.
This bicycle was also equipped with several imported parts such as Normandy hub, Simplex Prestige derailleur, Weinmann center-pulled brake, TA bottle. The pomp and the stem were French products, too. Wheel size was "27* 1-1/4". However, the catchphrase "It has the super-function which exceeds the speed of 60 km/h lightly" is exaggerated.





Maruishi Speed-Japan (Camper)

This is a camping model which was equipped with the side carriers and the bags on the rear. Because of touring model, it had a Randonneur bar, guidonnet levers and twin lights. There's an explanation "front derailleur is Dia". It was made by Yoshigai steel material industry. The wheel was composed of the "26*1-3/8" rim and the "26*1-1/2" tire. It was so-called "Over-size".
However, the gear combination was 48*36 in the front and 15-24 in the rear. In comparison with present MTB, it was very close ratio.





Tsubame Swallow Racer Deluxe (SRD)

Tsubame (swallow) was a brand name of Araya which was famous as a maker of rim.
This was the high grade racing model which was equipped with Atom hub, Araya rim 27*1-1/4, Sugino Pro-dynamic chain wheel, Weinmann center-pulled brake, and GB stem.
The gear combination was 50*48 in the front and 14-21 in the rear. It was an extraordinary close-retio. The difference between outer ring and inner ring was only two!
How many boys who rode this bicycle and accomplished a challenge to the speed are there? The price was 49,500 yen; it was too expensive to kids.



Tsubame Swallow Camping (SC)

This was a Camping which was equipped with the side bags in the front and the rear. The price was 78,000 yen. It was triple of a monthly salary of new college graduates of those days. The present value is 600,000 yen! The catalog was saying that "we will send camping gear to all those who buy this bicycle". The price of bicycle must have included the price of camping gear.
The bicycle was equipped with CLB cantilever brakes, Pro-dynamic triple chain -wheel, Simplex rear derailleur. For a long distance trip, the bicycle had a speed meter as standard equipment.



Katakura Silk Speed Master CA15

This was a Camping of Katakura Silk which was known as professional sports bicycle. In comparison with the price of Swallow camping, it had much more common-sense (43,000 yen).
Rear derailleur was Huret allvit. It was equipped with the good parts truly suitable for Katakura Silk.
There must have been a lot of cyclist who had gone for a long distance trip with this model.



Tsunoda Rocking Tandem

The last is a bit strange bicycle. "Rocking-tandem" was the name of bicycle. It could changed to solo model in a minute. We might be able to use this idea even now.




inserted by FC2 system