In a message dated 6/28/2001 11:18:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time, mark@bulgier.net writes:
<< From very fallible memory: The first model year of Specialized Stumpjumper came with TA cranks, but I think by the second year they had a second-tier model that came with these Sugino TA-knockoffs. Shortly thereafter the TA look went out of fashion, replaced by the Sugino AT and the others that used its 110/74mm BCD, so I only saw the ones you describe for a year or two.
Mark Bulgier Seattle, Wa USA >> This makes some sense, speaking of knock-offs Why, the very bike from which the customer removed these units was an 'SR'(I was never sure if the 'SR' frames were a part of, or related to Sakae Ringyo parts folk.) This long-stayed machine was from about '83 and was as close a knock-off to my ol' stumpies as a bike could be,
I just remember TA then an immediate shift to the dropforged AT on those Japanese cobalt blue Stumpjumpers, I don't think Vosper, DiNucci, nor Sinyard (the ol' folks that helped kickoff the Specialized bikes) would be caught with anything that shared a name/association with the $139 Fuji Sport and similar tenspeeds of that day like a 'Maxi' branded unit. I think those earlier specialized bikes were made by Miki (Miyata?) I know we're into the early off-road topicality, but these were akin to the Expedition and the Sequoia as wellWhile we are on specialized, many might be interested to know that certain early Team Allez bikes were made by Tesch. Larry Black