Re: [CR]Japanese Lightweights

(Example: Framebuilders)

Date: Thu, 06 Jun 2002 17:00:48 -0400
From: <LouDeeter@aol.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Japanese Lightweights


I've seen pre-86 Allez frames (all Red) made of Tange Prestige and Ishiwata. I think these were the same frames from the Kevin Costner movie about the Red Zinger Classic (can't recall the name). I had a Tange Prestige model that a guy told me was a 3Rensho. It was a sweet riding bike, but developed a crack in the side of the seatlug. When I left it with the Specialized dealer and asked if he would be able to get me a NOS exact replacement, he did the unthinkable--he told me he couldn't in good conscience release my frame back to me because of the fear of a lawsuit from a cracked frame and he told me he had sent it off (without my permission) to Specialized for evaluation and that they would provide me a replacement from the then line of Specialized frames--the OS steel version. Oh, sorrows of sorrows, but I did get the replacement in my wife's size so she was happy. I now wish I'd have just ridden it as I think a cracked seatlug would not have been a catastrophic failure from a safety standpoint. Lou Deeter, Orlando FL