Elliot Bay Bicycles in Seattle had a Nagasawa on display in the early
1980's, by no strange coincidence it was shortly before their Davidson
frames started featuring more cast components. The whole keirin racing idea
is really interesting--that rules keep bicycles very similar and at a
rational state of development to better show the differences between
athletes. Or could this be to keep bookmaking simpler, no handicapping for
frame materials, bike weights, etc.?
David Feldman
Vancouver, WA
> I think that Sampson you reffered is Samson of Mr. Harada, Fukuoka. I
> heard that now the share of Samson in Keirin racers is far larger than
> Nagasawa.It seems that he elaborates on details much more than Mr.
Nagasawa.
> My friend once told Mr. Nagasawa that too much elaboration on details is
> not necessary and that he likes frames which are not clean to see closely
> but beautiful to see from a distance actually in race. And Mr. Nagasawa
> recommended him to make frames.
> Takao Noda
> Hachioji Tokyo Japan
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mark Bulgier" <mark@bulgier.net>
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Saturday, October 12, 2002 6:50 PM
> Subject: RE: [CR]was nagasawa, now perception versus reality
>
>
> >
> > Though I had heard of them, I didn't actually see a Nagasawa until
> probably
> > '83. I sure remember that first sighting though - I was (to borrow
Brian
> > B's wonderful phrase) completely desocked.
> >
> > I got to hold raw Nagasawa track dropouts, front and rear in my hand. I
> > also got to make numerous track frames with Sampson dropouts - a very
> > similar Japanese cast plug-in track drop that was intrinsically better -
> > just as strong but lighter, more adjustable in angle, better finish.
The
> > Sampson just didn't have the mojo though! I could spend an hour
grinding,
> > shaping and polishing them and have something pretty special but they
> > couldn't match the style of the Nagasawa. I don't want to focus too
much
> on
> > the dropouts though, a Nagasawa is equally evolved everywhere you look.
I
> > got to use lots of Ohtsuya lugs too - I know Richard has used a ton of
> those
> > too - very fine indeed but just short of perfect, unlike the Eisho lugs
> on
> > the Nagasawa. Well, I actually like the Ohtsuya seat lug better but the
> > Eisho headlugs pretty much define simple elegance for me.
> >
> > Others may thin the lugs more, or shape them more with skills borrowed
> from
> > blacksmiths and jewelers, and I love all that s**t too, but Nagasawa
> > impresses me with the apparent effortlessness of it. If it was really
all
> > that easy then others would make them that nice - he just makes it look
> > easy.
> >
> > Mark Bulgier
> > Seattle, Wa
> > USA