---Thank you so much Ken,for pointing out that the
Italian manufacturers set the standard.And without
them?---Would any of it be quite where it is?Harris in
Va.
>
> In a message dated 5/21/02 11:24:25 PM,
> RPERKINS1@nc.rr.com writes:
>
> << Funny, all you guys who are 10-15 years older
> than me fell in love with
>
> Campy-equipped bikes. My first serious bike was a
> Suntour-cyclone equipped
>
> Tange #2-framed Kuwahara-built Nishiki >>
>
> Not really, I feel smething else, but can not
> express what it is! It maybe
> generations gap?? I grew up in Osaka area in Japan
> in 60's. Less than 20
> years after WWII ending, Japan was still recovering.
> Honda DID not have
> automoble (vehicle with 4 wheels) but tried to built
> first air cool
> engine-chian driven convertable "CAR"!
>
> Racing bicycle as sporting goods, there was not many
> nor parts. They copied
> everthing from Europeans except "SUNTOUR's
> Parallelogram. Sugino's cotterless
> crankset, if you tightened too much, you could not
> use again, it was too soft!
>
> In 1968, I finally got Steel Record (twice heaver
> than alloy NR in 1970's).
> It was mu dreame come true, My ride totally changed
> from die casted Suntour!
> It cost probable 10 time more than Japanese
> domestic parts.
>
> The chain, 1/8" wide was common, external 3 or 4
> speed, or Shimano's internal
> 3 speed (copy of S-A of England) with bike weigh 35
> to 40 lb was considered
> to be
> "light weight". Yeap, 5 speed with 3/32" chain
> was revolutionary, as
> today's rider
> having 9 to 10 speed cassett. My parent could not
> afford 10 speed bike, so I
> got at least 5 speed. One year later, finally
> changed B/B and got extra
> chianwheel to make upto 10 speed. It was 1964 to
> 65.
>
> When I get on all R-531 tubing frame bike with all
> Campy today, I am still
> dreaming,
> daydream believer! My DOB is passing over 1/2
> century mark in a few month.
>
> One note, in 60's, Japan was still receivning US
> foreign aid, was a poor
> contry.
> One Us dollar cost them 360 to 400 points, today 100
> to 120. For British
> currency,
> it was 1080 yen then, today they can buy for 140 to
> 170 points. Today, they
> give more money to Foreign Aids than US. And, we
> buy a lots of Accura cars
> here paying
> as much as 50K made by Honda of Japan.
>
> Ken Toda, High Point, NC, I do not miss my home
> land, my dream/home is here!
>
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