If you haven't seen some of the Japanese vintage lightweight bicycle enthusiasts' websites, I would strongly and enthusiastically suggest checking them out. It will blow you away, IMHO. Satoru Masuda has a great one, as do several others. I think Chuck Schmidt has some great links to them on his website. I was absolutely speechless the first time I viewed a couple of these sites - the depth of research, knowledge, and care that goes into to some of those restorations / builds is just mind-boggling. In general (and I'm generalizing here...), when someone from Japan becomes seriously interested in collectibles such as our beloved vintage lightweights, he will do his homework very, very thoroughly, and then typically accumulate perhaps three to six stunning bikes. The total investment may be similar to what we (in the US) have in thirty bikes, though! They go very deep into their studies, and hobbies. As I understand it, it is very difficult for most Japanese citizens to ever afford their own home, particularly in an expensive real estate market such as Tokyo's. Some are lucky, and have one passed down to them (along with the 100-year mortgage) by their father, who inherited it from his father. Consequently, wealth is not often expressed in home ownership. Savings are generally quite high, though (especially compared to here in the US), so there is some disposable income available for something like a (very serious) hobby. One can acquire some seriously fine collectibles under this system. In Tokyo, I once saw a gorgeous 1950s Mercedes 300SL Gullwing roadster - being driven on a Friday night "on the town!!" I think that you don't find a lot of evidence of the deep appreciation for vintage lightweights outside of Japan for several reasons. Japan is a somewhat isolated (globally) island nation. Japanese culture does not generally encourage individualism or showiness. The language barrier certainly can be another reason in many cases as well..... Greg Parker Dexter, Michigan Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 12:24:45 -0500 From: "kohl57@starpower.net" <kohl57@starpower.net> To: wickedsky@sbcglobal.net, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org, tsan7759142@comcast.net Subject: Re: [CR]Japanese Super Power Defeated!
Here's an open-ended question with no agenda or presumed answer:
We all know many of the keenest classic lightweight enthusiasts are from Japan. Or at least we think so because of their, shall we say, enthusiastic eBay bidding tendencies. If there's a Simplex skewer with the little plastic wing-nut intact that hasn't gone to Japan via eBay, I'll put it up my left nostril.
But having said that, where is the evidence of this enthusiasm beyond the acquisition of the bikes and the bits? Are there Japanese websites devoted to all this primo stuff in the hands of Japanese collectors? Do the Japanese organise veteran cycle rides? Or does all this stuff just get hung on walls and squirreled away? Are there Japanese books or magazines on classic lightweights?
I know of one of two PX-10 websites from Japan, one on Campagnolo components but that's about it. Is there is Japanese version of the CR List?
My own and rewarding experience with Japanese enthusiasts is with ocean liners where they are active historians, writers and publishers. I just wonder if I am missing something here with bicycles. I conjure up this image of 200 PX-10s all with Simplex skewers with the plastic wingnuts being ridden in some epic mass ride. If it's happened, I've missed it.
Peter Kohler
Washington DC USA