Are any listmembers acquainted with either 70s Echelons or Cherubims?
I recently acquired a bike from the original owner, who said that friends of his from CA owned DIN Importers in the 1970s and gave him this unlabeled frameset, which they'd purchased in bulk from an unknown (to him) shop in Japan and which they intended to brand as "Echelon," and re-sell.
A little CR list research indicates that DIN importers did indeed import bikes and sell them under the label, "Echelon." Supposedly, they bought them from Cherubim. Supposedly, Yoshi Konno was a builder at Cherubim in the mid/late 70s?
Over the top bb cable guides, brazed-on top tube guides, clamp on DT shifters, braze-on bottle holders, nutted brakes; this frame is right on the cusp of 70s/80s? The owner was adamant that he was given the frameset in 1975. The parts (early 70s NR, Gran Compe brakes, early logo Cinelli bar/stem combo, etc.) were all transfers/add-ons, and won't help date the frameset.
There is no serial number anywhere, and no markings on the fork tube. It has Shimano SF dropouts, and appears to be fully chromed underneath the original paint. 56/55 cm frame (ctc). 69 mm bb width? Right on the cusp of fitting me. I put on a longer stem and will take for a long ride tomorrow.
Photos were taken quickly on the way to work. Didn't even wipe off the cobwebs.
http://picasaweb.google.com/
So, what do you think? I have no doubt that it was an "Echelon." But, anybody out there have any corroborating or contradictory evidence that this was built by Cherubim? Any clue what year? Any chance that it was built by Yoshi himself?
Thanks in advance for any light that you can shed.
Cheers,
Bob Troy
Chicago, IL