I've been searching for something really early for a while. Naturally a Ritchey, Breezer, Overbury's etc would be lovely, a Stumpjumper too but I wasn't fishing in those kinds of waters.
I thought I'd probably find a nice old Ridgeback or Saracen if I was lucky, but then this oddity turned up cheap in the for sale section and I thought what the hell. It's something a little different and the price was good so here we are. Pics!
So what is it? Tsunoda are a Japanese outfit who manufactured the frames for Lotus as well as a few others, and other than that I can't tell you much more!
But I like the frame details.
Obviously the hellenic design of the chainstay junction is cool but it also has details such as the gear cable braze-ons at the bottom bracket, and is a nice (if rather heavyweight) lugged old frame.
The colour I think is inspired by those first Ritchey and Specialized frames of the same vintage, and the name 'New American' is an obvious reference to the origin of the exciting new sport for which it is designed.
So what to do with it? I understand it had mostly deerhead Shimano as standard. I can't remember where that brochure pic came from but I think that's this bike.
Anyway I'm going to build it into something different. Something period correct that I can chuck down some hills in the spirit of the early days!
What I would really like to do is fit it put with as many obscure and obsolete parts as I can find, a sort of rolling freak show of early trial and error designs of parts that mountain bike evolution left behind
Sugino chain set with built-in chain guard. Model unknown but it has 48/42/34 chainrings. Came with the frame so it's original equipment.
Suntour XC rear mech. I've been looking for a suitable use for it and this project is ideal! Proper 3 jockey wheel freak show.
Mountech front mech isn't very freaky but it is appropriate for this build I think.
Sansin sunshine front hub. Large flange hubs are essential for the look to me, and suitably obsolete too.
DiaCompe 980 cantis, period correct and a suitably obsolete design!
Lastly a Suntour Alpha freewheel, which isn't too extraordinary but I seem to have a Suntour theme going here so I'll use it. Might change the ratios to something more mountain-conquering by getting some sprockets from that bananas sounding bloke on EBay with the suitcase full of them, but not a priority.
And that's as far as I've got. I'll keep collecting parts up built I'm not in a rush. Feel free to suggest anything that is period correct and fits the freakshow theme!
I thought I'd probably find a nice old Ridgeback or Saracen if I was lucky, but then this oddity turned up cheap in the for sale section and I thought what the hell. It's something a little different and the price was good so here we are. Pics!
So what is it? Tsunoda are a Japanese outfit who manufactured the frames for Lotus as well as a few others, and other than that I can't tell you much more!
But I like the frame details.
Obviously the hellenic design of the chainstay junction is cool but it also has details such as the gear cable braze-ons at the bottom bracket, and is a nice (if rather heavyweight) lugged old frame.
The colour I think is inspired by those first Ritchey and Specialized frames of the same vintage, and the name 'New American' is an obvious reference to the origin of the exciting new sport for which it is designed.
So what to do with it? I understand it had mostly deerhead Shimano as standard. I can't remember where that brochure pic came from but I think that's this bike.
Anyway I'm going to build it into something different. Something period correct that I can chuck down some hills in the spirit of the early days!
What I would really like to do is fit it put with as many obscure and obsolete parts as I can find, a sort of rolling freak show of early trial and error designs of parts that mountain bike evolution left behind
Sugino chain set with built-in chain guard. Model unknown but it has 48/42/34 chainrings. Came with the frame so it's original equipment.
Suntour XC rear mech. I've been looking for a suitable use for it and this project is ideal! Proper 3 jockey wheel freak show.
Mountech front mech isn't very freaky but it is appropriate for this build I think.
Sansin sunshine front hub. Large flange hubs are essential for the look to me, and suitably obsolete too.
DiaCompe 980 cantis, period correct and a suitably obsolete design!
Lastly a Suntour Alpha freewheel, which isn't too extraordinary but I seem to have a Suntour theme going here so I'll use it. Might change the ratios to something more mountain-conquering by getting some sprockets from that bananas sounding bloke on EBay with the suitcase full of them, but not a priority.
And that's as far as I've got. I'll keep collecting parts up built I'm not in a rush. Feel free to suggest anything that is period correct and fits the freakshow theme!
