sunn
Dirt Disciple
Bought new 1998 and been with us ever since. The Stem was replaced with a shorter one and the saddle and back wheel got replaced after a car drove over the bike in an accident. All other components are original. The fork is Manitou Spyder -R and it's still working like a charm. Crankset and front shifter is from the Alivio groupset, other components are from the STX-RC groupset mixed with gripshift SRT 600 shifters.
There are some clever ideas in all Nakamura frames from this era. The downtube is oval. Even purely aesthetics values made it a cool feature. It also blocks the mud and grime better
. Technically speaking oval downtube is claimed to optimize stiffness and weight. Another neat idea that I haven't seen used much elsewhere are the snake stays ie. curved and shaped stays that clear your cranks (and ankles!) as you pedal. They are also supposed to add a little flex to make things more comfy. Lastly, most Nakamura frames had Diatech Headset that certainly baffled the bike mechanics of the time. Personally, I like the idea. http://cruzbike.com/mysteries-diatech-headset
Bought 2nd hand a week before a small tour through Europe. Been my constant companion ever since. My mission is to travel through all contintents with this bike.
I had to replace the Shimano Deore LX trigger shifters as they were so sluggish and unresponsive in the Winter conditions. The Ritchey Logic Headset got replaced with a newer one a month ago. All other components are original. The bike has a full Shimano Deore LX (9 sp.) groupset. The frame is 969-steel.
