an old friend's husband said to me at their housewarming some time back "hey joel, you like bikes - ive got a couple i need to get rid of...want one?" i warily said "maaaaaybe...", now wanting to sign myself up for someone's wrecked jc penney 3-speed abomination. when the bike was pulled out, though, much to my surprise it was this beauty!
at first glance i guessed late 80s, but further conversation with yamaguchi and others put it in the mid to late 80s, with the serial # format indicating it was built either as a show bike or for a team rider. either way, a pretty cool freebie!
it's now pretty well complete - i managed to accumulate a mixed shimano dura-ace 7400/7401/7402 (7sp index, circa 1987 or so) "gruppo", with 180mm cranks, 12-21 freewheel, 54/42 chainwheels, araya aero-1 tubulars (28/32h), nitto "3rensho" pantographed stem and "aerodynamics" tt bars - and then the oddbal strong seatpost (the dura-ace one was just too blasted short) and a selle san marco concor saddle, cause i just like those, and they're nice to push against with a low-profile frame like this. tires are 24"/700c x 15mm!!! it's actually *way* more comfortable to ride than one might expect, despite more than a foot drop from seat to bars, and it goes like stink. definitely a smooth, clean pavement bike...