Japanese built bikes

PeteinSQ
PeteinSQ Posts: 2,292
edited June 2009 in Road buying advice
What brands of bicycle are still built in Japan?
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Comments

  • GyatsoLa
    GyatsoLa Posts: 667
    I doubt very much if any major brands are still made there, that kind of work has long ago been offshored to China or Taiwan. As usual, Sheldon Brown has information on this:

    http://www.sheldonbrown.com/japan.htm

    Louis Garneau bikes are very popular in Japan - I believe that the name (its a Canadian company) is licensed to a Japanese company, but I don't know where they are made.

    Dunno if this counts, but I think some Thorn Ravens are made using Japanese tubing.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Toray, who make the carbon fibre for many brands, Pinarello for one, are Japanese (although the Pinarello frames are assembled in China.)
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,128
    If you go and have a look in this thread on the Track forum, Tomity lists all the Japanese framebuilders currently holding NJS accreditation;

    http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12597007

    The list starts on page 2 I think.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    There are some great Japanese frame builders as AndyP say, just be prepared to be sitting down when you see the prices. I visited a top-end bike shop in Japan once and the prices were eye-watering!
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • GyatsoLa
    GyatsoLa Posts: 667
    There are two Japanese frame builders listed on the sandsmachine website:

    http://www.sandsmachine.com/fbplist.htm
  • acorn_user
    acorn_user Posts: 1,137
    Panasonic would be the obvious one. There are a couple of blogs where you can order their frames. I think one is along the lines of pisto poseur. They run about 1000$ for a Keirin frame.

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