Japanische Fahrräder und Komponenten: Unterschied zwischen den Versionen

* [[Bridgestone#Kabuki|Kabuki]]

* [[Kuwahara]]

     Matsushita (pronounced "mat soo shta") is one of the largest corporations in Japan, if not the largest. It doesn't emphasize the Matsushita name in English-speaking markets, and is better known as "National" or "Panasonic."Panasonic" is most noted in the bicycle market for its tires, which are among the best.

     Miyata is a major manufacturer, and made bikes for export under other names as well, notably Univega. Miyata even draws its own tubing, and pioneered triple-butted tubing. The mid-80s Miyata 1000 was possibly the finest off-the-shelf touring bike available at the time.

   

* [[Nishiki]]

     Panasonic, the bicycle brand of the mighty Matsushita conglomerate, made very nice bicycles, beautifully built, but never very successful in the U.S. market.

     Japanese-built Panasonic/National/Matsushita frames are of excellent quality at each price range. You can distinguish them from outsourced bikes by the serial number location. Osaka-built frames are serial numbered on the lower headlug. The second digit is the year, e.g., T5M78563 would be a 1985 frame

     Peugeot is primarily an automobile manufacturer. Most Peugeots were built in France, but there was a period in the mid- late-'80s when Peugeot mountain bikes were being built in Japan. These were very well-made, lugged-frame bikes, but of somewhat dated design even then. Current Peugeot bikes sold in the Americas are made in Québec.

     For information on French-made Peugeots, see my French Bicycles Page.

     An Austrian company, but some Puch models were made in Japan.

     Sometime in the '70s, Raleigh of England sold the U.S. rights to the Raleigh name to Huffy. During this period, some models were made in Japan, though most were sourced from Taiwan. The "Rampar" name was originally a house-brand name for parts distributed by Raleigh U.S.A. (RAleigh AMerica PArts) but was later applied to low-end Asian imported bikes distributed by Raleigh U.S.A.

     Raleigh U.S.A. is now a division of Derby, along with Univega and Nishiki.

     See entry under "The Dark Ages"

     A short-lived brand of decent-quality bikes.

     [Also Greek for "body", as in "psychosomatic", and Aldous Huxley's name for a feel-good drug in the book Brave New World. It is the name of a city in Japan-- John Allen]  

     Le Tour (made by Panasonic.)

     A low-end brand from before the bike boom, not to be confused with the maker of the Skyway BMX wheels.

     In addition to complete bicycles, Specialized is a major brand name in parts.

     This was a Sears-Roebuck brand. Here's a Suteki Web page.

     Georgena Terry, specializing in bikes for women (usually with a smaller-than-usual front wheel) was getting very nice frames from Japan for several years.

     A brand name of Lawee, Inc., former importer of Motobécane. Most Univdga Japanese bikes were made by Miyata.