Random photos of a Yamaguchi Fork

[exapkib]

Had this out of the frame for some deep cleaning/regreasing this weekend, and thought I would snap a few pictures.

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/1zaxxon/IMG_5485_zpsc0509f4f.jpg (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/1zaxxon/media/IMG_5485_zpsc0509f4f.jpg.html)

Top of the steerer has had the worst of the exposure--sure is nice to see the clean shiny part underneath.

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/1zaxxon/IMG_5488_zps98b1b009.jpg (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/1zaxxon/media/IMG_5488_zps98b1b009.jpg.html)

Shows off the logo and the shaping of the tubes in the fork.

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/1zaxxon/IMG_5491_zps373bba9c.jpg (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/1zaxxon/media/IMG_5491_zps373bba9c.jpg.html)

Dropouts! I still dream that someday I'll be able to figure out exactly what tubing is used throughout this frame, but the Columbus dropouts (front and rear) are the closest thing I have to a clue at this point.

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/1zaxxon/IMG_5486_zpsd0b1003d.jpg (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/1zaxxon/media/IMG_5486_zpsd0b1003d.jpg.html)

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/1zaxxon/IMG_5490_zpse30d75f6.jpg (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/1zaxxon/media/IMG_5490_zpse30d75f6.jpg.html)

Detail of crown.

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/1zaxxon/IMG_5493_zpsd41a18c6.jpg (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/1zaxxon/media/IMG_5493_zpsd41a18c6.jpg.html)

Now the (uninformed) question--would this number (stamped on the steerer) be the fork length? Axle to crown? Seems to match up, but just curious.

May not be super interesting to anyone else, I just wanted to share!

[seanile]

i think steerer tubes usually have a serial number stamped on them to match the frame. take a peek around the frame to see if there's a hinting of a 330 under the paint.

[buldogge]

Did you ever ask Yamaguchi for the specs???

-Mark in St. Louis

[exapkib]

i think steerer tubes usually have a serial number stamped on them to match the frame. take a peak around the frame to see if there's a hinting of a 330 under the paint.

Of course! I checked the serial number when I first pulled the fork, but didn't check closely enough. The serial number is indeed KB 95330 - the final three digits were obscured by the cable guide under the bottom bracket, so I missed this the first time around.


Did you ever ask Yamaguchi for the specs???

-Mark in St. Louis

I have tried contacting him via email to ask about the geometry/tubing, but without success as of yet. I even tried to stop by his shop on a recent trip through the area, but they were out of town. If anyone here is in contact with him (I am hesitant to push the issue for fear of infringing on privacy/creeping him out, etc.), I would be very grateful for help in learning more about the frame (which I love).

[buldogge]

IDK anything about the guy...but...I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he is a telephone kinda fella.

-Mark

I have tried contacting him via email to ask about the geometry/tubing, but without success as of yet. I even tried to stop by his shop on a recent trip through the area, but they were out of town. If anyone here is in contact with him (I am hesitant to push the issue for fear of infringing on privacy/creeping him out, etc.), I would be very grateful for help in learning more about the frame (which I love).

[exapkib]

IDK anything about the guy...but...I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he is a telephone kinda fella.

-Mark


I bet you're right--it's funny how standards for communication change so rapidly these days. Many times a phone call seems so invasive, but that's not necessarily how it's perceived by all parties involved. (Many of my students now consider an email to be too demanding and official/officious, and seem to communicate entirely via text. The phone call hardly registers as a potential mode of communication. Strange new world indeed.)

[fogrider]

I remember reading a story about some kids going to his class some...
have you tried here:
http://www.yamaguchibike.com/content/School
there's an email listed.

[Admiral Ackbar]

that steerer looks suspicious close to 330mm long. dunno if thats what the stamped number is supposed to correlate to though

[exapkib]

that steerer looks suspicious close to 330mm long. dunno if thats what the stamped number is supposed to correlate to though

I had the same thought, but the steerer is actually closer to 24cm. The axle to crown measurement is 33cm, but it seems more likely that it correlates with the serial number.

[Saint Vitus]

I remember reading a story about some kids going to his class some...
have you tried here:
http://www.yamaguchibike.com/content/School
there's an email listed.

I'll have to show this to my son, who in a youthful way (he's 13) mentioned he wanted to learn to build a frame. Heck for the experience alone it would be worth it for anyone of any age...

[m_sasso]

The crown appears to be a Nagasawa inspired, Hitachi cast fork crown, produced by the lost wax method.

No Columbus tubing dove stamped near the base of the steering tube? Is the inner surface, lower portion of the steering tube rifled?

[ultraman6970]

Contact some of his ex-students... for example Aaron Dykstra, 611 bicycle co. He might have an idea of what that 330 means.

[mister]

I had the same thought, but the steerer is actually closer to 24cm. The axle to crown measurement is 33cm, but it seems more likely that it correlates with the serial number.

if its 700c fork then the axle to crown measurement can't get much shorter than 365mm or so.

i'd assume the 330 correlates with the last digits of the serial.

also i'd assume it has true temper tubing and fork blades with columbus fork tips because he has true temper make much of his tubing to spec...

[exapkib]

The crown appears to be a Nagasawa inspired, Hitachi cast fork crown, produced by the lost wax method.

No Columbus tubing dove stamped near the base of the steering tube? Is the inner surface, lower portion of the steering tube rifled?

Nope--no Columbus stamp on the steerer. No rifling on the tube either.

if its 700c fork then the axle to crown measurement can't get much shorter than 365mm or so.

i'd assume the 330 correlates with the last digits of the serial.

also i'd assume it has true temper tubing and fork blades with columbus fork tips because he has true temper make much of his tubing to spec...

I was measuring wrong (and fishing for things to match the 330. Upon remeasuring, the axle to crown measurement is right at 365. I know that some of his bikes wear True Temper labels, but the website only says that he uses a mix of tubes drawn to his own specifications.

By the way--thanks to all for the replies and information! It's validating to be able to share things like this with people who have so much experience and interest.

[pbarry]

if its 700c fork then the axle to crown measurement can't get much shorter than 365mm or so.

i'd assume the 330 correlates with the last digits of the serial.

also i'd assume it has true temper tubing and fork blades with columbus fork tips because he has true temper make much of his tubing to spec...

^^ Gets it.

Y is one of the unheralded masters, with few peers.