80s Aero 3Rensho

[DCilliams]

With some (more than generous) facilitation by M_Sasso, I acquired this beautiful 3Rensho from its owner in Vancouver. The original owner, his friend, purchased it while visiting Japan sometime in the 80s.

The frame is chromed underneath the vibrant paint - - thin as watercolors. The drops are Shimano, and there's a Campagnolo stamp on the BB shell. The serial number is 029, I think.

The lugwork is superb, but most curious to me are the odd holes on the fork. They look more like Dracula's handiwork than a rogue drill.

What say the experts???

[veggieburger]

Holes are only on one side?

[DCilliams]

Holes are only on one side?

Yes, only the side pictured.

[marinoni62]

It is interesting to see fender mounts at the drops and fork tips on a 3rensho. I haven't seen that before. I wonder if it was custom built for somebody.

Not sure about the holes on the fork. Do you know if the fork is original to the frame? For whatever reason, i think most of the forks that come on 3rensho were painted.

I love the lug work at the seat stays and bottom bracket. Really nice.

[velomateo]

Interesting. I find it curious that an aero frame has dropouts that include eyelets. It's possible this was a custom order.

Are those wholes threaded?

Beautiful frame, BTW.

[eBAUMANN]

nice frame! had a similar one years ago that i found on CL, same "aero" mount DT shifter thingy...nice that yours actually has some proper shifters for it as they are kinda a pain in the ass to find these days.

those holes are weird, maybe for collecting rain water? ;)
can you see if the chrome extends down onto the inside edges of them? (to determine if done pre or post chroming)

[fiamme red]

I have two 1980's bikes with Suntour symmetric shifters (http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=4cb7e658-e09e-4950-a283-2787beac2bb0), a Schwinn Le Tour Luxe (touring bike with cantilevers) and a Univega Viva Sport (sport touring bike).

[austex]

And adjusters on vertical drops? How much adjustment could there be?

[DCilliams]

It’s hard to tell if the holes are threaded, don’t see chrome inside.

[OperaLover]

Any markings on the fork tips? That frame has to be late 70's early 80's. By 85-86 the frames had "super ends" socket fork tips an dropouts. The one piece aero chainstay bridge definitely says 3Rensho.

[brewsmith]

It’s hard to tell if the holes are threaded, don’t see chrome inside.

Aero routing for an old-school, wired computer?

[DCilliams]

Aero routing for an old-school, wired computer?

That's what I was thinking; if true, that's getting a little precious with the "aero" thing isn't it? :)

[DCilliams]

Any markings on the fork tips? That frame has to be late 70's early 80's. By 85-86 the frames had "super ends" socket fork tips an dropouts. The one piece aero chainstay bridge definitely says 3Rensho.

Fork tips say Shimano

[veggieburger]

Could those holes have facilitated some sort of repair?

[brewsmith]

That's what I was thinking; if true, that's getting a little precious with the "aero" thing isn't it? :)

For sure, but when you consider that the aero craze was essentially the precursor to weight weeniesism and we know how dear those grams can become, I can't say I'd be all that suprised....

[DCilliams]

For sure, but when you consider that the aero craze was essentially the precursor to weight weeniesism and we know how dear those grams can become, I can't say I'd be all that suprised....

Well, if that's the case, those will need to be plugged. To paraphrase eBAUMANN: "sweet rainwater holes, brah" ;)

[OperaLover]

Aero routing for an old-school, wired computer?

That would be my guess too. But why would you need two? Do the holes go all the way into the hollow fork blade? Shimano fork tips sounds right.

The eyelets don't particularly surprise me. Kono-san would build what you wanted. Old school you didn't have a bunch of bikes you put on fenders for winter.

[tv_vt]

Could they be for mounting some kind of light?

[DCilliams]

Could they be for mounting some kind of light?

That's an intriguing possibility...

[11.4]

I've seen a lot of SanRenshos and never seen holes in the fork like that. I was just concluding the same thing -- a mount for a light, or possibly a dyno? He actually did lugged fork crowns on all the bikes I knew -- even when they were sloping they had lugged edges. This looks like something from another bike.

The only other option I can think of is that he made a few forks for track bikes with the stem actually mounted to the fork crown. They were a bit funky -- others did a better design -- but this conceivably could have been a mounting point for the stem and bars.

The rest of the bike is nice, though those bikes had limited clearances and rather an extreme position, so they don't have as much utility these days. If it fits you, you scored.

[m_sasso]

David while I had the frame I was trying to figure out what was the purpose for the holes.

I still believe it was for mounting something however if you screw a nipple on to a spoke, the holes seem to make near perfect spare spoke holders?

They may rattle against the inner fork wall a bit however the fork bend kind of keeps them secure and I couldn't come up with any other useful purpose for them.

My partner is Japanese and sometimes she just does things in a different way!

[Steve in SLO]

Sparkler holders for 4th of July parade?

[ceolwulf]

Clearly for routing your brake lines ;)

[carpediemracing]

If this was a "fast tourer" the holes might have been for a lighting system.

[mcfarton]

Its drillium

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

[merckx]

If this was a "fast tourer" the holes might have been for a lighting system.

Perhaps it was built for an event like PBP, and was designed to accommodate mudguards and a light.

[DCilliams]

Good news: the serial number on the steerer matches the bb, so st least it’s original. I guess the best guess is those holes are for a light or some wire. It’ll be a fun project nonetheless. Make it a cool tourer.

[DCilliams]

I found another 3Rensho, this one on eBay, that has the same strange holes on the fork crown. I guess those holes were put there by the frame maker.

[ultraman6970]

Maybe the holes are to emit a frequency when the air blows through them so the deers and other animals move off your way?

[ceolwulf]

Maybe the fork is secretly an ocarina?

[ultraman6970]

This is intriguing, never seen that and even if you run cable up to down, what in the world that could connect to? Hmm... oh... cateye computer cables maybe? back in the day those things had the sensors pretty much in the hub?? long time ago cant even remember.

[woolly]

Speed holes, obviously. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8ASgGwxJyc

[William]

Personally, I like the deer whistle explanation myself.:p

Nice 3Rensho!:cool:






William

[fishbolish]

the frame is a 3rensho SRA , normally the fork is painted with 3 rensho on the legs
never knew anything about the holes though....