Feedback on Panasonic steel frames?

[sib]

Does anyone own - or has anyone owned - a Panasonic steel frame (preferably with steel forks)?
Can you provide any feedback on it?

In particular, I'm interested to know what you like about it, what you don't like about it, what the ride quality is like, and how it compares to other steel frames you have or have ridden.

I'm thinking of purchasing one of these as a training/winter bike:
http://cycle.panasonic.jp/products/p..._order/fcxc16/

Thanks in advance!

[Hindmost]

That's kind of cool looking. Tange Prestige, can't do much better than that. Any idea what the bike costs?

[sib]

Originally Posted by Hindmost

Any idea what the bike costs?

Prices (given at the bottom of the page) start at 140,000yen, excluding 8% consumption tax.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by sib

Prices (given at the bottom of the page) start at 140,000yen, excluding 8% consumption tax.

I don't know all that much about them but you can buy one stateside through Yellow Jersey in Wisconsin.

http://www.yellowjersey.org/

[dave thompson]

Originally Posted by charliedid

I don't know all that much about them but you can buy one stateside through Yellow Jersey in Wisconsin.

http://www.yellowjersey.org/

Yellow Jersey has great stuff but gahd I hate their website. Makes my head hurt.

[dancinkozmo]

amazing website....for 1996
never ridden a panasonic but ive heard g. peterson thinks pretty highly of them .

[Bob Ross]

They still make them?

If we were talking used Panasonic frames from the 80s this would be a no-brainer (get it!) but I have no idea what they might currently offer.

[dancinkozmo]

the retro road bike looks great !


135000 yen for the frameset

[jamesdak]

No idea about the new stuff but that bike looks great to me.

I've a couple of their older bikes and they are every bit as good as any other bike of that day. In fact my early 90 PDG Series Paramount it time and time again faster than my Waterford Paramount over the same routes.





The slightly older Prologue is amazingly good too. Both of these made by Panasonic for Schwinn.





Both of these are Tange Prestige. The Paramount is very stiff and despite being not one of my lightest bikes it climbs faster than most of them. It really transmits all your power into motion without being uncomfortable to ride.

[GParkes]

The Panasonic P.I.C.S. program was a real cool idea late 80's. I wanted very much to order one, but never pulled the trigger. They were excellent frames. See here for some history / nostalgia.....

https://www.panasonicbikemuseum.info...-pics-catalog/

[sib]

Originally Posted by dancinkozmo

the retro road bike looks great !

Yeah, they have some nice looking ti frames as well (which I've heard are very good).


Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.
It seems the general opinion is "it looks good" and "the older ones were highly thought of."

I may have to be the guinea pig on this one - time to start saving..!

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by dave thompson

Yellow Jersey has great stuff but gahd I hate their website. Makes my head hurt.

haha maybe one of the worst websites on earth!

[93KgBike]

The current Panasonic line-up in steel is beautiful. Sweet lugs! And I think the whole line can be ordered custom fitted through dealers; wow!



The digital catalogue shows the complete line: http://cycle.panasonic.jp/catalog/pos.pdf

The Tange Prestige CXers are sugoi!.





And how about, "Take that, Ebisu!"



"Concept Video"
https://youtu.be/9tFi8JVi_Lg?t=56

[GScot]

I have a late 80s DX 5000. Tange Prestige and a great ride. I like the geometry and everything about it.

[Hindmost]

Originally Posted by 93KgBike

...And I think the whole line can be ordered custom fitted through dealers; wow!...

That's pretty amazing. If I did the yen conversion right the posted prices are pretty reasonable. I wonder if all this is available here in the US