Author Topic: Akibo Pro / Mystery Tange Frame? (Read 22813 times)

monkian · « **on:** September 23, 2019, 10:30 PM »

So most of you know I have a bit of a fetish for Japanese OSBMX, especially anything connected with Tange and that I also love trying to solve a bike ID mystery:

http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php'topic=145607.0

I’ve been intrigued by the Akibo Pro, ever since seeing the test feature in BMX Bi-Weekly (v5 i10) and discovering it was sold through Hotshot, a local dealer based in Oxford that I remember from bitd. It’s got a proper light weight race frame with what I thought was a unique Tange tube configuration and came complete with pretty decent parts. A really tidy frame-set came up on eBay a while back and I regret not going for it. What can I say, I’m kinky and it tickled my fancy and I guess some itches just need to be scratched

So after hunting around for one in the usual shady places, I stumbled across this neglected beauty. Looking at it, it seemed to tick all the boxes and even though it wasn’t as shiny as it should be I thought it must have just been painted by a former owner. After a little dance with the owner, I managed to land it and it showed up this morning.

I’m a bit stumped now though as it turns out the decals are original and on top of the paint. Thankfully there was also part of an original bike-shop label on it, (JE) James, Sheffield, and as it goes they’re still in business so I gave them a quick call. I spoke to a guy who’s been there since 1986 and sent him some images of the bike so hopefully he might be able to provide some more info. He seemed to think it was unlikely they put shop labels on second hand bikes so there’s a good chance this was sold as a new bike with a painted finish so bang went my theory of it being owner painted.

I bought it as a complete bike and a lot of the parts meet the Akibo Pro spec: ARX Forks, Strong Clamp & Post, Araya Aero Rims, Sealed Suntour Hubs, Win Stem, KKT SMX Pedals & DID Chain. The tube configuration looks to be the same, 19” round 1,1/8” OD top tube, 1,1/4” OD down tube, classic Tange flared seat tube, Giant style dropouts and a slightly different take on the more typical Tange BB stamp, again this is consistent with the Akibo Pro.

The frame decals have been brutally removed but you can make out part of one on the down tube that starts with M then possibly A. I’ve searched through a few bikes on the museum but haven’t found a match yet. The M looks a bit like the Motobecane logo but it’s not quite the same. Does anyone on here have any ideas or remember the BMX at JE James in Sheffield bitd?

Mikku · « **Reply #1 on:** September 24, 2019, 08:28 AM »

Am flippin' loving this mate! Subscribed for progress reports and build pics!!

monkian · « **Reply #2 on:** September 24, 2019, 09:23 AM »

Thanks Mick, I’ve managed to get in touch with a family member of the Hotshot shop owner which is a real buzz. Hopefully there’ll be some more things to add

Mikku · « **Reply #3 on:** September 24, 2019, 09:35 AM »

With your track record, I'd expect nothing less! & of course you know I like my Japanese old school!

What are your current plans for the frame? Keep it og, assuming that the paintwork is just that, or refinish, etc, etc? Fwiw, I love that weathered silver/white finish, otherwise known as "patina" (whatever that is) but then I'm a sucker for survivor builds.

monkian · « **Reply #4 on:** September 24, 2019, 09:47 AM »

I was thinking of stripping the paint but now it seems to be original, I’m just going to clean up what I’ve got, add a few parts, grease and make myself a rat ride. It could all change though depending on what I find out

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2019, 12:48 PM »

Love the idea of a rat, a ride with character

Avro · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2019, 07:07 PM »

Subbed

bobafett · « **Reply #7 on:** October 01, 2019, 09:27 AM »

Quote from: Avro on September 24, 2019, 07:07 PM

Subbed

Same

monkian · « **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2019, 10:29 AM »

Ok so I’ve been slowly cleaning up the parts that came on the bike and thankfully it’s all serviceable. I’ve just got a sealed bearing to replace in one of the hubs (anyone got one?) and the freewheel needs striping down and repacking. I’ve decided to replace the cranks and bars to make it an easier ride (keeping it era correct). I initially thought the Tange 125 on it was a copy but looking closer I think it’s legit

Going back to the Akibo test, it states that only 50 of the complete bikes were being made available through the magazine offer and that all future Akibo bikes would only be sold to the trade. I’m thinking maybe Hotshot might have supplied the bike (as a painted option) to an outfit that rebranded it (much like the UK Rattlesnake / Schauff Anaconda deal). I managed to get hold of a family member connected to Hotshot and asked if this might have been likely so fingers crossed they get back to me.

BTW if any Tange nuts are interested, Mattdub currently has this Bi-Weekly issue for sale

monkian · « **Reply #9 on:** October 01, 2019, 10:57 AM »

There’s a nice article here on Hotshot BMX:
https://www.ukbmxhistory.com/jane-les-windle-hotshot/

Coincidentally, in the video at the bottom there’s a very quick shot of a German team with an Schauff Anaconda during the Stu Thomsen interview

I also found this from when I was about 11 with the Hotshot logo in

monkian · « **Reply #10 on:** October 06, 2019, 02:45 PM »

So in all my years of having my head buried in OS Tange BMX and never having seen this particular frame (except as the chrome Akibo), within the space of a few days of collecting mine another one turns up for sale!

Thankfully this one still has the decals in place plus it has a lot of the same parts which can now be confirmed as stock and it’s got the same Perl painted finish.

It’s called Mac-Trak Pro (MT BMX), a London based brand rather than the more familiar MT Racing. My thinking is that it was probably a small mail-order company / trade supplier or shop. It could well have been supplied to them by Hotshot in Oxford given the similarities with the Akibo and maybe chrome was an option but I’ve had no confirmation on that yet. This one has a Berkshire Cycles shop label on it.

Obviously I had to buy it

bobafett · « **Reply #11 on:** October 06, 2019, 06:42 PM »

Wow that's awesome. What a twist in the tale and what are the chances

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #12 on:** October 08, 2019, 10:43 PM »

Quote from: monkian on October 06, 2019, 02:45 PM

So in all my years of having my head buried in OS Tange BMX and never having seen this particular frame (except the chrome Akibo), within the space of a few days of picking mine up another one turns up for sale!

I saw that and didn’t click it was one and the same. Nice 👍🏼

monkian · « **Reply #13 on:** November 06, 2019, 04:43 PM »

Sorry for the lack of updates but things are slowly coming together. Everything has now been completely stripped down and cleaned. I decided to swap out a few parts for things I had in stock and with massive thanks to Christophe (Church) I got a few parts in. I’m just looking for some vintage tyres (Knarler Knobby’s if poss) to replace the repro Comp III I’ve got on it at the moment to get it all era correct.

Parts added: Takagi MX OPC, Tange BB, Sugino Spider, Izumi Chain, Suntour XC-II, Ariake Jaguar II Seat, Tange Grips, Tioga Beartrap II, Reynolds Bars

monkian · « **Reply #14 on:** November 06, 2019, 05:05 PM »

In the cleanup, it turns out that someone had rattle canned silver paint over the original finish in places which I removed to reveal surface marks that also cleaned off! The decals aren’t the usual print on plastic type but look almost screen printed or the type you float on like in Airfix kits. That’s probably why someone made such a shit job of removing them!

It’s become a bit of a labour of love and still looks like a rat but it’s much better than it was. I got suck removing a wheel bearing for a while but eventually got it sorted

http://radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php'topic=195407

Mikku · « **Reply #15 on:** November 07, 2019, 09:35 AM »

Looking good mate!

monkian · « **Reply #16 on:** January 28, 2020, 02:28 PM »

So I finally got hold of some vintage tyres and got this finished. I’m really pleased with how it turned out. It had some strange stock parts (165 cranks / 23” bars) on what is essentially a pro race frame (19” TT) so, keeping the UK / Japanese heritage of the original bike, I swapped them out for a Takagi 175 OPC and some nice wide Reynolds bars. I decided to use the scruffiest frame of the two and build it using era correct parts. The term ‘survivor build’ seems to divide opinion but you get the gist

Parts list: Tange ARX Fork / Tioga Beartrap II Headset / Win Stem / Reynolds Bars / Tange Grips / DC Tech III / DC MX1000 Caliper / DC Blocks / Araya Aero Rims / Suntour Sealed Hubs / Knarler Knobby Tyres / Strong Clamp / Strong Post / Ariake Jaguar II Seat / Tange BB Set / Takagi 175 Cranks / Sugino 44T Chainring / Sugino Spider & Bolts / Suntour XC-II Pedals / Izumi Chain / Suntour 16T Freewheel.

Massive thanks again to Christophe (Church) for answering my want ad and helping with the parts. Proper rad man

bobafett · « **Reply #17 on:** January 28, 2020, 03:15 PM »

Good stuff Paul, looks ready to jump on and take for a good thrashing

As far as the term "survivor build" goes..... I am totally on board with that mate and used the phrase often for some of my builds in the past. I love a build with original frame finish complemented by thoughtfully selected survivor parts. Spot on mate

BMX1973 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 28, 2020, 04:39 PM »

That is lovely.

Chilli Rinse · « **Reply #19 on:** January 28, 2020, 05:44 PM »

I like the look of this

built to ride

Nice to see you’ve entered it in BOTM too

monkian · « **Reply #20 on:** January 28, 2020, 06:24 PM »

Thanks for the kind words boys. Glad you like it. Now it’s photographed I can change the tyres back and take it for a thrash about

Mikku · « **Reply #21 on:** January 28, 2020, 10:37 PM »

Quote from: bobafett on January 28, 2020, 03:15 PM

Good stuff Paul, looks ready to jump on and take for a good thrashing
As far as the term "survivor build" goes..... I am totally on board with that mate and used the phrase often for some of my builds in the past. I love a build with original frame finish complemented by thoughtfully selected survivor parts. Spot on mate

This ^^^ exactly! Love it Paul!!

P J Tunni · « **Reply #22 on:** January 29, 2020, 03:10 PM »

Looks great, and the frame was definitely best left in it's original (survivor) condition. I like the overall theme and you've used some nice japanese parts (is that win stem the same as found on a Kuwahara Nova 83?)

monkian · « **Reply #23 on:** January 29, 2020, 03:48 PM »

Quote from: P J Tunni on January 29, 2020, 03:10 PM

I like the overall theme and you've used some nice japanese parts (is that win stem the same as found on a Kuwahara Nova 83?)

Thanks PJ, yeah it’s the same type Win Stem that came stock on early Nova

P J Tunni · « **Reply #24 on:** January 29, 2020, 04:41 PM »

Thought i recognised it! building an 83 Nova at the moment and those stems aren't common. Managed to find a decent one on the Bay though.