Is this Vivalo worth importing...?

and riks frame is built by pongo braithwaite a reason to buy it if ever there was one !

Spot on Cornie.

I can't quite get my head aroud all these threads asking others to tell them if its a good buy, is it worth the money, will i like it etc etc why not ask the site/owner instead of relying on opinions

IMO japanese frames are built from steel which is folded and folded 2,000 times then dipped in virgins urine to set, but you can never take the frame out without drawing blood, it is all about the honour and tradition

got A Vivalo for sale maybe.... 51x52 £430

Japanese tubing is rolled using a makisu, and tastes great with a drop of soy.

they are also filled with raw fish so small dents wont weaken the frame

IMO japanese frames are built from steel which is folded and folded 2,000 times then dipped in virgins urine to set, but you can never take the frame out without drawing blood, it is all about the honour and tradition

you're talking bollocks.

japanese frame are built from old baby blue fixie, that's why they're awesome.

bushido...... the way of the njs cyclist !

They're made by falcons.

IMO japanese frames are built from steel which is folded and folded 2,000 times then dipped in virgins urine to set, but you can never take the frame out without drawing blood, it is all about the honour and tradition

Great I now have an image of Uma Thurman tracking down an ancient retired framebuilder. In order to get a special frame built for a revenge race against Michael Madsen. Except he sold his down brick lane to fund his polish beer habit.

Just what my drug damaged brain needs on a friday afternoon.

When the frame is all the way over in Japan it undoubtedly helps to have someone more knowledgable to give you a few hints. it would be like buying a house with only a glance-over because you fell in love with it at first sight. Then only to have a surveyor come tell you it's full of rot and is going to end up costing you about 3 times what it did in the first place!

Now that I've thought about this frame a little more, I think I would prefer to buy something that I could see and touch first!

But Aran this is true of any bike you buy off ebay, or any other website, you never know the full true condition until you get it in your hands and start to build it up. you have to hope and trust that the bike/frame is as described, and the seller is honest with you. Whether the bike comes from tokyo or torquay its still the same situation, except you've got to pay more for the bike to come from tokyo. If you want to see and touch the bike then ebay and online purchases without personal contact probably aren't best for you.

Good luck finding the right bike for you, just enjoy riding it when you get it. ;-)

But Aran this is true of any bike you buy off ebay, or any other website, you never know the full true condition until you get it in your hands and start to build it up. you have to hope and trust that the bike/frame is as described, and the seller is honest with you. Whether the bike comes from tokyo or torquay its still the same situation, except you've got to pay more for the bike to come from tokyo. If you want to see and touch the bike then ebay and online purchases without personal contact probably aren't best for you.

Good luck finding the right bike for you, just enjoy riding it when you get it. ;-)

Still leaves the option of buying a Keirin frame that has already been imported and can be seen/inspected before purchase. Although choice is obviously going to be limited and it may take a while!

do it properly and get one built for you... there is the panasonic ones on the blog spot but if you are going to get one why not go all out and have the best!

http://www.kalavinka-bikes.com/index_j.htm

a cool 900pounds pre import and postage... still arguably the best NJS frame builder today

When I was cycling with George Sportif through Italy about a month ago we met two Japanese tourers who were doing it fixed. We sat down in a restaurant with them and got chatting about how nuts they were touring on a fixed and trying to work out how they were doing the same hills we were on a gear that was higher than our highest (I reckon they were pushing up some tbh).

Anyway, this guy said that in Japan people go crazy for vintage english frames and we said that people go crazy for Keirin frames over here. He said he could post over Keirin frames if we sent him classic English frames, this sounded great and we were looking forward to swapping frames with him. He gave us his card and we promised to email him when we got back.

George lost his wallet and the guys card was in it. That's the end of that story.

doh !

Don't forget.If you have your frame painted baby blue it will get "insane amounts of attention".