• Bret’s 1977 Sekai 2500 GT

    Could OTSs have 9 lives? No, if they have more than 1 they would have to have 10!  Either way, I think we’ve found one that has spent a couple.   Hit bike by a car when he was a lad, this 1977 Sekai started out life as a Sekai 2000 GT.  After the accident he received a full frame transplant—the donor, a newer nicer 2500 GT.  Then, shortly after Bret acquired him, he was stolen then was miraculously recovered by Bret—in front of his house!  So, this Little Sekai That Could should serve as an example to all of you who have lost a your 10-speed of dreams, whether to a wreck or a wretch.  Don’t give up on it and it won’t give up on you. 5×2=Love

    bret-1977-sekai-2500-gt-01.jpg

    bret-1977-sekai-2500-gt-03.jpgbret-1977-sekai-2500-gt-02.jpgbret-1977-sekai-2500-gt-04.jpgbret-1977-sekai-2500-gt-05.jpg

    1977 Sekai rescued from a trip to the junkyard, was told by original owner that 2 weeks after getting it it was hit by a car and frame was replaced with the newer 2500 GT. All of the other hardware-gears, crank, shifters, derailleurs, etc are from the original 2000. I acquired the bike and a week later it was stolen. Today as I was sitting in my house I saw it ride by and got it back. Anyway, I know its not real clean, but like I said, I just got it back after it was taken.

    Thanks Bret

    Related posts:

    1. Bronwyn’s 1978 Sekai Sprint
    2. Bret’s Fuji Gran Tourer SE
    3. Bob H’s Sekai 2400
    4. Cameron P’s Cycl-O-Tread 2000
    5. Scott L.’s 1977 Nishiki International


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    • Don Gillies

      I think this is a 1976 or a 1978 model. I bought a 1977 model in 1977. Here is the 1977 catalogue cover (my catalogue). The bike in the foreground, with the black crankset and barcons, is the SEKAI 2500.

      - Don

    • Don Gillies

      In 1977, they upgraded this model to small-flange shimano-600 hubs (w/oilers), suntour cyclone gears with barcon levers, and the high-end maxy crank with black chainrings. the only SEKAI 2500 color available was flame red. This color (baby blue) was used for the 2700 model in 1977. Here is the 2700 catalogue page. Note that the 2500 and 2700 frames were the same, the 2700 just said “GT Deluxe” on the downtube. The catalogue page is wrong (note that the salesman wrote ‘blue’ in the 2700 catalogue page to make the correction) :

      http://www.ece.ubc.ca/~gillies/sekai/77_05_gt_deluxe.jpg

    • Don Gillies

      Despite the fact that this is SEKAI 2000 parts on a 2500 frame, I believe you have the grouppo almost correct. If I remember correctly, the main upgrade between 2000 and 2500 was the double-butted frameset, and lighter tires (1 1/8), today’s panaracer paselas in 27″ are probably the correct tires. The correct seat would be an Elina Pro that says “SEKAI” on it.