Clancy B.’s 1982 Concord (Kuwahara) – Hirame

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Leading off our two week bonanza is Clancy’s 1982 Concord Hirame.

1982 Concord (Kuwahara) Hirame

SunTour Superbe FD and Shimano 600 CrankKuwahara seat clusterMade by Kuwahara in Osaka JapanNitto Pearl 120mm stem

I got this bike, (like alot of the other bikes on this site) from a vague C-list ad with no picture. Concord road bike with 27″ wheels, $50. So I headed over there after work and the friendly lady at the house wheels this thing out of the garage. She mentioned that her husband used to race years ago, but I got the impression that I shouldn’t pry any further. So I gave her the money, and happily wheeled my find to the car.  I had, coincidentally, read a week or two before about Kuwahara made bikes, but I certainly didn’t even consider  it, but when I was loading it into my blazer, I thought I noticed the unique seat cluster configuration that I had read about.

Once I got it home and gave it a closer look, I eventually found a sticker near the BB,  “Made by Kuwahara in Osaka, Japan”. Unfortunately, that is one of the only markings on the bike. There is a standard Concord headbadge, the Kuwahara sticker, and the word “Hirame” (Japanese for flatfish) on the downtube.

The bike is a mishmash of different parts. The FD is Suntour Superbe, while the rest of the drivetrain is Shimano 600. Brakes are 600, levers are Gran Compe. Nitto Pearl 120mm stem (anyone wanna trade for a 100mm?) Specialized tricross tires are still in good shape, so I left them. The only thing I had to replace was the crumbling, alligator-looking hoods. Rides smooth and completely silent!

So does anyone have a clue as to what model this is? Or anything about it? The only reference to “Hirame” I could find was talking about the actual Kuwahara Brand race team. I dont think it has anything to do with this Concord!

Clancy

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  • Alex K

    I have a few 100mm stems.

  • Alex K.

    Also, is that a Suntour Superbe headset? It looks like that would have been a fairly highend bike for its time. Looks like originally full superbe throughout, with that knockout seat cluster, thats a fine machine for 50.

  • dihummer

    This looks like the later Kuwahara Titan and Kuwahara Ultegra models. Same forks, same seatstays. Top tube brazed on eyelets were different.

    Titan and Ultegra models made with Ishiwata EXO Quad butted tubes.