Panasonic 3 speed, got a new home

[dragnusa]

Got this Panasonic 3 speed for next to nothing from a thrift store. Other then changing out the grips and knocking off the storage dust, its ready to ride.

 

[dragnusa]

Checked the numbers and it looks to be a November 96 bike with the original panaracer tires. I think it was bought and put away, there's no cracking on the tires and they still have the molding pieces on the tread area

 

[dragnusa]

 

[dragnusa]

Sprayed the frame down with some mean green and rinsed it, now she really shines.

The rear hub is just to clean for its age. lol

has an sella italia seat

 

[Bicycle808]

Nice score, there! We got a his/hers set up at the Bikeshare; they're good bikes. Definitely not a '96, as they stopped exporting to the USA in '89. I bet yours is late 70s/early 80s. Let me know if you wanna sell that saddle.

Regards,
Rob

 

[dragnusa]

Nice score, there! We got a his/hers set up at the Bikeshare; they're good bikes. Definitely not a '96, as they stopped exporting to the USA in '89. I bet yours is late 70s/early 80s. Let me know if you wanna sell that saddle.

Regards,
Rob

Thanks for the info Rob, I know the last number of the year is 6 by the serial number on the head tube, So Im guessing it would be an 86 then. That just makes it even crazier how clean it is. Going to keep the seat with it right now.

 

[Bicycle808]

I hear ya re: the seat. Panasonic made top-notch bikes; even lower-end models had fantastic paint jobs. The his'n'hers ones at the share look to be in the same overall shape as yours, but one has an aftermarket seat. I got a '88 MC4500 that I'm building up as a mtb-turned-tour-bike-- I believe that Panasonic made some of the best bikes ever to come out of Japan. Keep in mind that most of the early Schwinn imports were Panasonics... like the LeTour and Voyageur).

 

[dragnusa]

yeah most people wouldn't look twice at this bike but other then reflectors this thing looks like it was just pulled off the rack at the bike shop, I probably would have passed on it myself if it wasn't so nice. It had to have been stored hanging inside. I had a pair of mint black hunt wilde grips I put on it and got rid of those WM schwinn grips that was on it.

 

[dragnusa]

This bike got a new home today and there couldn't be a better home for it. An older gentleman that keeps having me fix his old abused cruiser now has what he calls a fancy bike. Its times like this that money dont matter. Bicycle808 message me with an offer on the seat it didn't go with the bike.

 

[Wildcat]

My 75 Schwinn Traveler was made by Panasonic. It was excellent. I made my longest ride ever on it in 1978, Tampa to Jacksonville. Took me a day and a half.

 

[tony.foster2]

cool bike