Why the 1950's (Part 5)

次回、この生地の日本語版を投稿します。

In this post we continue to examine factors that contributed to making bicycles from the 1950's so unique.  As noted earlier in the series (Part 1) following the war, munition plants were converted to peacetime production.  So precision tooling for parts was in place, but, as noted in (Part 2) it took a decade (1953-63) for industrial standards to fully spread through the entire bicycle industry. This coupled with lack of automation (Part 3) meant that bicycles were still to some degree crafted and largely built by hand.  The influx of companies converted from munitions to bicycle manufacturing (Part 4) meant that talented munition engineers and skill labor force now focused on bicycles and this coupled with demand fueled a highly competitive industry.

Keep in mind that in the 1950's bicycles were the only affordable means of private transportation in Japan.  Bicycles were a necessity costing two months' salary and their status the equivalent of today's automobile.  With fierce competition, manufacturers went to great lengths to prove to the customer that indeed all parts were genuine "brand" parts.  The company name or logo appears on nearly each and every part, often more than once. In fact a manufacturer's name or logo appears over 100 times on a single bicycle. (See Company Logos & Markings (Part 1), (Part 2) , (Part 3) , (Part 4) and (Part 5)  )

It is amazing, the company logo even appears on the heads of the tiny fender stay bolts.  For example, Nichbei Fuji whose logo shown below consists of the sun behind Mt Fuji  and was casted into the tiny 1/4 inch (7mm) fender stay bolt heads.

Nichibei Fuji Logo

Fender Stay Bolt with Nichibei Fuji logo casted-in.

なぜ昭和２０年代後半～３０年代前半の自転車が良いのか第４回

I'll be back with another English post soon untiｌ then stay trued and happy wheels.

↓↓↓Click on photo to enlarge↓↓↓)

前回に引き続き、なぜ昭和２０年代後半～３０年代前半の自転車が良いのかを見てみましょう。
この連載の (第１回)で取り上げたように、軍需工場は戦後、平和産業に転換されました。
従って、この転換工場は精度が高い工作機械がありましたが、(第2回)に取り上げたように、工業仕様標準化は自転車工業を普及するまで約10年（昭和28年～38年）掛かりました。これと自動化の遅れ (第3回)とを合わせ、自転車作りは主に手で行なわれ、それは工芸品と言っても過言ではありません。 

上記の転換工場の中、自転車製造を行なったのは下記の14社です。

三菱重工津機器
萱場産業岐阜工場
日本金属産業
中西金属
半田金属
不二越鋼材
富士産業太田工場
高砂鉄工
天辻工業
片倉工業
西日本工業
中山太陽堂
大同製鋼
大和紡績

ここで重要なのは、自転車工業に沢山の会社が入ったこと。
工場そのものが転換されたのみならず、それまでに軍用生産していたエンジニアも作業者達も自転車生産中心に変わりました。 
これは戦前、戦時中自転車製造会社、宮田製作、 岡本自転車工業などに大きなプレッシャーを掛けたでしょう。
資本主義のいいところは、競争があればあるほど優れた製品が生み出されます。 

軍需工場から自転車工場に転換した製造会社は、その技術者と職人達で、高い需要と競争の中、実用車の黄金時代を築きました。

Why the 1950's (Part 4)

次回、この記事の日本語版を投稿します。

（↓↓↓Click on photo to enlarge↓↓↓)

In this post we continue to examine factors that contributed to making bicycles from the 1950's so unique.  As noted earlier in the series (Part 1) following the war, munition plants were converted to peacetime production.  So precision tooling for parts was in place, but, as noted in (Part 2) it took a decade (1953-63) for industrial standards to fully spread through the entire bicycle industry. This coupled with lack of automation (Part 3) meant that bicycles were still to some degree crafted and largely built by hand. 

Those former munition plants which converted to bicycle manufacturing included:

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Tsu Machinery Works)
Kayaba Industries (Gifu Works),
Nihon Kinzoku Sangyo
Nakanishi Kinzoku
Handa Kinzoku
Fuji-koshi Kozai,
Fuji Sangyou (Ohta Works)
Takasago Tekko,
Amatsuji Kogyo
Katakura Kogyo
Nishinihon Kogyo
Nakayama Taiyodo
Daido Seiko
Daiwa Boseki.

What is important to note here is the influx of companies into the bicycle industry.  Not only were the plants themselves converted but the engineers and skilled labor force that had formerly been producing munitions were now focusing on bicycles. This placed great pressure on traditional finished bicycle manufacturers which were producing before, during and after the war such as Miyata Seisakusho, Okamoto Bicycle Company and others.  The beauty of capitalism is that "Competition breeds a better product".  And the demand for bicycles at the time coupled with the influx of companies and skilled labor set the stage for a period (1950's) which I refer to as The Golden Age of Utility Bicycles in Japan.

なぜ昭和２０年代後半～３０年代前半の自転車が良いのか第3回

I'll be back with another English post soon until then stay trued and happy wheels.

(↓↓↓写真の上をクリック↓↓↓)

前回の投稿では、
昭和20年代後半に入って自転車の需給が高まり、
輸入枠緩和により資材が入るようになって、
日本工業規格（JIS=Japan Industrial Standard)により品質が高まり始めたが、
自転車工業全体的に普及されるまで年月がかかったことを書きました。

ということは、品質標準化と部品互換性は昭和30年代後半以降。

このころは自転車は貴重な物で、庶民の手に入る唯一の交通手段で現代の自動車ほどの価値があり、一台は2ヶ月分の給料が掛かりました。
一家・一台・一生の時代。
軍需資材用工場が平和産業工場に変わったが、下記の写真が語るように自動化より手造りが圧倒的に多かったです。
当時の自転車が工芸品そのものという証。

フレーム低温溶接

ハンドル溶接

メッキ

ハンドル組立て

ブレーキ組立て

フレーム塗装

泥除け塗装

革製サドル組立て

バッヂ宝加工

風切り彩色

次回、「なぜ昭和２０年代後半～３０年代前半の自転車が良いのか第４回」

つづく。