Nozawa No. 28 3-Speed Premium Sportster (Part 3)

次回、この記事の日本語版を投稿します。

In the previous post we continued our look at an extremely rare Nozawa No. 28 3-Speed Premium Sportster.  This bicycle was discovered tucked away in the far corner of a storage building where it had been asleep for 65 years. 

Infamous Nozawa raptor fender ornament in pristine condition.

Sportsters like this one became popular in the late 1950s early 1960s as the bicycle trend in Japan shifted from utility to leisure.

In Nozawa No. 28 3-Speed Premium Sportster (Part 2) we began our comparison of how this bicycle is nearly identical to the specifications listed in the 1959 Nozawa catalog shown in Nozawa No. 28 3-Speed Premium Sportster (Part 1)  The photos were taken just as I found the bicycle, just lightly dusted it off and pumped up the tires.

In this post we shall continue our examination, specifically the sprung leather saddle, chaincase and crank/chainwheel.

#32 model soft leather saddle, in pristine condition, same as listed in the Nozawa 1959 catalog specifications.

Suspension similar to 900 series with two loops in the nose and two spring coils in the rear; however, this model is slim and trim with a longer nose designed for touring.

Badge with Nozawa trademark


Stamped on both left and right sides.
N.Y. CYCLE, TOKYO, N.Y. TRADEMARK, NOZAWA SEISAKUSHO

SOFT FUJITA SADDLE stamp on the nose.

High-end two-tone (grey/white) full chaincasei, in pristine condition, same as listed in the Nozawa 1959 catalog specifications.

Nozawa trademark badge

Nozawa raptor emblem

Notice how the rivet is strategically located to form the eye of the raptor.

Nozawa trademark stamped on the chaincase stay band.

Crank arms

Nozawa trademark molded into the crank arms.

Cotter pin cover (link Japanese only) with Nozawa trademark
(Unfortunately, missing the cotter pin cover on the other side.)

In the next installment of the series, Nozawa No. 28 3-Speed Premium Sportster, we will continue to examine the details of this very rare sportster model and compare it to the 1959 catalog specifications.