Tire Mud Scraper

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I enjoy browsing through vintage bicycle and bicycle parts catalogs.  I've mentioned it in Idea Archeology and Tool Kits; how old things are the ancestors of today's version.  Interesting how some parts evolve through continuous improvement, while others, like the one below from a 1959 parts catalog, simply become obsolete.

Tire Mud Scraper - Perfect for thick muddy roads 
Made of metal wire, attaches to front/rear fenders to remove caked on mud to make riding easier.

When you consider how few roads were actually paved in the 1950s, the necessity becomes obvious.
Consider that in 1952 less than 14% of all roads in Japan were paved.
 

However, that percentage jumped to 57% by 1965, 79% by 1975 and surpassed 90% by 2018.
Thus, the increase in paved roads sounded the death knell for the mud scraper.

Frozen in time, old things are unique because they are a virtual time machine enabling us to have a glimpse of the design, technology, materials, features, functionality and ideas of their generation.

First Encounter

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In a recent post I mentioned that I grew up in the US in the 1960s and had never saw an actual rod-brake bicycle firsthand until I came to Japan.  At the time I was a US Marine stationed at USMC Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan.  Rod-brake bicycles were the standard, literally everywhere in Japan.  On base the rent-a-cycle shop rented one type only, utility cycles, immediately recognizable by the standard red frame with blue rear carrier, fenders, chaincase and stand.
  

Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of the actual rent-a-cycle I rode back in 1982. 
These photos I stumbled upon are from an online auction, the bicycle is from around the year 1999.
But, very similar to the one I rode in 1982.

Rod-brakes and revolving bell.

No fender ornament.
Generator (dynamo) to power the headlamp.
BE (Beaded Edge) rim and tires.

Hub brush

Generator powered headlamp.
Note the chain stitch used to take up slack in the wire.

This brazed-on plate was a standard feature on base rent-a-cycles.

Standard lock, band brake, rubber block pedals and cottered crank arms.

Although the saddle is sprung, doubt it is a leather saddle.
The grips appear to be vinyl, not celluloid.

The number and off-base bicycle shop with telephone number.

At the time, I looked down on these bicycles as old-fashion. Mass marketing promoted expensive featherweight composite frame tubing and rims, drop handlebars, hunched over riding position, thin high-pressure tires, 10-speeds, racer-fashion bicycles with no fenders or chaincase.   Sort of the flashy high-end sports car of bicycles.  Fine if you are doing 100km and you are either a racer or focused on speed.  On the other hand, the rent-a-cycles were the antithesis.  Inexpensive, heavyweight all steel tubing and rims, single gear, sprung saddle, upright riding position, rod-brakes, balloon tires, full fenders, chaincase and luggage rack.  Kind of the low-end pickup truck of bicycles.  I have found that for me, since I rarely ride over 50km, the utility cycle is fine.  However, I admit, occasionally I encounter a hill that is too steep and I have to dismount part way and push it the rest of the way.  But, that too has its merit, it keeps me humble.

New England Yankee

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Born and raised in Massachusetts; as such I am a true New England Yankee.

Just Google “New England Yankee traits” and you'll get an idea of the kind of people New England Yankees are:  frugal, reserved, practical, resourceful (Yankee Ingenuity), hardworking (Yankee Grit), stoic, self-reliant and independent.

Yes, we New England Yankees are famous for being frugal.
We like simple, dependable and long-lasting things, which is partly why I was attracted to vintage Japanese rod-brake bicycles.
Much like the Japanese concept of mottainai-shugi, New England Yankees don't like to waste things, and take great pride in always trying to get the most out of things.
Bicycle tires for example. 

Completely bald, no sign of the original tread.
Ride this any longer and risk a flat or worse, an accident.

Threadbare in several places.
Well, I got the most out of it so time to replace it.

This is the tire I replaced it with; NOS (New Old Stock) BE (Beaded Edge) tire manufactured 65 years ago.
It reads: Motorbike 2P (2 Ply)

Made by Mitsuboshi Belt

Stamp on the inside of the tire reads:
"Special Grade Tire"
Superior Cords, 15 Strands
MITSUBOSHI BELTING LTD.


Same tire size (BE 26 X 1 3/4) as my old tire, but designed for motorbikes/mopeds which were simply bicycles with　an engine attached.

After replacement, as expected, I noticed the difference right away.
My old threadbare tire was virtually a slick tire; no tread means no rolling resistance.
The new tire with its deep grooved tread initially provided noticeable drag which I could both feel and hear. 

In the 20+ years of riding my Sekine (a light-duty cargo bicycle) I have only had 2 punctures, but have had to replace many tires due to wear as I ride nearly every day.
The bicycle itself, unloaded, weighs just over 36 kg (80 pounds) → two-thirds my body weight 56 kg (123 pounds).
Obviously, the heavier the bicycle and load, the quicker the tread wears down. 

BE (Beaded Edge) tires are quite durable.
The size and design make riding comfortable; however, the drawback is that tire replacement is very labor intensive compared to W/O tires.
Just ask any person who has actually changed a BE tire. 
The upside is that once you have replaced the tire, it is good to go for a very long time.

I usually cut off the sidewalls and use worn-out bicycle tires as tire liners.
That may be one reason I have only had two punctures in 20+ years of riding.
However, this time, in true New England Yankee fashion, with a little Yankee ingenuity, I repurposed the old tire into a sheath for my hedge cutters.  


As my dear grandmother would always say, "Waste not, want not.", and, "Take care of it, and it will take care of you."
Oh, so true.

Another Generous Donation Thank you very much Y-san!

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Over a decade ago I posted a four part series on a rare ladies bicycle called the Fuji Feather.
Back in October 2024, the owner generously donated the bicycle; disassembled it, meticulously wrapped each part one-by-one, and shipped me the bicycle in several boxes.  Note in the photo below the attention to detail in marking each box to ensure each one arrives safely.

I finally had time over the extended year-end holiday to enjoy unpacking and assembling this rare beauty.
However, after assembling it, because it has a transparent celluloid chaincase, and with age celluloid grows brittle and fragile, I needed to find a safe place in my tiny workshop where I could proudly display the bicycle without the risk of accidentally damaging it. 

I found the perfect place.  However, the problem was it was over 3 meters up!  But, where there is a will, there is a way.

By myself, I rigged a pulley and single-handedly hoisted and mounted the bicycle to the space above the entrance.
I confess that I had a few close calls.  I could have easily asked my Japanese wife for help, but due to miscommunications or misunderstandings during "husband and wife team projects" in the past, I have learned very much like this poor fellow (←click) that it is better to do it yourself.  That way, if anything goes wrong or breaks there is no one to blame but me.

I have received donations of complete bicycles, rims, saddles, fender ornaments, head badges, guarantee medals, license plates, tools, catalogs, bells and other vintage bicycle related items.  From time to time I shall endeavor to post some of these very generous donations.

Many thanks to Y-san!!!

Yamaguchi Bicycle, ‟Smart Lady” The Original ‟Mama-chari”（Part 5）

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As we have seen in this series, the Smart Lady is the original Mama-chari; a ubiquitous unisex Japanese utility bicycle, or "mom's bike," designed for practical everyday use. 
Now, have you ever seen the movie the Wizard of OZ? 
If so, do you remember the bicycle that the villain Miss Gulch (aka Wicked Witch of the West) rode?

It has nearly all the same Smart Lady features:  step-through frame, upright riding position, single-speed, rod-brakes, sprung leather saddle, half-chaincase, rear fender, handlebar basket and rear luggage rack. 

The bicycle is actually a 1900 Orient manufactured by the Waltham Manufacturing Company of Waltham, Massachusetts, coincidentally very close to where I was raised. 

Having grown up in the US in the 1960s, I had never seen a rod-brake bicycle until I first visited Japan in 1982.  I was amazed.  Rod-brake bicycles were everywhere.   At the time, the brakes were notorious for an eardrum piercing high-pitched screech.  My friends and I affectionately referred to them as the Wicked Witch of the West bicycles because they not only had the same look and feel, but in addition, the loud shrill from the brakes resembled the witch's spine-tingling scream as in the scene where Miss Gulch is riding her bicycle and transforms into the witch riding her broom.

It is interesting that in Japan, the same basic features found on the Smart Lady are still present 70 years later; though the spectrum of models has certainly evolved with cable brakes being standard, internal hub dynamo powered lighting, auto ON-OFF headlamps, electrical assist, internal 3-speed or more hubs, front and rear child seats, etc.  But a new low-end model can still be purchased, complete with accessories (bell, basket, headlamp, skirt guard, rear luggage rack, rear reflector, kickstand, lock) for around $100.

Reliable, affordable and versatile these bikes put the "p" in practical.
As previously mentioned in Part 1, the ubiquitous Mama-chari (mom's bike) is the Dutch Omafiets (grandma's bike) of Japan. 
Bicycles like the Mama-chari and Dutch Omafiets are in many ways better, because they are basic, simple, sturdy, affordable, low maintenance and comfortable.  Don't take my word for it, watch the excellent video below.  

Yamaguchi Bicycle, ‟Smart Lady” The Original ‟Mama-chari”（Part 4）

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In Part 1 of this series, we saw the features of the Smart Lady, in Part 2 we looked at the brainchild behind this model, Ms. Suzue Yamaguchi, daughter of the founder and president of Yamaguchi Bicycle Manufacturing Corporation, and in Part 3 we saw that the Yamaguchi Bicycle marketing ploy of "Beauty can be created" was decades ahead of its time.  In this post we will look at the revolutionary payment plan that made the Smart Lady affordable.  

It is important to keep in mind that the cost of a typical bicyle exceeded two months' salary, and, much like automobile ownership today, bicycle owners were required to pay a fee to register their bicycle afterwhich a license plate was attached.

Let's take a look at a 1957 Smart Lady advertisement.
 

First in the upper left we see a woman on her Smart Lady with the catch-phrase "Beauty can be created" used in the comany's revolutionary marketing ploy as covered in Part 2.

The upper right:
By using our pre-order service, customers can easily order a quality bicycle at a low price.
A major revolution for the bicycle industry.

（1）Pre-ordering allows us to formulate detailed production plans in advance and produce on an as needed basis; enabling us to lower costs.

（2）Pre-ordering, unlike speculative forecast production, eliminates waste and saves money since it is based on actual orders so no parts inventory nor warehouses; and since we only produce what is already ordered, there's never any leftover goods.

（3）By simplifying and streamlining sales routes, we minimize transportation, distribution and other expenses resulting is savings.

【Note:  The combination of the above closely ｍirrors the TPS (Toyota Production System) philosophy of Just-In-Time; whereby factories produce on an order based system so that the right parts are supplied at the right time in the right quantities so there is no need to maintain inventory which takes up space and requires buildings to store it, people to manage it and equipment to move it.】 

Lower right:

Price: ￥13,500  　
Downpayment:　￥2,500 
Monthly installments:　￥1,000 for 12 months
Delivery:　Upon payment of 3rd installment

Includes Accesories: Bell, rear luggage rack, stand, lock, basket, mud flap, rear wheel skirt protector net, head lamp, pump, shopping bag.

The Smart Lady:  a bicycle conceptualized by a woman to appeal to women, tailored to fit a woman physically, functionally, aesthetically, and marketed with the catch-phrase "Beauty can be created" along with a payment plan that put bicycle ownership within the reach of women.

Yamaguchi Bicycle, ‟Smart Lady” The Original ‟Mama-chari”（Part 3）

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In Part 1 of this series, we saw the features of the Smart Lady, and, in Part 2 we looked at the brainchild behind this model, Ms. Suzue Yamaguchi, daughter of the founder and president of Yamaguchi Bicycle Manufacturing Corporation.  As we shall see here, and later in Part 4, the Smart Lady was revolutionary not only for its features specifically designed to accomodate women, but also for the way it was marketed.

The image girl first used in advertising the Smart Lady was Meiko Nakamura, a well-known actress. At the time of the photo she was 22 years old and had just had a hit song Country Bus one year earlier in 1955.

Meiko Nakamura with her Smart Lady bicycle (1956)

Designed and marketed specifically to appeal to women, the catch phase was "Beauty can be created"; implying that by riding the Smart Lady bicycle any woman can become physically fit and more attractive.  The fact that 70 years ago, the company set out to create a bicycle designed specifically for women, and capitalized on it with a marketing ploy that beauty comes from staying physically fit, was years, if not decades, ahead of its time. 

Again, Meiko Nakamura, here in the same year on the front cover of a Smart Lady brochure.

Other popular personalities who promoted the Smart Lady included the following:

 Yaoko Kaitani （Famous Japanese Ballet dancer）


Aiko Yamano （Famous Japanese beautician）

Musei Tokugawa with his second wife, Shizue dressed in a kimono, who also rode and promoted the Smart Lady.
(Musei Tokugawa:  famous actor, essayist, radio and television personality)

In the next part, we will look at the revolutionary payment plan that the Yamaguchi sales team introduced to enable more women to own bicycles.

Yamaguchi Bicycle, ‟Smart Lady” The Original ‟Mama-chari”（Part 2）

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As mentioned in the previous post Yamaguchi Bicycle, "Smart Lady" The Original "Mama-chari" (Part 1), in 1956, a time when ladies cycles accounted for less than 10% of the market, and, only around 60% of women could even ride bicycles, Yamaguchi Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd. introduced a revolutionary model designed specifically to meet the needs of women and promote bicycle riding as a way to enhance beauty through exercise.  

Ms. Shizue Yamaguchi (shown below), was the brainchild behind the concept for the Smart Lady.
First, she was one of the first group of female politicians elected to the House of Representatives after World War II in 1946 and was a strong proponent for women's rights and liberation. Second, and perhaps more importantly, she also worked for her father, Shigehiko Yamaguchi, the founder and president of Yamaguch Bicycle.  It was she that proposed the concept for the Smart Lady to her father. 

"I was talking to my father (the company president) about whether it would be possible to make an attractive, lightweight, and practical bicycle for women at a lower price so they too could enjoy riding."

At the time, many women rode the family bicycle which were predominantly men's utility cycles.
(Note the presence of the top tube/crossbar and legnth of the head tube and seat tube.)

At the time, bicycles cost two months' salary, and were prized possesions.
Marriages were predominantly arranged marriages (54%) and a ladies cycle were often part of the trousseau as can be seen in the photo below.
Note: The bride is in the background.  The trousseau includes furiniture, treadle sewing machine (right), washing machine (left) and bicycle in the forefront.  Interestingly, a close look at the bicycle reveals it is coincidentally manufactured by Yamaguchi Bicycle and with the exception of it missing the quick-release basket that doubles as a handbasket (shopping basket) and quick-release battery-powered lamp that doubles as a lantern, it is uncannily similar to the  Smart Lady including: step-through frame with low seat tube, raised easy-to-reach handlebars, white celluloid grips, fender ornament, full fenders and chaincase to protect skirts/kimonos, rear-wheel skirt protector,  sprung leather saddle and a quick-release portable tire pump located behind the seat tube.

(Smart Lady below for comparison)

We shall continue to see in the next installment in this series, how the Smart Lady became the original Mama-chari; a Japanese  "mom's bike," designed for practical, everyday use.  The ubiquitous Mama-chari is the Dutch Omafiets of Japan. 

Yamaguchi Bicycle, ‟Smart Lady” The Original ‟Mama-chari”（Part 1）

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In Vintage Japanese Bicycle (Model Types)　④Ladies Cycle，I mentioned that in 1956, ladies cycles accounted for less than 10% of the market, and, only around 60% of women could even ride bicycles.  However, in the same year, Yamaguchi Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd., introduced a model known as the Smart Lady which revolutionized women's models.  It is important to note here, that the term "Smart", means "Slim and Stylish", and it is this bicycle that ushered in a cultural change promoting bicycle riding, especially for women, as both recreationally fun, and, as a way to enhance beauty through exercise.

Smart Lady (1956)

The company's design engineers focused on designing a model specifically for women.  In their own words: "This revolutionary modern bicycle is designed with the aim of promoting beauty through exercise and making bicycle riding fun.  Lightweight and durable, every detail, from the frame dimensions and angles, to the handlebars and saddle position, have been meticulously designed to help create beauty through exercise.

Let's take a look at some of the main features starting from the front.

Quick-release basket that doubles as a handbasket (shopping basket). 
Quick-release battery-powered lamp that doubles as a lantern.
Raised easy-to-reach handlebars
Celluloid grips
Fender ornament

Frame saddle position is 3" 3/8 inches lower than standard models and allows 4 inches of height adjustment to achieve the perfect fit for comfortable riding.
Low step-through frame for easy mounting/dismounting.
Full fenders and chaincase to protect skirts/kimonos.
Pastel green frame with white fenders


Sprung leather saddle
Equipped with quick-release portable tire pump located behind the seat tube.
Rear-wheel skirt-protector (keeps skirt or kimono clean)
Rear Carrier (luggage rack)

Brochure for the Smart Lady

As we shall continue to see in this series, this is the model that gave birth to mama-chari.

We shall continue to see in the next installment in this series, how the Smart Lady became the original Mama-chari; a Japanese utility bicycle, or "mom's bike," designed for practical, everyday use.  The ubiquitous Mama-chari is the Dutch Omafiets of Japan.    

Showroom on Wheels

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Japan recently marked the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII.

After the end of WWII in 1945, in the same year, GHQ (General Headquarters of Allied Powers) issued permission for Japanese vehicle manufacturers to produce trucks, but production of passenger cars was banned.  Thus, bicycles were in great demand.

Special trucks were designed to enable manufacturers to take their product to the masses.  These were known as SENDEN-JIDOUSHA (宣伝自動車）, literally translated it means campaign or advertising vehicle.  Mobile showrooms traveled the country; whereby, potential customers could see firsthand the manufacturer's lineup and purchase one.  

These promotional vehicles are from the Yamaguchi Bicycle Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Note how the vehicle is divided into three sections.
First, all the way up front is the driver/crew member and broadcast compartment.  These promotional vehicles were equipped with loudspeakers.


Second is the sales compartment located in the mid-section, equipped with table and chairs to discuss purchase and payment details.


Third, in the rear half is the showroom area where bicycles are displayed.

These showrooms on wheels came in various designs.  

A few other examples of bicycle promotional vehicles.

Mayam (Nittei)


Hikari

Kofu


Tsunoda

It is interesting to note that promotional vehicles were not limited to bicycle companies. There were a wide variety of products promoted this way, including: ham, curry, chocolate, powdered milk, soft milk candies, toothpaste, ice cream, cotton goods, blankets, yarn and sweaters, sewing machines, spark plugs, radios, televisions, milk, milk caramels, sauces, whiskey, beer, wine among many others.

The following link (Japanese only) contains six pages of various promotional vehicles.
Japanese Promotional Vehicles

Also, refer to the following You Tube videos via the links below.
Promotional Vehicles Part 1 
Promotional Vehicles Part 2

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, as the television gradually became a common household item, television commercials did the advertising; thereby, making promotional vehicles obsolete and ending a unique era in Japanese sales promotion methods.