Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- norco:start [2021/08/25 17:09] – gchandler
+++ norco:start [2023/08/07 14:58] (current) – mtbtimeline
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 </div>
+<div column 50% #s1983>
+----
+===== 1983 Bushwacker =====
+**//Triple//** branded with Nishiki, Kawamura & Norco.  The pic to the right is from a 1983 Norco Catalog.  The catalog states "Your authorized Nishiki dealer, Kawamura of Japan, imported and distributed by Norco Products Ltd." and the bicycle has a big "Nishiki" across the downtube.  A confused brand.
+{{1983cat.jpg?400|1983 Norco catalog}}
+\\
+Looks like the Norco decals are missing...
+[[https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbondsv/albums/72157613538725170/|flickr]]
+\\
+{{1983catb.jpg?400|1983 Norco catalog}}
+\\
+It's clearly not a Norco branded bike at this point.
+[[https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbondsv/albums/72157613538725170/|flickr]]
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1983.jpg?300|1983 Bushwacker}}
+\\
+Bushwacker
+[[https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbondsv/albums/72157613538725170/|flickr]]
+</div>
@@ Line 45: / Line 76: @@
 ===== 1984 Sasquatch =====
 Norco branded mountain bikes didn't hit the Canadian market until 1984, although [[sekai:start|Sekai]] branded bikes sold in the US and supplied by Norco were introduced in 1983.  This Norco Sasquatch is identical to the 1984 [[sekai:start#s1984|Sekai Sasquatch]].  It also appears to be identical to the 1984 [[nishiki:start#s1984|Nishiki Bushwacker]].
 </div>
@@ Line 75: / Line 106: @@
 </div>
+<div column 50% #s1986>
+----
+===== 1986 Pinnacle =====
+SunTour XC Sport 6900 (1986 only), lugged frame.  The cousin [[nishiki:start#s1987|Nishiki Pinnacle]] was TIG welded & XT equipped.  [[sekai:start|Sekai's]] Pinnacle occurred in the late 80's and had an elevated chainstay.  Uses Norco's 1986 decal scheme.
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1986.jpg?300|1986 Pinnacle }}
+\\
+Pinnacle
+[[https://www.facebook.com/groups/1501078173412301/permalink/1957291787790935/|facebook]]
+</div>
+<div column 50% #s1990>
+----
+===== 1990 Pinnacle =====
+Elevated chainstay.  Shimano Exage 400LX (1990-92).
+</div>
+<div column 45%>
+{{1990.jpg?300|1990 Pinnacle }}
+\\
+Pinnacle
+[[https://mountainbikemuseum.nl/en/mountainbikes/norco-pinnacle-480| mountainbikemuseum.nl]]
+</div>
 <div column 70% #web>
@@ Line 81: / Line 140: @@
 ===== Norco vs. Nishiki vs. Sekai =====
-Were these identical bicycles?  Norco bought Sekai in 1983 at the point where Sekai first started to introduce mountain bikes.  Norco also sourced almost all of its early mountain bikes from Nishiki, who then sourced their mountain bikes from Kawamura, Giant, Miki, and Yamaguchi, according to recorded serial numbers.  ((See serial number decoding on: [[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1042901-asian-serial-number-guide.html|bikeforums]] & [[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/390318-nishiki-serial-number-database.html|bikeforums]].))  Catalogs would help untangle this but are seemingly non-existent.  A model comparison chart would be handy.
+Were these all identical bicycles?  Norco bought Sekai in 1983 at the point where Sekai first started to introduce mountain bikes.  Norco also sourced almost all of its early mountain bikes from Nishiki, who then sourced their mountain bikes from Kuwahara, Kawamura, Giant, Miki, and Yamaguchi, according to recorded serial numbers.  ((See serial number decoding on: [[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1042901-asian-serial-number-guide.html|bikeforums]] & [[https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/390318-nishiki-serial-number-database.html|bikeforums]].))  Catalogs would help untangle this but are seemingly non-existent.  A model comparison chart would be handy.
 \\
-Norco had the Canadian license for Nishiki - but did its Sekai sub-company compete with its supplier Nishiki to resell the identical bicycles back into the US?  The overall industry web of who built and sold which bike starts to get a bit byzantine starting in 1983 with the mass importation of mountain bikes.  It's no wonder that only two Asian makers of bicycles sold in the US under their brand: [[fuji:start|Fuji]] and [[maruishi:start|Maruishi]].  Asian sounding names, such as [[sekai:start|Sekai]] or [[nishiki:start|Nishiki]] were Canadian and Californian, respectively.
+Norco had the exclusive Canadian license for Nishiki.  It then resold the same Nishikis back into the US using the Sekai brand, thereby competing with its own supplier.  Which makes no sense.  The overall industry web of who built and sold which bike starts to get a bit byzantine starting in 1983 with the mass importation of mountain bikes.  Dual branding in the early 80's was common.  Some examples:
+  * [[rm:start#ritchey|Rocky Mountain/Ritchey]] - Ritchey decals on the head tube, Rocky Mountain on the seat tube.  Fisher rebadged the bikes for the US.
+  * [[sng:start#s1984|S&G/Muddy Fox/Araya]] - these bikes were triple branded for two years.  Araya sold the same bikes in Asia w/o S&G or with bigger Araya decals.
+  * [[kuwahara:start#s1984|Apollo/Kuwahara]] - Apollo head badges, Kuwahara downtubes.  Kuwahara resold the same bikes outside North America w/o Apollo badges.
+All brands outsourced manufacturing eventually, but at least they kept their branding intact, usually.
+It's no wonder that only two Asian makers of bicycles sold in the US under their brand: [[fuji:start|Fuji]] and [[maruishi:start|Maruishi]].  Asian sounding names, such as [[sekai:start|Sekai]] or [[nishiki:start|Nishiki]] were Canadian and Californian, respectively.
 (([[kuwahara:start|Kuwahara]] dual branded with Apollo in the US, with Apollo head badges.))
 [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Bicycles|Giant]], of Taiwan, the world's largest bike manufacturer, didn't brand their own bikes until 1986.
@@ Line 97: / Line 162: @@
 </div>
-<div column 50% #production>
-----
-==== Production Notes ====
-<WRAP #prod1 />
-[1]. ?
-\\
-</div>