Shogun Appreciation Society

[yugyug]

Or they could make it easy as they do on their MTBs : Although now that I think about if it was prestige, they probably would make it obvious!

your probably right about that, though it doesn't look like there similar decals on the 1990 Ninja I posted a few pages back - though the scans are too poor to really tell.

No tube decals unfortunately, I wonder if there anyway to tell, such as the SL vs SLX difference with spiraling ribs..

Maybe? On this page is a link to the 1988 Tange tube catalog:
http://velobase.com/Resource_Tools/CatalogScans.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It may be that by taking careful measurements of the seat post diameter and the seat tube diameter you can get the wall thickness and match it to the tubing spec, or a bunch of them. Further measurements of the other tubes and chain and seat stays might narrow it down again - assuming Shogun used complete tubesets and not a custom mix. I don't have my ninja with me right now, but I'll try and do this myself when I do.

Or we can just look at the Shogun 89 catalog. Anyone???

[simon.young]

In the 92 Catalog spec for the ninja it lists the tubing as Liteconcept, Full Chromoly Double Butted with forged dropouts. Pretty much the same spec as my Ninja : full 105, levin headset, SR stem, different seatpost though.

[simon.young]

Some measurements:

27.2 Seatpost
28.6 Seat tube, near the top, just under the lugs. Fluctuated a bit, but my verniers are pretty cheap digital ones... (I got .5, .6, .7)

I'll have a look through the tange catalog. If its liteconcept though, is that a type of tange tubing or different brand altogether?

[simon.young]

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/retro- ... 58256.html

1990 Shogun Ninja post - No pics but he mentions Galactic Green - black with green metalflake and full 105 & DT shifters - as being tange 1 tubing

[yugyug]

Some measurements:

27.2 Seatpost
28.6 Seat tube, near the top, just under the lugs. Fluctuated a bit, but my verniers are pretty cheap digital ones... (I got .5, .6, .7)

I'll have a look through the tange catalog. If its liteconcept though, is that a type of tange tubing or different brand altogether?

(Lite concept is not a Tange tube, probably just a marketing term Shogun made up, which covers more that one tube type as well).

But if your measurements are correct, that means the wall thickness of the seat tube is 0.7 at the top. That would be Prestige, double butted seat tube 0.7-0.4-0.7mm. Many other Tange tubes (inc. Tange 1-3 + Infinity) have a seat tube diameter of 28.6, but are butted 0.9-0.6-0.9mm (which would make a seat post of 26.8mm). So my guess is Prestige.

[yugyug]

Just looking at the Tange catalog - seat stay diameter might confirm it too - if its 14 x 10 rather than 14 x 11 "P.G" - not sure that means but my guess is that lower number refers to the thinner part near the drop outs.

Or, how do you feel about stripping your frame of parts and weighing it??

[yugyug]

Back with my Sydney bikes - here's my ninja:



Its had a good life - when I bought it, it had a few dings in the paint. I've been riding it as a daily commuter and it holds up very well. Fun ride. I put some rust converter on its ah-ahs today and gave it a wipe with fish oil, but it probably deserves some kind of refurb. It has that gross but cool "galatic green' sparkle in the black paint.

Serial no S985008

Seat post 27.2, seat tube diameter 28.6.

105 groupset, Sakae stem and bars, Stong seat post.

Rims are not original Velocitys (I guess). Hubs are Suntour and it has this unusual Suntour freehub for which I was lucky enough to find some replacement cogs so I could change the inner back cog from 24t to 30t.

[TedDancin]

I'm pretty sure the '89 Ninja's that you guys are posting were the top of the line for that year, but not for later years. The '89 was Tange Prestige, in later years it went to a heavier CrMo tube. There was a Team Issue that became the top of the line in the early 90s, made of Prestige.

[yugyug]

I'm pretty sure the '89 Ninja's that you guys are posting were the top of the line for that year, but not for later years. The '89 was Tange Prestige, in later years it went to a heavier CrMo tube. There was a Team Issue that became the top of the line in the early 90s, made of Prestige.

Thanks for the info Ted. I can hardly believe i'm commuting on a frame with 0.4mm wall section.

[yugyug]

Shogun Ninja 1990 I think. Shimano date codes 1989 105 DT shifters, most other 105 is from 1990. The Strong seatpost has 90 stamped on it. Given it a wipe down, it's in pretty good shape, but needs some work. Mostly original, except rear wheel, pedal, and those tri-bars... YUK!

I would love to find a 89 / 90 catalog, as I'm sure the Ninja changed to a Spirograph type pattern in 1991?

For those wondering about dating of parts check out this link : http://www.vintage-trek.com/component_dates.htm#shimano

Hey Simon I was just looking at your picture again and noticed the forks are different to mine. What does the decal on them say and are they matching galactic green black? Also, if you think your front rim is original, what is it?

[simon.young]

I'm pretty sure the '89 Ninja's that you guys are posting were the top of the line for that year, but not for later years. The '89 was Tange Prestige, in later years it went to a heavier CrMo tube. There was a Team Issue that became the top of the line in the early 90s, made of Prestige.

Thanks for the info Ted. I can hardly believe i'm commuting on a frame with 0.4mm wall section.

Yes the 92 Catalog has the Team Issue, with Prestige in Galactic Black and the Ninja drops a notch from there, also different graphics.

[simon.young]

Shogun Ninja 1990 I think. Shimano date codes 1989 105 DT shifters, most other 105 is from 1990. The Strong seatpost has 90 stamped on it. Given it a wipe down, it's in pretty good shape, but needs some work. Mostly original, except rear wheel, pedal, and those tri-bars... YUK!

I would love to find a 89 / 90 catalog, as I'm sure the Ninja changed to a Spirograph type pattern in 1991?

For those wondering about dating of parts check out this link : http://www.vintage-trek.com/component_dates.htm#shimano

Hey Simon I was just looking at your picture again and noticed the forks are different to mine. What does the decal on them say and are they matching galactic green black? Also, if you think your front rim is original, what is it?

My serial is S075128

Yes the fork is matching.



I'm not 100% but pretty sure the front hub / rim is original. But no decals on the rim. Grey Anodised. I'll pull the tube off and have a look.



Other downtube decal close. (Look the same as yours)

[simon.young]

Could you please post a pic of the engraving on your bars? I'm chasing original bars… those tri bars really weight down the front!

[yugyug]

as per my pm: Sakae Custom Modolo Anatomic Bend

[simon.young]

With the serial # S075128

0 is MY would that mean that the 8 one the end is size? Makes sense mine is a 58. (Measured C-T as in the 92 Catalog sizing chart)

So does that mean yours is a 48? (Your Serial # S985008)

My front hub is HB-1055 OC - looks like it is original, no marking on the rim, couldn't even see sticker residue. Has Zefal rim tape, didn't look any further. I may get more rim tape and strip the old stuff off and see if I ca see anything.

WH-500 Rear wheel , rear cassette Shimano HG 13-21 OC (with an NF lock ring)

Everything else is OC / OE 105, now just to replace bars and rear wheel…

Are you going to paint the scratches? Have you found something similar? or a good black to match?

[yugyug]

My bike has a 52 ish top tube, seat tube is smaller but not as small as 48 I think.

Yeah a bit of black enamel would work ok. I only just noticed that my forks are not orig and are jet black anyway! Though, it wouldn't surprise me to find some matching sparkly galactic black nail polish in a Goth shop.

[yugyug]

Check it out I parked my ninja facing a team issue today. Looks like an early 90s.

[simon.young]

Nice! The brifters look new though... Should put a note and ask if they want to sell it?

[simon.young]

Looks like my Prairie Breaker Team is also 1990, shimano dates right and serial #90F2587

Which mean I have both top road / mtb offerings from shogun for 1990 (unless the was a Team Issue road bike for 1990? BUt doesn't look like it)

I had a 1990 Trail Breaker and remember going into lifecycle in brisbane with dad, and drooled over these two bikes. This a double tick for my retro collection. The PB is now used for kids trailer and its a great comfy bike, the Ninja need some work, but will be used for a training bike.

[simon.young]

And here's that lovely galactic green on the ninja, I wonder what they'll think me asking for "black with green glitter nail polish"

[yugyug]

And here's that lovely galactic green on the ninja, I wonder what they'll think me asking for "black with green glitter nail polish"

Crikey! Its out there:

https://www.google.com/search?q=black+w ... 60&bih=531" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[headwerkn]

I don't know how retro 2006 is, but here's my Shogun Trail Breaker 3 (rather dirty from a recent wet and muddy ride, will post up a better shot soon).



Was originally bought (along with a TB2 for my then-girlfriend) as a commuting bike, occasionally breaking out onto the trails around Knocklofty when I lived in West Hobart. Had spent a few years hanging in the garage after moving to the north of the state... recently I've discovered (for the second time in my life, curiously enough) that everyone I work with is into mountain biking, so the old girl has been dusted off and we've been hitting Kate Reed Reserve a couple of times a week after knock-off. Really impressive the work that has gone into that place - so much fun. The old bike does well keeping up with the other guys' newer steeds, though I have to admit the hardtail ride is making me miss my old Specialized FSR Extreme from years' back.

Mechanically it is still doing really well, but unfortunately the years spent idle and neglected haven't been too kind to it - the forks are pretty much stuffed now, the original grips have rotted into a mucky goo (hence the god-awful MX grips currently on it), the already-average-when-new Tekro cable discs require a big handful of lever to haul up the bike fast... lots of surface rust and UV fade on the plastics, etc. etc. Currently mulling over whether to invest a few hundred bucks into doing it up with fresh forks/brakes/running gear, or putting that towards a better, secondhand duallie. Logic says go with the latter, especially as the boss wants to upgrade from his Stunt Jumper, but the Shogun seems too decent to just chuck away.

Cheers, Ben.

[munga]

And here's that lovely galactic green on the ninja, I wonder what they'll think me asking for "black with green glitter nail polish"

i wonder if you could take it to your local nail professional store, and get them to colour match while you get a pedicure.

[find_bruce]

I don't know how retro 2006 is, but here's my Shogun Trail Breaker 3 (rather dirty from a recent wet and muddy ride, will post up a better shot soon).

Ah disc brakes - the grouchs will be out for you

Not to worry, wet and muddy is a good look for a MTB.

[headwerkn]

Heheh.... it was a while ago but I recall being adamant about getting discs with that bike, the budget wouldn't stretch for hydraulics but was told cable discs were almost as good. LOL....

They've always been a disappointment... my previous bike (the FSR) came with Avid Arch Rival 50s which, at the time, were generally considered the duck's guts of all braking, save, perhaps, the most expensive hydro-disc systems of the time. The things were amazingly powerful with one finger on the lever, and easy to maintain provided you kept your rims clean. The Tekros on the other hand have always required at least two fingers to haul up quickly and require careful adjustment to stop them dragging on the disc... my foreman has the same brakes on his new Fluid and they're equally crap, so obviously 8 years of development hasn't improved things much. About the only good thing you can say about them is the magnetic pad retention system is a lot simpler to deal with than the retaining pins etc. of other brands.

Back in the day I mulled over converting to hydro discs, which would have required swapping out the combo levers/shifters too... the all-up cost wasn't worth it. Of course these days a pair of pre bled Shimano levers and calipers can be had for $100 and decent shifters for $50... so it is rather tempting....