For the right person, this is truly a dream.
Here’s a happy cyclist with her “new” bicycle. Thanks to a gracious donation of this pristine “Japanese steel” bicycle, Lauren can join her family and friends on rides on the Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail.
Almost since purchase, this bicycle was stored inside and seldom ridden as evidenced by its overall prime condition. Just note the whiter-than-white handlebar tape! A forty or so year old bicycle in this condition is rare. All it needs is air, lube, and love.
This is the right bicycle but only for the right person.
The donor of this Araya bicycle was unclear as to when it was purchased, but it was clearly one of the great Japanese steel frames from the 1970s and 80s. A hint comes from the SunTour V-GT Luxe rear derailleur – introduced in 1973 “ … In line with their process of continual improvement, SunTour took the SunTour V series and upgraded the parallelogram plates from steel to aluminum – the result is the 1973 SunTour V Luxe series.” (Image #3 below.) So … this bicycle cannot be older than 1973. (SOURCE: http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/SunTour_V_GT_Luxe_derailleur_1500.html )
Araya, as a bicycle manufacturer, is little known because most of their frame production was re-branded (e.g., the Austrian Puch for example). Currently, Araya focuses on rims, wheels, spokes, and nipples. Araya Industrial has 100 years’ experience making bicycle rims with the first ones of wood. Current production is in aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber, magnesium, and stainless steel. In the 70s and 80s, their rims were well known on high quality road, MTB, and BMX bikes. You might check the wheels on your own bicycles to see if any came from Araya.
Links: http://www.araya.co.uk/ and http://www.araya-usa.com/about-us
Albany Bicycle Coalition 