Bart5657

In about 1969 my dad got a new Bridgestone Kabuki submariner. He rode it for many years, stopped around the time I was born, and in the last few years I started riding it now and then. I am little unsure of the frame material. Its a lugged steel frame, and up until recently I thought the top tube, down tube and seat angle were stainless steel and the rest was just (for lack and the correct termanology) non-stainless steel. However recently a bicycle mechanic told me the top tube, down tube and seat angle where aluminum and the rest was stainless steel (he came to this conclusion cause his magnet would not stick to these areas). In any event the frame is labeled stainless steel and I know some part of it is.
Just this week I had the entire bike overhauled (everything cleaned, new cables, new brake pads new bearings, everything adjusted, e.t.c). Everything on the bike is original including the paint job (suntour derailers, dia-compe brakes, 36 spoked wheels, suntour shifters on the handlebar stem, and thats all I remember right now). It is in excellent condition and rides just as good, if not better then my new road bike
Anyway, I was just curious on what the value on something like this would be. Im not planning on selling it anytime soon, and I am still riding it rather reguarly (gearing up for a few overnighters when the weather gets a bit nicer). Thx guys, I appreciate it.

ofofhy

Magnets will not be attracted to most stainless steels.

T-Mar

As ofofhy stated, most stainless steels are non-magnetic or only slightly magnetic. The Kabuki Submariner uses stainless steel for the 3 main tubes and hi-tensile steel for the forks and stays. However there is aluminum on the frame, in the form of the lugs. Bridgestone, the manufacturer of Kabuki, developed a process which allowed them to die cast aluminum lugs around the tubes. There was no brazing or welding. This allowed the joining of dissimilar materials and permitted the use of thinner tubing, as the tubing was not subjected to high brazing temperatures which reduce the strength.

There was a model that did use the die cast lugs with aluminum tubing. It was called the Superlight.

The Submariner's prime selling feature was the frame material. The components are good, but nothing special. Weight was spec'd at 30 lb. Basically, it would be competing against all the one step above entry level, bike boom models that sell for $25.00 at the thrift stores. You would get a premium from an uneducated buyer for the condition, but in order to realize a good price, you would have to sell it on a place like Ebay, where the unique frame might get a couple of educated buyers bidding against each other.

USAZorro

Does it still have the periscope and propeller?


Sorry, couldn't resist.

ofofhy

T-Mar: So they were basically relying on casting shrinkage to press fit the lugs around the tubes?

james Haury

A salute to all those brave submariners! And Now a massage from the Swedish Prime Minister! Thx monty Python.

T-Mar

I can't corroborate that statement, as I don't know the specifics of the die-casting processing and alloys that were used. However, I do know that the ends of the tubes were flared to give some extra insurance against being pulled out of the lugs. The ends of the tubes were capped out of necessity, to prevent the molten aluminum from flowing into the tubes, but the caps also prevented the flared end from collapsing and allowing the tube to be pulled out.

I should also have mentioned that the seat post used an expander bolt, as the the low ductility of the seat lug prevented the use of a standard binder bolt.


Well, it was supposedly developed for highly corrosive environments, such as the seashore. So, if you find one, let us know how the periscope and propellor modifications work out.
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don d.

Actually, the tube ends were threaded or serrated and the casting was pressure formed around the threading/serrations to allow the pressure casting to mesh effectively with the tube. I know this because I have cut one of these joints apart with a hacksaw to see how it was done. The joint I cut apart had no flaring.