# Mid 80's Panasonic Team



## Quadburner (Jan 12, 2005)

I bought this bike new in 1986 (was a leftover 84 or 85 model. Havent ridden it much in the last 5 years, so I thought I would clean it up a bit (new tape and a NOS white turbo saddle to replace the old one I put on in the late 80's). This bike must have over 30,000 miles on it. The frame is still in great shape with the exception of some paint chips and scratches.
View attachment 109836


View attachment 109837


View attachment 109838


View attachment 109839


View attachment 109840


----------



## KeithNYC (Mar 17, 2004)

That is beautiful. Proper. :thumbsup:


----------



## zmudshark (Jan 28, 2007)

Love the old Panasonics. I'm hoping to score and old tourer this weekend.

Didn't the Team originally come with Shimano components? Old DA?


----------



## Quadburner (Jan 12, 2005)

*Yes - originally spec'd with Shimano*

It had a shimano 600 drivetrain with diacomp brakes originally. I replaced parts and upgraded as they wore out. The only original parts on it are the front derailieur and the crankset.

I still have the Panasonic brochure, so here was the Team series line-up in 1985:

There was a full Campy Super Record version of this bike called the Team Europe I with Columbus sp/sl tubes, a Team America version with full dura ace and the same Columbus frameset, a Team Europe II with Campy Victory and the Columbus frameset. My bike was lowest Team model with a Tange Champion No. 2 frameset.


----------



## zmudshark (Jan 28, 2007)

Quadburner, I just picked up a mid 80's Panasonic touring bike, model PT-5000, do you have the specs for that? Was it the top of the touring line up? It has a Champion #2 frameset as well.


----------



## Red Sox Junkie (Sep 15, 2005)

I have a Panasonic DX-3000 with the Tange #2. A tad bit heavy compared to some of the other tube sets available at the time but it provides a pretty nice ride. Those 80's Panasonic frames are some really nice bikes. I updated mine to 9 speed and like the ride of it just as nice as my much newer high end bike.


----------



## Quadburner (Jan 12, 2005)

Congratulations on the purchase. The 1985 brochure has two touring models. The Pro Touring 18-speed in wine red (looks like burgundy). It had a the Champion #2 framset and had mostly Shimano 600 and Deore XT components. The Crank was a Biopace model. The Touring Deluxe 15-speed model was Anthracite Grey and had a framset made of the lower spec Tange 1000 Cro Moly tubes (double butted). Part Specs were Shimano. Both models came with an alloy rear rack and canteliver brakes. The model numbers were PT-719 thru PT-725 (depending on frame size) for the Pro-Touring model, and TD-719 thru TD-725 for the Touring- Deluxe model. Sounds like yours was probably the top model for that year given the "PT" designation and the Champion #2 frameset.

Post some pictures.


----------



## zmudshark (Jan 28, 2007)

Thanks, I have some quick pictures here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/A2UsedBikes/PanasonicPT5000

It has a nice suede leather? wrap on the bars, and appears to be unused. I am a bit confused about the DA headset. Maybe they ran out of Tange that day? 

I think mine is a 1983 model, as far as I've been able to find out. I welcome any info I can get. The bikes a bit big for me, so I won't keep it, but couldn't pass it up.

Any interested folks, PM me, I'm open to offers


----------



## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Sweet. I'd love to have one of the Panasonic (or Miyata) touring frames as well.


----------



## Quadburner (Jan 12, 2005)

*zmudshark - that bike looks pristine*

Wow, It looks like a time capsule. Looks to be all original - even down to the Panasonic water bottle, rubber shifter "protectors" and wheel reflectors. It looks brand new. My bike had similar brakes before I switched the levers out to Dia Comp aeros, wrecked them in a car accident, replaced them with another set, and then eventually replaced the whole brake set with Campy Athena. I wish I had kept the original parts like the brakes and KTT Pro Vic pedals like you have.


----------



## zmudshark (Jan 28, 2007)

Thanks Quad, I guess the desert air helps keep it minty fresh. 

I couldn't believe it when I saw it, I tried to look uninterested and even offered the seller less than his asking price(he took it). I usually have a litany of reasons why it's not worth much, and all I could come up with is 'It's old'. I don't think the bike has more than 10 miles on it, and had never been on the big chain ring till I rode it. It's as close to NOS as any bike I've run across.

I'm fairly confident it is a 1983 model.

It will probably just hang in the garage until early Spring, then go to eBay. It's just a bit too big for me, and I have a Schwinn Voyageur SP in my size back in MI that I'm going to finish next Summer.

And yeah, the water bottle is like new, too.

Now if I could just find an old De Rosa or Merckx covered with dust in the corner of some garage in N. Scottsdale. I know they're out there!


----------



## ridenow1 (Sep 5, 2005)

*Panasonic=Schwinn Super Sport SP*

I thought that Panasonic frame looked pretty familiar. I have a 1984 or so Schwinn Super Sport SP which I bought new from a Schwinn dealer in 1986, still in pretty fair shape. It has those exact same colors with the contrast on the headtube, except the colors are reversed. It has Champion #2 tubing. I recently read that Panasonic may have built these frames, but this pretty much confirms it. It was my first "real" quality road bike, which my stoner friend had to really talk me into buying(even though it was a $650 bike on sale for $350, still seemed like a ton of money for "just a bike"), but it was the best vehicle decision I ever made, which got me into cycling. What a precision machine(after my Continental)! After sitting for about 15 years, I just last month built it up as my first fixie, and loving it. Pretty comfortable ride and about 19 lbs. Nice geometry; even though it's 53cm center-to-center at seatpost, it has a 55cm center-to-center top tube.


----------



## barry1021 (Nov 27, 2005)

*I have an old merckx*



zmudshark said:


> Thanks Quad, I guess the desert air helps keep it minty fresh.
> 
> I couldn't believe it when I saw it, I tried to look uninterested and even offered the seller less than his asking price(he took it). I usually have a litany of reasons why it's not worth much, and all I could come up with is 'It's old'. I don't think the bike has more than 10 miles on it, and had never been on the big chain ring till I rode it. It's as close to NOS as any bike I've run across.
> 
> ...


in North Scottsdale, but it's not covered in dust and you better not go near it!! (Actually you are welcome to come by and ride it when I am there if you fit a 55)

b21


----------



## Quadburner (Jan 12, 2005)

*Schwinn Super Sport*

I had also heard that Panasonic built for other manufacturers. I believe they still build some bikes today - one or two of the Rivendell frames are built by Panasonic. Glad to hear you're still getting some use out of your Schwinn. Post some pics.


----------



## zmudshark (Jan 28, 2007)

Already have a De Rosa and a Merckx (and a Cinelli), just looking for the forgotten bike in a garage. You and Jim are invited down for ribs and beers after the holidays, looking forward to meeting you, and maybe riding together if it ever stops raining. I thought this was the desert!

I have a 54 De Rosa SLX and 54 Rossin SL here, as well as the Panasonic above and a Trek I just picked up in N. Scottsdale last weekend. The Merckx is in MI. Here's the new Trek:
http://picasaweb.google.com/A2UsedBikes/Trek510

The Panasonic and Trek are flippers; yeah, I pimp on the side 

I can ride a 55 with no problems, as long as it has toe clips, I don't do that clipless sheet!



barry1021 said:


> in North Scottsdale, but it's not covered in dust and you better not go near it!! (Actually you are welcome to come by and ride it when I am there if you fit a 55)
> 
> b21


----------



## francoaa (Mar 19, 2008)

Does anyone know where I can get original pricing on a panasonic, incase I see one at a yard sale. I would like to know what the dx 3000,2000,1000 would have cost new in 85 thru 86.
thanks


----------



## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

francoaa said:


> Does anyone know where I can get original pricing on a panasonic, incase I see one at a yard sale. I would like to know what the dx 3000,2000,1000 would have cost new in 85 thru 86.
> thanks


I don't have a price list but the DX-5000 sold for around $750-800 and the DX-4000 sold for $600 in 1988... This is according the Bicycling Magazine 1988 buyers guide. The Team models more and the other models progressively less..


----------



## friviz68 (Aug 4, 2010)

*1985 Panasonic Team Europe II*

i got this bike at a used shop for $40.00 bucks can anyone tell about this bike...


----------



## josephr (Jun 17, 2010)

nice Panasonic!


----------



## nayr497 (Nov 8, 2008)

Nice bike, quad.

I bet I learned this at some point, but think I forgot it...

What is the function of the little triangular tabs on the brakes, kind of just below the pads? I have them on my Delta brakes and someone asked me recently what purpose they serve. I didn't know!


----------



## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

nayr497 said:


> Nice bike, quad.
> 
> I bet I learned this at some point, but think I forgot it...
> 
> What is the function of the little triangular tabs on the brakes, kind of just below the pads? I have them on my Delta brakes and someone asked me recently what purpose they serve. I didn't know!


They're wheel/tire guides to facilitate a quick wheel change.


----------



## Kuma601 (Jan 22, 2004)

Very nice...thanks for sharing!


----------

