3Rensho Katana S Road Bike: Fully Restored, New Ultegra 6500 9 Speed, 54cm

This is most likely a ~1995 3Rensho Katana/S.  It is speculated that this was built just after Yoshi Konno's DUI accident, and in a scramble to get frames built he outsourced to another company to build some of them.  Most signs point to this is one of them.  Who the builder was remains a mystery, with the only speculations being Yamaguchi and Makino.  The other possibility is this is a custom bike from 1989, via the frame number of C-89-E.  Classic Rendezvous states the "C" in the number means this is a Japanese model, built for the Japanese market (while an "A" was one built for Yellow Jersey to sell in the USA).  The frame seems exactly like the last bike pictured on the Classic Rendezvous 3Rensho page.

The frame was fully restored and repainted recently, and the cable stops on the headtube were added.  It was then built up with all brand new parts, including a full Ultegra 6500/6510 9 speed group, a rare Selle Italia Turbo SL saddle, Nitto bars/stem, and Shimano wheels.  Other than the saddle & bar tape, everything on this bicycle is Japanese.  It has been ridden very few miles since the resto, and the paint and components are in near mint to mint condition.  

History

3Rensho (pronounced 'San Rensho') stands for three victories.  The three victories refers to a rare accomplishment by a Japanese Keirin racer claiming a win on three consecutive days of racing (qualifiers, semi-finals, and finals).  3Rensho and Cyclone were companies created by Yoshi Konno, just after Yoshi and his brother Hitoshi founded Cherubim Cycles in 1973.  Konno had several apprentices, including the legendary Yamaguchi and Masahiko Makino.  All of these names represent Japan's finest master framebuilders, and are considered the equals of Italian greats like Cino Cinelli and Ugo De Rosa.

In 1995, Yoshi Konno was in a DUI car accident, which left him paralyzed from the neck down.  

Condition

Near mint fully restored show bike condition!  The bike has an estimated 200 miles ridden since restoration.  I just installed the bar tape and saddle, which were NIB and have zero miles.  Tires have ~500 miles with plenty of life left, from a different bike.

The paint and logos are close to pristine, with the exception of a few chips.  The dropouts and around the seatpin are chipped.  Other chips are two on the driveside chainstay, one on the non-drive chainstay, and a tiny one on the non-drive side of the top tube (all pictured).  Components are considered mint, unless otherwise noted in components section below.

Frame

• Serial number: C-89-E (bottom of BB shell, speculation the "C" stands for custom via Andrew Munz of Yellow Jersey)
• Tubing: Ishiwata (019?)
• Seat tube: 54cm (c-t)
• Top tube: 54cm
• Headtube: 120mm

Components

• Wheelset: Shimano WH-R540, 16H

• Shifters: Ultegra 9 speed ST-6510 STI (faceplates have a couple light scratches in each)

• Rear derailleur: Ultegra RD-6500 (very light finish haziness on casing, barely noticeable) 

• Front derailleur: Ultegra FD-6500

• Crankset: Ultegra FC-6500, 170mm, 53/39t

• Cassette: Ultegra CS-6500, 12-27t

• Chain: Ultegra CH-HG93

• Tires: Continental Gran Prix 4000s, 700x23c (~500 miles)

• Saddle: Selle Italia Turbo SL / SLG, rare ultralight model with alloy rails, buffalo hide cover, and cutouts in the shell under the sitbones a la Turbo Super (NOS zero miles)

• Stem: Nitto Dynamic, 100mm (New, zero miles)

• Seatpost: Nitto 65 Crystal Fellow (new zero miles)

• Handlebar: Nitto Dream Mod 176, 42cm

• Headset: Shimano 600/Ultegra
• Pedals: Dura Ace PD-7700