A letter from ARAYA - Randonneur & Raleigh Club Special

Hi James!
and everyone from overseas =)

Araya sent me a letter to you in English.

I quoted his letter as is.
Click below to read it!

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Thanks for your attention for our ARAYA/RALEIGH bike.
I was glad to hear attention from oversea.

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Q.1>
I love this araya bicycle
http://www.araya-kk.co.jp/bicycle/ran_loca-hdl.htm
could you tell me something about it? Who makes the front rack and flashlight?
I wish I could find that set up over here.

Regarding about your questioned Front-carrier, it is our original design.
But not completely our original.
Such kind of design carrier used be a standard Japanese touring bike until 1980.
Before 80's, there was no Mountainbikes, Trekking-bikes.
Road-racer, 700C (27") and 26" wheel touring bike were mainly sport bikes.
At that time, high-end touring bike equipped front-carrier with internal light-cable and direct-attached light using with Soubitez or Jos.
Our original F-carrier is base designed from them.

Battery light is old model, feel sorry, you can't buy now.
It was made by National (Panasonic) on around 1970-1980.
At that time mainly battery light used 3pcs size "D" but that light was considered for bicycle so that used size 3pcs of "C" for lightweight and skinny looking.
Dynamo light is Araya original. Designed similar retro type light as like Soubitez or Jos and equipped switch for Hub-dynamo. Retro design but little bit modern.

Our original design carrier and light are made for complete bike of Randonneur only.
We have very few stock replacement parts for complete bike.
It will be something difficult to get them at your country.
I feel sorry to tell you.

Retro Japanese touring bike have sounds like stylized ratio for carrier, fender, small bolt or etc. We studied and proud of Araya Randonneur it have such kind of ratio.

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Q.2>
What is the relationship between Raleigh Japan and Araya? There is a link to the Araya site on raleigh.jp. Does araya build the lugged frames for Raleigh? In Japan or Taiwan?

Raleigh, it is worldwide bike brand. And selling bike by considering spec or design according to every country situation. You can find several Raleigh websites as follows.
They are only example. More other country's Raleigh should be available.

UK: http://www.raleighbikes.com/
Ireland: http://www.raleigh.ie/
Germany: http://www.raleigh-bikes.de/
Holland: http://www.raleigh.nl/
USA: http://www.raleighusa.com/
Canada: http://www.raleigh-canada.ca/
South Africa: http://www.raleigh.co.za/
Taiwan: http://www.raleigh.com.tw/
China: http://www.raleigh.cn
Japan：http://www.raleigh.jp

Araya, maybe you can understand, we are Bicycle Rim manufacture.
(Now, our mainly business is steel/stainless/or other metal tubing and forming by our roll-forming technology)
Thanks for every customers assistance, we were celebrating the hundred anniversary of the founding of our company in 2004.
Our founded item was bicycle rims. First of all we were started rims by wood with lacquer ware that is special product at Yamanaka, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan where is our founded place.
The second Mr. Araya tried to make steel rim in very early in 20th century.
Then he visited various Europe countries by transit Siberian railroad.
Finally, he visited and found advanced rim manufacturing at Raleigh factory.
After that he brought back technology then tried and started to produce steel rims in 1914.
As above, we, Araya and Raleigh have almost 100 years relation ship.

Current our released Araya and Raleigh bikes are made in Taiwan.
We can say same thing that some of American/Euro branded bikes are also made in Taiwan or China.
Of course made in UK is better image for Raleigh and so on made in Japan for Araya brand, however, something difficult for some reasons as like very few bicycle manufacture in USA, Euro or Japan.

Especially Taiwan, they have been grown up quickly in 80's for exporting to Northern America and Europe.
And also Taiwan government backed up to them.
That's why they have more modern facilities than Japan or Euro.
I have been visited factory to check and discuss at every strategic points.
It is difficult to finish completely perfect, anyway, I hope there is not big difference for quality under deep quality check/control.

RAN and CLS is not alloy frame.
Lugged frame is rare in Taiwan, however, we have relation ship with specialized lugged frame maker in Taiwan.
They have long experience to make frame to Denmark/Holland.
Danish bike is still insisted lugged frame.

Thanks again your attention for us. And feel sorry as like un-helpful above message form me.

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I can agree that modern style bike as like Alloy/Carbon Roadbike or Full-suspension Mountainbikes are more performance than such kind of Retro bike.
Even in me, when entry bike race, I use modern Road without hesitation.
However, bicycle sometimes is not only technology machine.
Some people ask to bike for relax, memories or etc.

In fact, there is adult people are coming back to biking and they find completely changed sport bike world comparing with their young age.
Some people can easy to ride modern bike but almost people hesitate to ride them. But they would like to ride bike for refreshing, free from stress, or considering eliminating adult diseases.

We hope retro designed bike helps their desire for bicycling.
The other side, some of young ladies have sympathy with our Retro design bicycle for only fashion.
Of course this approach is welcome.

Bicycle is not only machine.
Should be a human friend.

Best regards,