Registry Detail Page

Bicycle Details

Bicycle Type

3

Bicycle Year

1989

Brand

Panasonic

Model

PICS Team Custom "PL"

Frame / Serial Number

Frame Material

Steel

Frame Tubing

Likely Tange Prestige (TBD)

Frame size

58 cm

Paint Color

Tri Color

Handlebars / Stem

Cinelli

Fork / Headset

Tange / Stronglight

Wheel Hubs

Dura Ace 7402

Wheel Rims

Mavic MA4

Crankset / Bottom Bracket

Dura Ace 7402

Saddle / Seat Post

San Marco Rolls /

Pedals / Chain

Shifters / Derailers

Dura Ace 7402

Brakes / Brake Levers

Dura Ace 7402

Gearing / Chainring

Other Notes

numerous unique features. For starters, the name on the top tube is Phileppe Lauraire. If you aren't old enough to remember the 1980's and pro cyclists back then, he was a domestique for 1987 Tour De France winner Stephen Roche on Team Fagor and rode in the Tour three times. Now that MAY be who the bike was owned by or built for back in the day but I have not been able to confirm anything yet. It could also have merely belonged to some French dude with a sticker fetish. Other odd traits include internally routed shift cables which are a first for me. I've never seen that on other Panasonics to date. The bike also has many extra Panasonic and Shimano decals which do make me wonder about the history. The head tube badge is a PICS label rather than the Panasonic label which is also strange. Over the years more than a few professional cyclists have ridden Panasonic bicycles. Panasonic DID have a professional cycling team for a while so that would naturally account for their bicycles being ridden by pro cyclists. In early December of 2012 I spotted a rather obscure text-only ad on a southern California Craigslist offering a Panasonic Team bike for sale. I had suspected it was another 1985 Panasonic Team since I see a fair number of them offered for sale around the country. I asked the seller for photos in order to see what he had on his hands and was more than a little shocked at what I got in response. The bike was a Team Custom PICS frame with full Dura Ace. Most unexpected! As for the name on the top tube, it is possible that this bike may have been owned by the famous French rider, Phillepe Lauraire who rode professionally from 1983 until the early 90′s. I had remembered his name from my childhood and for some reason associated him with a more famous rider by the name of Stephen Roche who happened to win the 1987 Tour de France. Lauraire was a domestique for Roche on Team Fagor and rode in the Tour three times. Certainly a more impressive cycling career than my own!

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5

Photo 6

Willing to sell / trade?

2

Date of Purchase

Condition

Excellent