Ravanello Track Bicycle: By S.Takamura

Quick Answer: The Ravanello track bicycle is a fully custom, hand-built frame from Ravanello (Bicycle Engineering Pro Shop Takamura Manufacturing Co.), founded by former Japanese track athlete Seiichi Takamura in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward. This build uses Tange steel with NJS-certified Sugino 75 crankset and Nitto handlebars and stem — the same certification standard required for Japanese keirin racing.

By James Hickman, former USA Cycling Expert-level coach and Masters-category racer
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Special thanks to eBay’s satansmothers09 for the images and bike specs referenced in this article.

I feature builds like this one because I’ve spent years with my hands on Japanese steel — you can see the restorations and component teardowns on my Bicycle Restoration Man YouTube channel. The Ravanello isn’t one I’ve personally restored, but the Tange tubing, NJS hardware, and build quality on display here are the same things I look for — and look at closely — on every bike that comes through my own shop.

Who Builds the Ravanello Track Bicycle

This Ravanello track bicycle is this week’s Japanese Bicycle of the Week. Ravanello — officially Bicycle Engineering Pro Shop Takamura Manufacturing Co. — has built fully custom track and road frames one at a time since the workshop opened in 1977 under the phrase “Ravanello for Ride.” The pro shop that preceded it opened three years earlier, in 1974.

Ravanello builds road, track, randonneur, mini-vélo, and tandem frames in steel, aluminum, and carbon, each tailored to the rider ordering it. The aluminum and carbon frames are made in Italy, while steel builds — like the track bike featured here — stay in-house in Japan.

Building or restoring a track bike of your own? JensonUSA stocks the fixed-gear cranksets, track hubs, and NJS-adjacent parts that keep a build like this one true to form. Shop track bike components at JensonUSA →

The Visionary Behind Ravanello Bicycles: Seiichi Takamura

Seiichi Takamura, born March 1, 1943, founded Ravanello. A former top-level track athlete who represented Japan at the Asian Games during his university years, Takamura opened his bike shop in 1974 and began building frames in 1977. He is self-taught in frame construction — a fact that makes his reputation among Japanese track riders, and the nickname “Riding Ravanello,” more notable rather than less.

Track Bicycle: A Legacy of Excellence and Passion

Takamura’s frames are known among elite Japanese riders for their light weight and cornering feel. He also runs Team Ravanello, a club team with three Tour de Hokkaido wins to its name. The brand takes its name from the Nerima daikon radish — “Ravanello” is Italian for radish — a nod to the shop’s home in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward.

Sourcing period-correct saddles or seatposts for a project like this can take weeks of eBay hunting. JensonUSA carries modern equivalents from Selle, Fizik, and others if you’d rather ride than wait. Browse saddles and seatposts at JensonUSA →

Built with Tange Steel

This track bicycle is built from Tange steel, a tubeset chosen for its strength-to-weight balance rather than for cost. Steel of this quality holds up to intricate lug work without giving up the responsiveness a track frame needs, which is part of why it remains a preferred material for serious track builders decades after aluminum and carbon became mainstream elsewhere.

Tange Headset

The Tange headset handles steering duty. It’s a straightforward, well-made component — precise, durable, and built to take repeated track-standing and hard cornering without developing play.

Sugino 75 NJS Crankset

The Sugino 75 NJS crankset is built and certified to NJS (Nihon Jitensha Shinkokai) standard — the spec Japanese keirin racing requires of every component on a sanctioned track bike. That certification means the crankset has passed testing most consumer parts never see, which is a large part of why NJS components carry a premium and a following well outside keirin racing itself.

Nitto NJS Handlebars and Stem

The Nitto NJS handlebars and stem are the other NJS-certified components on this build. Nitto’s reputation in track cycling rests on decades of consistent, minimal-flex construction — not marketing — which is why the brand shows up on nearly every serious Japanese track build, Ravanello’s included.

Dura-Ace Aero Seatpost and Kashimax Aero Saddle

A Dura-Ace aero seatpost and Kashimax aero saddle finish the cockpit. The pairing keeps the rider’s position low and adjustable without adding drag — a small detail, but on a track bike built for speed, exactly the kind of detail that matters.

If you enjoyed learning about this week’s featured bicycle, don’t miss out on more classic bike content. Visit our other site, pacelinebikes.com, for cycling information you can use. And check out our YouTube channel, Bicycle Restoration Man, for restoration videos and finished builds. Subscribe and join the community.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Ravanello Track Bicycle

Who built the Ravanello track bicycle?
Seiichi Takamura, a former top-level Japanese track athlete, built it. He opened his bike shop in 1974 and began framebuilding under the Ravanello name in 1977, and is self-taught in frame construction.

Is the Sugino 75 crankset on this bike NJS-certified?
Yes. The Sugino 75 crankset and the Nitto handlebars and stem are all NJS-certified, meaning they meet the standard required for Japanese keirin racing.

What does “Ravanello” mean?
Ravanello is Italian for radish. The name refers to the Nerima daikon radish, a nod to the brand’s home in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward.

What does “NJS certified” mean on a track bike component?
NJS certification comes from the Nihon Jitensha Shinkokai, Japan’s keirin racing authority. A component earns it by passing strength and durability testing beyond typical consumer standards, which is why NJS-stamped parts like the Sugino 75 crankset and Nitto handlebars carry a premium among collectors and racers alike.

James Hickman Bio

James Hickman is a former USA Cycling Expert-level coach who has worked with cyclists at every level, from beginners to competitive racers. He served as a coach for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training program, helping riders prepare for and complete century events. A Masters-category racer himself, he competed and earned podium finishes in Southern California events and holds a Platinum finish at El Tour de Tucson, completing the 100+ miles in under five hours.