Sekine Serial Numbers
Sekine serial numbers found in Canada and the USA from 1972 to 1981. I have collected approximately 200 serial numbers from Sekine brand bicycles found in North America. The serial numbers are almost always found on the bottom bracket. In studying the Sekine frame serial numbers it has been found that there is date of frame manufacture information encoded into the serial numbers.
The serial numbers do not have a consistent format from 1972 to 1981. What is consistent about the serial numbers is that there is a two or three character part of the serial number which has date information. The first letter in the serial number is the start of the date information. The date information always starts with a letter. The date information is sometimes at the start of the serial number and sometimes at the end. That first letter is followed by a number, or a blank and a number, or two numbers, or another letter.
The first letter found in the serial number represents the year of frame manufacture.
The following one or sometimes two character positions represent the month of frame manufacture.
The range of first letters found are W to Z and A to F. The letter W is for 1972 and the letters follow alphabetically for the following years. The letter A is for 1976.
Serial number Year character, where to find it:
For the serial numbers with W, X, Y, and Z, the year letter is always first character and the month is always one or two digit numbers.
For the serial numbers with A, B, C, D, E and F the date characters start the serial number sometimes and end the serial number sometimes.
Month characters:
For the serial numbers with W, X, and Y, the month is always one or two digit numbers.
For the serial numbers with Z, A, B, C, and D, the month is always one number for months 1 to 9 and A, B. C for months 10, 11 and 12.For the serial numbers with Z, A, B, C, and D, the month is always one number for months 1 to 9 and X, Y, Z for months 10, 11 and 12.
For the serial numbers with E and F, the month is mostly a letter character and sometimes the number 6. The range of letters is S to V.
Sekine serial number examples
Some observations on the serial number data spread over 10 years.
The stamping for some of the Z serial numbers, the Z looks like a 7. The bottom of the Z is missing.
In general:
The W to Z serial numbers are formatted similarly. Frames from Japan.
The A to D serial numbers are formatted similarly. Frames from Rivers.
The E and F serial numbers are formatted similarly. Frames from Rivers, with the new ownership arrangement.
Based on the letter for year there are two gaps in the serial number data. One would think that there would be a uniform distribution of serial numbers over the 10 years. This is not the case. There are very few letter A, D, and E serial numbers.
Letter A is for 1976. This is the year that the factory in Rivers was being expanded to add frame building facilities. This expansion was not completed until June. I have seen only one serial number from the first five months of 1976. This implies that none, or only a few, of the 1976 frames where imported from Japan. Most of the A serial numbers are from the last 3 months of 1976.
The letters D and E are for 1979 and 1980. This is the time when Sekine Industries withdrew its personnel from Rivers and it was reported in the Winnipeg Free Press that the shop floor was close to dormant.
The E and F serial numbers are mostly from the time after the new ownership arrangement was completed in March 1980. Sekine Canada went into receivership in August 31, 1981 and the factory was closed the next day. This implies that the month letters used in the serial numbers for 1980 and 1981 might be interpreted as follows: S = May, T = June, U = July, V = August. In 1981, W to Z reserved for September to December, but the factory was closed.
22 thoughts on “Sekine Serial Numbers”
Thanks for this article…I love these bikes. I had one when I was a kid and sadly got rid of it. I bought two of them this summer.
It is awesome to know the history of Sekine…thanks for enlightening me.
Derek
Thanks Derek for your comments.
Cool…I have an ‘FV’ serial # on my Sekine with the Maple Leaf head badge so according to this info it must’ve been one of the last built in August 1981, just before they shut down
Hello Gravy,
my apologies, I sent your original comment to SPAM by accident. I rebuilt your comment, so the metadata is incorrect.
Yes, the ‘FV’ serial # was from close to the end of production for Sekine Canada. The Maple Leaf headbadge, I believe was only used in the last two years of production, but only on some bicycles.
Thanks for the comment.
Do you have a picture of the headbadge? I’ve never seen the maple leaf one!
Hi Josh, I have added a post that shows different Sekine Canada headbadges.
I have one for a number of years now.
Serial 1039–B2
Bought and sold by Brett & Mac’s cycle Lethbridge, Alberta..back then. Their dealer sticker is still on the bike
Hi Tony,
my aunt worked at Bert and Mac’s back in the 1950s. Her father was Herbert Turner one of the original owners.
The Lethbridge Historical Society has the story of the original owners:
https://www.facebook.com/LethbridgeHistoricalSociety/posts/if-the-names-hm-bert-turner-and-fw-mac-mcfadden-ring-a-bell-to-you-then-youre-li/1290475927646660/
Great site, looks like mine was built in japan 1975
Z36717 green, front forks half chrome, original foam on handle bars with some small red white and blue graphic on the ends of the foam. Head badge very ornate Canada/ japan
Dear John Z36717 (and David Palaeobicycleology),
You concluded your bike was built in Japan in 1975. Our Z95066 was bought in Saskatoon in the 1990s and now rolls around Winnipeg. We just looked into its history here on Palaeobicycleology and concluded that the Z meant its frame was made in Japan but it was assembled in Rivers MB. Maybe that’s what you meant?
There’s fascinating information about that Rivers factory’s history here (with photos): http://www.virtualmanitoba.com/riverdale/Sekine/p1.html
Cheers,
Carl
If I read
Hello Carl,
yes, Z serial number frames were made in Japan, in the year 1995. The bicycles were assembled in Rivers, Manitoba.
Thanks for your contribution to the information about Sekine.
David
I recently bought a Sekine with a serial number: A0006, forgive me but in reading through your description above I did not see anything about the numbers zero. I would assume it’s a 1976 but, Do you know more information about this number? Thanks
Hi Brad, thanks for the message.
Without seeing pictures of the bicycle and the serial number and its location it is difficult to say anything conclusive. In June 1976 the frame manufacturing facility of Sekine Canada began production. That year the volume of production of bicycles was low. I have only seen a few A series serial numbers. The serial number format for that year is inconsistent. This possibly reflects a less than smooth beginning to frame production in Canada. I have not seen a serial number similar to A0006. This may be one of the first frames produced in Canada in 1976.
Picture of Sekine factory in Rivers, Manitoba, circa 1973:
http://www.virtualmanitoba.com/riverdale/Sekine/p1images/building.jpg
Hello Carl,
yes this site contains a very good read about the short history of Sekine Canada.
David
I have a W76362, just refurbished the bike. Its as old as me but I think runs smoother.
Cool site. Thanks for doing so much work and making the results available. It’s greatly appreciated. I have a girl’s made in Canada Sekine bicycle with the serial #0842 BZ. Based on what I’ve read here that would make the date of manufacture December of 1977 yes? It’s a really cool metallic turquoise/robin’s egg blue colour. It has half chrome front forks and an ornate CS Sekine Cycle Medaille head badge that has a pinkish hue colour to it. Shimano tourney brake assembly, SR C.F.R. bar stem, SR chainring, Silstar crank arms, (missing derailleurs), a vinyl spring loaded riveted seat, fairly ornate lugs, and plain stamped drop outs. I’ve added some URL’s below that you can copy and paste into the web address bar to see photos.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/gX9fw24pztMEtK9s7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/TTkuWBwMsbqgAgnU7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LUeP1FpNpXBLbj236
https://photos.app.goo.gl/BgRPyVVSCt7uJ6ED8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/aTp7uUpkw8SzwxtH9
Hello Ivan H,
thanks for providing all this information about your Sekine.
I picked up a black Sekine 10 speed serial number FW00283 today from Value Village! Would FW be September 81? The hubs are Shimano FA dated(January 81). Just ordered new Cheng Shin tires for it and can’t wait to ride it!
Hello Robert, sorry for the slow response. I think you have the date correct. The FW serial numbers are the last series from Sekine Canada. The plant closed in September 1981. Enjoy the ride.
I’m restoring an old Sekine, and if you’re still collecting serial numbers, this one is Y1212100. I’m guessing that’s a 1974? Thanks for doing this!
Hello Jim Smith, sorry for the slow response. Thanks for contributing the serial number. Y12 is 1974 December for the date of frame manufacture in Japan. The bicycle was probably assembled in Canada.