Fully refurbished with custom 'Skid Star' livery
For a lot of Aussies, Malvern Star is a brand that holds a special place our histories. They were *the* sought-after machines of our childhoods and youth.
This one was in poor condition - it was complete, but it had obviously been sitting unused for a very long time.
The tyres had perished and there was a lot of surface rust, but it also showed very few signs of wear. The teeth on the cogs were mint and it was all-good, apart from the ravages of time and some scars on the paintwork. My guess is that it had sat in a garage for most of its 42-year existence.
The brand has an interesting history. After changing hands several times from the late 50s, it was eventually sold to Raleigh Cycles in 1980, and they moved some of the production to Japan – and later Taiwan.
This unit is an example of a first-generation Japanese build and accordingly the workmanship and quality that lay under all those years of accumulated gunk was outstanding.
As I cleaned it up, I found a nicely lugged Cro-mo steel frame, early Shimano components, beautiful chrome Araya wheels, and solid Japanese Dia Compe brakes. Jackpot!
Even better is its 64cm frame that is wonderfully comfortable for a tall rider - especially now it has been converted to a cruiser-style.
