Fully refurbished with custom livery that pays homage to the 70's 'Skid Star'.
For a lot of Aussies, Malvern Star is a brand that holds a special place in our history. They produced some of the most 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 unused 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 a long and 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 from Melbourne 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 it was cleaned up, it revealed a nicely lugged Cro-mo steel frame, early Shimano Tourney components, beautiful chromed Araya wheels, and solid Japanese-made Dia Compe brakes. All of which was replaced with NOS or satisfactorially restored.
It's also enhanced with sealed bearings and modern cartridge BB.
Its 64cm frame is comfortable for a tall rider - especially now it has been converted from drop-bar sports to Gentleman cruiser-style.
It rides very smoothly and relably.
