Vilano 5-speed folding bike I just bought at Denio’s flea market for $45USD. The chain-ring’s bent and it throws the chain but I might have a crank and spider set that fit. If not, Billy at Flare Cycle’s booth at Denio’s said he could straighten the bent one.

SunRun dérailleurs, sound and look suspiciously similar to also mediocre SunRace and SunTour components of that era. They work OK, as do the brakes.

 

 

 

 

The curved frame ‘handle’ is at the CG so it’s pretty handy. The suspension spring seemed soft so I hope I can adjust it stiffer.

Broken seat needs replacement but I like the fixed collar on the seat post. If the over-center lock should fail you don’t want the post bottom hitting the pave.

The kickstand has a safety switch that works sometimes. That such a generic, knock-off bike has a drum brake is surprising. Seems to work OK.

 

The 5-speed trigger shifter is marked ???MANO (faded lettering) so they’re probably Shimano but with this bike might very well be SHILLMANO. But they work OK too.

The web has almost nothing on this Vilano folding bike, in fact there is no Wikipedia page for it. I might have to write one if I can find out anything about it. I did find a link on the SunRun components. Vilano bikes are still sold but I never could find a web page or image of this vintage folder so not many must been sold back in the day.

My next step is to see if any of my crank/spider sets fit and line up with the gear cassette. If not, maybe I’ll have Billy straighten the stock chain-ring. Then clean, grease and adjust the wheels and bearings, bottom bracket, headset and brakes; true the wheels and see about adding luggage rack and fenders.

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