The Sekine company was born in Japan 1912.  Fifty nine years later, that Asian born business giant would partner up with the Canadian government and a First Nation business group, giving birth once again, this time to the Canadian made Sekine bicycle.

In the very late sixties and early seventies, both Canada and the United States began importing bicycles from Europe and Japan, and importing in unprecedented quantities.  As bicycle sales shot up, domestic lobbying efforts managed to install a 25% tariff  on imported bicycles.  This tariff did not apply to bicycle parts, just complete bicycles.  With this in mind, foreign companies, such as Raleigh, Peugeot and Sekine set up shop on Canadian soil.  Sekine lead the way.

Prior to the domestic venture, implemented in 1973, to build Sekine bicycles in Canada, all Sekine bikes were imported from the Land of the Rising Sun.  One example, the Sekine GS would have likely been considered the predecessor to the later offering, the SHT 270.  The bicycles from Asia were well made, typical of the quality oriented products flowing from the Japanese quality business machine at the time.  Quality was at the top of the business machine's list, and the bicycle showed it.

Though the Canadian made Sekine is fairly common in some parts of Canada, and perhaps the US, pre-Canadian examples are few and far between.  Model designation is pretty much lost in time, at this point in time.  It has been suggested that down tube art reading "World Finest Bicycle Made By Sekine" would be indicative of the early Asian Sekine, however; this is not always true.  The Sekine GS, mentioned above, does not sport that art but it does have a Made In Japan decal attached.

Other pre Canadian Sekines have presented themselves through the years.  At the time of this writing, a blue GS and another blew model unknown have their own hooks, and hang on them waiting, patiently, for the day they are to be cleaned up and Street Restored.

NEXT - EARLY CANADIAN SEKINES