Oxford International

I picked this bike up on the side of the road yesterday. I’ve become the bike saver! I’d much rather see this bike being ridden by someone rather than being flattened at the tip.


Geo ain’t too bad!


Fancy lugs and headbadge.


Shimano Thunderbird II!


Oxford stamped saddle.


Shimano Positron! Check the cabling, 2 cables feed all the way from the shifter to the derailleur. One cable for up, one for down. Unusual! Best thing is it’s perfectly in tune!!!

After some research I’ve found out that it’s most likely a Japanese bike, brought over then assembled in Australia. The date of manufacture is stamped in the rear stays as June 1977 and the Shimano Positron gear dates back to 1975. It’s pretty special gear as it’s Shimano’s first mass manufactured “index” gearing. That’s SIS today, clicking into gears as opossed to old style friction gearing.

“The whole system represented a serious attempt to take indexing mainstream. The chain and freewheel were especially good. A heroic failure, but lots of the incidental details – shaped chain links, shaped teeth, incompressible cable outer – lived to become integral parts of SIS”.

A bit of elbow grease, a new chain, and she’s now ready for a new home.

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4 Responses to Oxford International

  1. liam says:

    hi, i am about to pick up an old oxford bike, it’s bright orange and looks to be an old racer from the 70’s or 80’s. I have heard they are very collectable and can go for $1500 australian dollars. I can’t find anything about these bikes and was wondering if you had any information on them? your help would be much appreciated!

    • Justin Fox says:

      When I googled around I found that they were nothing special on release, just ordinary steel bikes that didn’t use desirable tubing material (Columbus etc.).

  2. Brian G says:

    G’day. I have just picked up in an unloved rusty condition a ladies bicycle Oxford
    International , with SA 3 speed hub for $10. Needs a good tidy and new tires.
    A local bike shop owner Paul, who sorted an issue with misaligned cranks for me tells me
    these were made by Malvern Star. He rose from mechanic to national sales manager with MS and has forgotten more about bikes than many of us know.

    • Hi I have just picked up a Oxford international 4 , it has shimano 4 speed external gears(eagle) wayman brakes , and Japanese rims , also has made in Australia sticker on it ,

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