Introducing Yongjiu Forever Traditional Chinese Bike, year of manufacture 2006.
The bike is based on 1936 Raleigh and/or 1938 Legnano, and is also known as a 'Mao' bike or Chinese National Army bike.
It's clearly from another era comparing to any other bikes in decades.
It's got very strong structure, massive steel-tubing, rod- operated brakes, there is suspension on the front wheel fork (which works well, although no-one usually believes it).
Both wheel poles got each 20 big bearing balls (normal bikes got 16 small - eight on each side). Also wheel bars are 'motorcycle' type, there's sturdy rack with two extra rods - this is for real working purposes in China, for example marketplace workers transporting merchandise to sell in marketplace, etc.
Tightening the chain is - again - motorcycle style with specified tightening nuts. Wheel rims got rounded edges - if you got flat tire, you can still ride - with a flat tire - to the nearest repair shop without damaging the wheel.
Tires are also special o-type (instead of normal u-type), but normal tire (size 28 x 1 1/2) can also be used on bike.
One speed, but it's neutral if you treadle backwards so you can put the pedals in good position if, for example, start from the traffic lights with heavy load on.
The gold-red decoration paintings on wheel fenders are all hand-painted!

I bought this bike (almost by joke, though I really fell in love when I finally saw it) on my visit to China in February 2006. Then, it was a brand new one in bike shop in City of Wuxi.
My friend who lived then in China, helped me to buy the bike (which wasn't very easy - I was turist there, so they registered bike , my friend as a owner of the bike).
So they attached license plate, hitted the serial numbers and made all the adjustments to bike.
I still got all papers, including user manual and registration documents with me.
I left the bike then,Feb 2006, to China, but some months later appeared chance to transport it to my homeland Finland.

Yongjiu weights a lot, and it's also quite heavy to ride especially uphill, but once you got enough speed it's a very pleasant bike and maybe somehow the most comfortable bike I've ever had, thanks to big saddle with lots of springs underneath, and the front suspension.
It's a real Rolls-Royce of the bikes!

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