1sttimebiker

Nishiki Backroads 4130 ,27" frame, GW 747376. Hardly any parts on it. Sticker under seat say chrome moly. Interesting to me is the rear brake posts are under the frame. The rear derailer cable actually runs the base of one of the brake posts.
Doing a complete strip of the bike,paint and all.
Do you know where to get replacement " Nishiki and Backroads" ? Has a sticker Nishiki on the front post.
Wont let me download pics ( cause I'm a new member)?
Tracing stickers ( what's left of them) before strip.
I like the bike, its tall, light weight, and unusual with rear brake mounting.

Londonsworld 

Check ebay for stickers or Velocals...

1sttimebiker

Thanks,looked at ebay but not the right ones. Will check other site now.How do i post pics?

1sttimebiker

Nishiki backroads 4130
serial # GW747376
Front brake dia-compe 983 Japan 5583
Front detailer shimano fd-ty25
Handle bar mount is max ht 80
Front gears sugina cycloid 110 487
No rim's, rear brake or rear derailer when found.
Found a dia-comdia 990 for the rear brake so far.
What can you guys tell me so far about the bike? I like the uniqueness of the rear brake being mounted UNDER the bike frame.

T-Mar

Your frame was manufactured during weeks 45-46 of 1987, by Giant of Taiwan. That's late enough in the calendar year to make it a 1988 model and this corroborated by the presence of the chainstay mounted brake, which was not used on the 1987 or 1989 Backroads. It was 4th in a lineup of six ATB models. Original price was $300-$325 US. I'd consider it upper entry level for the era. Front derailleur is a replacement. OEM derailleurs were SunTour XCD 6000 Accushift. I don't know what the hubs were but the rims appear to have been Araya MP-22.

The chainstay mounted brakes were an ATB fad of the late 1980s. The purpose was to increase braking power by mounting them on the stiffer chainsatys, The use of Power Cam and U-Brakes also put the studs above the rim and closer to the frame bridges to increase rigidity. The drawback was that set-up and adjustment was more difficult in the tight confines of the bottom bracket region. Also the region collected water, dirt mud and snow thrown off by the front wheel, which diminished braking effectiveness. Manufacturers solved the issue and by reverting to seat stay mounted cantilevers and using brake boosters and/or larger diameter stays to increase braking power.

1sttimebiker

Wow, thanks for the info. I will post pics when I can. Also thanks for the referral to velocals, gave him pics a d dimensions a d hes right on it. Thanks again for the help.

Pee_wee88

Hi!
I bought an old Nishiki frame today, can't figure out the age of it. I think it is around 1980s but not sure. The frame number is EJ 102578. Or EJ IU 2578. Pretty hard to read.

thanks for the help!!

VintageAl

The bike is assembled from 1055/1056 parts but still can't post a picture of the serial number.

The frame no. is D10 8529

curbtender

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. Based on the serial number, you have a European market model manufactured by Kawamura of Japan. It was most likely manufactured in 1980 but I guess we shouldn't rule out the possibility of 1990. If it was manufactured late in the calendar year, it could be a 1981 or 1991 model. Unfortunately, the model name can't be determined from the serial number.

Hummer

Hello @VintageAl,

I have seen this format of serial number stamping before. Usually there are another 5 characters stamped on the drive side of the BB shell starting with the letter "T", two digits for the year and two digits for the month. Example: T9501 - for year 1995 and month January.

The D10 is used by the frame manufacturer to identify the frame model. Sometimes the frame model identifier actually relates to the model name put on the decals.

The other 4 digit are the unique identifier of your frame.

Edit: Ignore the comments about the additional 5 characters. This was from a different serial number format from what is on your Nishiki.

I missed your previous post on Sigma Design frames. I have seen several other Sigma Design frames.

The serial number format that you have is common to Kawamura frames sold in Asia. The first letter "D" is for year of frame manufacture, D=4 or 1994.

wow

Hey, I'm new to the forums. it won't let me link images yet but I have a stepthrough frame Nishiki with serial number KS290192 and a "W" symbol stamped underneath.

AeroGut

A Nishiki International: SN = KS294632
Pics:

Eric F 

A story...
In the late 1970's (maybe 78 or 79), my father bought himself a new frame - a Nishiki ONP. He had always been an avid recreational rider and commuter, and talked often of riders like Eddie Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and the Tour de France. Unfortunately, he was hit by a car while riding home from work one evening in 80, and his beloved Nishiki was damaged. He was able to get the bent town tube and top tube replaced, get the bike repainted (black powdercoat), and the bike up and running again. He continued to ride it for many years, until medical conditions ended his ability to ride. After he passed in 94, I added the bike to my stable (I was racing MTB at the time). As years went on, I got into road racing, and the ONP was transformed into a single-speed, but didn't get much use. For the most part, it has been moved from house to house over the years, but has been untouched.

My recent dive into this thread, and digging into the history of the ONP, I realize how special this bike must have been to my dad at the time he bought it, and how excited he must have been to be able to have a top-level machine.

Last night, I pulled the frame out of the corner where it has been resting for the last 10 years since we moved houses. I have the intent to restore the ONP to working condition. I don't plan to be perfectly accurate to the exact year, but will build it with components of a similar vintage.

Update - Frame has been stripped of parts and wiped down. Pics...








The serial number doesn't seem to quite conform the same standards outlined in Post #1 , but it does match with what I'm seeing in this article...https://www.pacelinebikes.com/nishiki-onp/

I would like to get it repainted to (what I recall to be) its original burgundy color, at some point. For now, it will remain black, but will get some decals.

Time to dig into my parts bin and see what I have, and what I need to go shopping for.

Londonsworld 

Can't wait to see it rolling again

Raemoe

Hey,

I recently got my first road bike and I'm curious to learn more about it. I can't seem to link or attach pictures yet, though...

This frame has the serial number EE400780, which should makes it a European market frame from '75 or '85. Based on the date stamp on the set of Dia-Compe Royal Compe caliper breaks, B0885, it is a 1985 model. It has race tags from the 300 km classic Swedish race Vättenrundan from 1997, 2002 and 2005. I suspect it has been repainted or received new stickers - they do not match anything I saw from the period.

I have been having some issue identifying the model - I think it is a Road Master, Race Master or a Competition? It appears identical to the Masters I have seen from the era in terms of the joints and engravings, except for one detail - the cable routing to the rear derailleur is attached on the bottom outside on mine rather than to the top. The Competition appears to also have matching cable routing. What were the differences between the three models?

Mykeonabike

I have a Nishiki Landau CD11699 my guess year 1984 Canada I can t figure out the serial #

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. Your Landau was manufactured in 1984 for the Canadian market by Kawamura in Japan. However, since the serial number format does not provide stratification beyond the year, it could be either a 1984 model or a 1985 model manufactured in later 1984.

T-Mar

Most forum members, myself included, are North American based, so we aren't well familiarized with the European models. However, it was definitely built in 1985 by Kawamura of Japan, for the European market. Unfortunately, the serial number format does appear to provide information beyond the model year. If it was built late in the calendar year, it could be a 1986 model.

thumpism 

Glad to find this thread since I recently got my first Nishiki, an '85 Cresta GT to judge by the serial number WE 21488. It has the Kawamura decal on the LH chainstay and appears to be in pretty nice, mostly original condition. I bought it primarily for the frame but will keep any original parts if I do make changes to it.

Thanks for the great resource, T-Mar .

T-Mar

Thank-you for the submission and kind words. However, what you have is actually a 1986 model manufactured in late 1985, as the 1985 model had a brand logo that was unique to that year and they used aero shift levers (common on grand touring bicycles because it reduced the reach to the levers). Here's a slightly modified 1985 to show the difference in the logo and shift levers. Enjoy your new acquisition.

thumpism 

Thanks! '86 it is, then. I never liked those aero shifters. Always pinched my fingers when using them on the test rides I did after assembly.

And speaking of Grand Touring, looks like my bike has the pedigree.

bendo

I just bought a Nishiki Modulus for $60, my first road bike!
Serial number is GC910197
Shimano Exage parts are stamped with A350 or A351
(I don't have enough posts yet to add a photo, sorry!)

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. Thank-you for the contribution. Your Modulus was manufactured by Giant of Taiwan during weeks 5-6 of 1989. Enjoy your new acquisition.

Londonsworld 

Picked up some outside wall art in exchange for lunch at Inn-n-Out. Another serial number for T-Mar ;-)