no*dice

Hi,
I like to know if someone could ad up some information about the brand "nikor" ? The searchmaschine just give me out photo equipment.

I appreciate

Jens

csehe02

Hi,

I am searching for any info about Nikor frames too. I just bought a spiral fluted Nikor.

Road Fan

Spacing? Tubing sticker? BB dimensions? Lug detail photos? braze-on photos? Under BB? what rear dropouts? What seat post diameter? Headset dimensions and threading? Tubing diameters? ST and TT lengths?

Just based on geo and "the look," I'd just guess Germany or Italy, mid-70s to late-80s.

bikemig 

Nikor-Aufbauthread | Rennrad-News.de

thinktubes 

Looks like a Bilatto build frame. Small Italian flag on TT probably rules out Germany

csehe02

As far as I know, Concorde/Ciöcc and Battaglin had this kind of braze-on flags on the toptubes

thinktubes 

Are the words "hand made" stamped into the brake bridge?

csehe02

There is a cycling figure on the brake bridge.
The bottom bracket shell has some factory markings: C-69-1
Gipiemme dropouts, Columbus bird on the fork.
Frame is 1888gr(size c-c57), the fork is 658

csehe02

measured spacing is 129mm, no stickers, BB italian, Gipiemme drop-outs, seatpost 27,2mm, italian fork with Columbus engravings, st: c-c57. tt:c-c56

thinktubes 

+1 on a TSD frame. Good stuff. Tubing might be a Cromor variation.

csehe02

Thank you for your help!

botty kayer

Thread dredge.

I've just purchased a Nikor frame in Columbus Max tubing with Campagnolo drop outs. I think its from the late 80's or early 90's, but googling hardly brings up anything on the brand, this thread is pretty much all there is, so I'm guessing they were a small outfit who maybe were not around for very long.

I'm just interested in any more info about them. They appear to be Italian, but any idea where in Italy they were based? Did they make their own frames or were they built up by another builder and re-badged? Were they associated with a local bike shop or club or ever raced by any amateur or pro teams?

I'd be grateful for any info about them or to hear from any more Nikor owners out there. I've not got the frame yet but here is a picture from the sellers listing.

botty kayer

Well I have the frame, and its even better in the metal. Campagnolo dropouts and the only marking on it I can find are on the BB shell which is marked with a '61' which is the frame size so guess that's that, and they were made in low numbers. The paint has a few chips but is very cool, it has a chameleon effect of appearing two different colours. Looked at from above, the riding position, its dark, deep blue, but as soon as get past a certain angle it all looks purple. I love it but cannot capture it in photos properly yet.

Also as an update I've got some info clarifying something that was said further up this thread. As I can find virtually nothing online about Nikor, this thread features on the front page of a google search for Nikor. It was the first mention of them I found when googling myself.

Having not found out anything more about Nikor, I followed up thinktubes mention above, that the bike could possibly be a Billato built frame. So I emailed Billato, sending them some pics of the bike, to ask if Nikor was a brand made by them.

I got a really speedy reply from Roberto Billato thanking me for my making contact. He explained Billato built bikes for many large and small bike companies, and he was familiar with my exact frame, but not because they built it, which he confirmed they did not.

Roberto said he had seen the bike before because he was sent pictures of it in the past, by the previous owner, who had obviously done a google search for Nikor, found this thread, mused that thinktubes was correct, and contacted Billato, exactly like I did, hoping for any more information.

So I am just putting the record straight, no offence to thinktubes they surely had no idea a bike forum comment made years ago, would act as a signal for any new Nikor owners to contact Billato asking about Nikor for years to come, but there's so little info about Nikor that this thread stays on the front page of google Nikor searches years later.

Therefore I am compelled to update this thread so that any current or future Nikor frame owners, know that Billato DID NOT make Nikor frames, so we can save Roberto Billato from getting any more questions about them

Roberto was however able to give me some information about Nikor, which was more than I knew, and may help uncovering more about them. He said he thought that Nikor frames were made in Padova, and by someone that used to work in another workshop. Cheers Roberto, what a star. I just did a google search for cycling companies in Padova and there is a famous old Italian bike brand from there, Faggin. So I am wondering if the person who made Nikor frames could have previously worked for Faggin.

I am this far along with the detective work, so I might as well follow the next lead and contact Faggin and ask them. I will report back to ensure that this comment does not lead to all future owners contacting Faggin for years to come.

Does anyone know of any other bike companies in or around Padova, or have any thoughts on my Faggin hunch?

squirtdad

well all i know is it sure looks like a nice frame what will the build be?

botty kayer

Thanks, yes I'm very pleased with it and can't wait to get it on the road.

I'm still looking for some 10 speed silver levered Centaur or Chorus shifters, but they seem to have sky rocketed in price since I last bought some on eBay. I also plan to get some shiny silver rims for it but funds for that are going to have to wait a month, I am thinking of a Pacenti Brevet rims laced to silver Chorus hubs, I think the big Max tubes will look good with 28's and I live in London and the roads are dreadful, steel can only do so much. For now I have some old style black Shamals which will be fitted with some of new gumwall Veloflex Corsa Evo's in 28c,, which arrived today.

The rest of it will be shiny silver, Chorus crankset, brakes, derailleurs, silver Record Headset, Cinelli bar and stem, the last of the metal Chorus seatposts (non aero), and a Concor or Flite saddle.

With the funky paint I'm having all sorts of crazy ideas about Supcaz oil slick bar tape and getting a saddle and pedals vinyl wrapped in the same colour changing finish, but that's probably crazy talk, and I'll likely chicken out and go for white or black

Synorga

Got the same frame, with a Shimano 600 Tricolor...

botty kayer

My bike has a long lost brother!

Hello and pleased to meet you fellow Nikor owner. Where in the world do you and your bike live?

How long have you had it? Did you get it new or second hand, and if new where did you buy it?

And if you have any info about the brand I'd love to hear more. And of course I'd love to see pics of your bike too, but I don't think you can post pictures until you've made 10 posts. Or you could post a link to a photo site if you've got any pics of it online.

I am just waiting for a few more parts to arrive and mine will hopefully finally be built up in the next week or two.

Synorga

Hi, I live in Germany and got it give by a colleague who had it sitting in his basement and was planning to throw it to the bin.
thought it would be a shame as I wanted an old steel bike anyway. Put in some elbow grease and did an easy overhaul (mainly regreasing and polishing)
you can see a pic of the frame in my Insta Account (synorga).
I have absolutely no info on the brand. Would love to know more as well. And even just if it was something you bought of a mail order shop or in a real LBS or if it was built on purpose... etc.
It has currently a Shimano 600 Tricolor + some 105 set up. The Hoods are white and I can't find proper replacements.
Replaced the Black Saddle with a blue new one, but might look for a Turbo in White.
Lets see if I can go on a retro trip soon.

P!N20

From the look of the few that can be found on the internet, they were quality frames, bit like Berma.

I wonder if MauriceMoss has any insights?

botty kayer

OK here is my Nikor, 99% finished. I am just waiting for a black Cinelli Volare to match the Cinelli bar an stem, but it is otherwise done and I couldn't wait to get out and ride it. It has a 10 speed Campagnolo drive train and had its first voyage on some old style black Shamal's which looked great....

...but they were just a placeholder, as I wanted some silver wheels. These are the everyday wheels, some 28h Ambrosio hubs laced to wide polished silver TB14 rims with the new 28c Veloflex Corsa Evo tyres.

The fat look of the Columbus Max tubing looks great with the wide silver rims, and that combination with the wide tyres is perfect for London's cratered roads. It is an amazingly comfortable ride and fast ride without feeling balloony or bouncy. And Columbus Max forks are my favourite steel forks of any I have ridden.





The paint is more amazing than I have managed to capture in the pics, looked at from above it is a deep blue, but looked at from the side and in the sunshine its a deep purple, which I think looks fantastic. Overall I'm delighted with the looks and the ride.

I'm hoping the saddle arrives tomorrow, and the 50-60 mph winds we have currently here in the UK go away, so I can put some proper miles on it over the weekend.

non-fixie 

I'd be looking at BMZ. They did a lot of building for others, and they seem to pop up in Germany quite often.

Ashleynorris

How is your Nikor? I just bought one from eBay picking up in the next couple of days, very excited about this. I feel like I have just joined a very exclusive club ;-)

Did you find anything else out about the brand or the bike?