Prowler 

Thank you JJ1091 but I must say I encountered MUCH pickier people on other forums - whatcha call 'pocket protectors' since they are like high school nerds that pick at everything. Folks on C&V have been great - helpful, sane and rational. But, just in case for the picky folks, yup: that's the wrong back wheel. I have the rear that matches the front but the one on my bike now is the training wheel/tire. Being so regular cold my Nishiki is serving as the trainer mule. The good wheel/tire is being saved for road work.

Actually, this is such a great bike I really enjoy riding it even on the trainer. Nice feel and I can make minor adjustments to the fit. Double win.

Thanks for the kind words.

jj1091

Nice work, and a beautiful bike. Just one thing to mention, the bar tape is wound in the wrong direction. The reason to start at the bar end, instead of at the stem, is because the natural placing of your hands on the bars either side of the stem tends to unwrap the winding due to your hand pressure pushing away from you on the top, the way you've wound it. Starting at the bar end, begin the winding from the top of the bar and wind away from you, then when you get towards the stem, the tape winds in a way that your hand pressure tends to tighten the tape, not untighten it. Nice tape, and a good clean winding, though. Good work.

OLDYELLR

Yes, perhaps T-Mar might have a clue as to which exact tubing was used on various models, but that's the kind of "stickers" Nishiki used around that time. My Landau has a similat gold sticker and this is the one on my Ultimate:

jj1091

Yeah, the kind of pickiness I've found here is the helpful kind. These aren't just enthusiasts, many are experts. They have a keen eye for detail, the kind of eye that's the difference between a beautiful $2000 flawless wedding cake, and the same cake that has the bride's name misspelled on it (not that I remember any bridal cakes with names on them). What would the bride think of the value of a cake with her name misspelled? So, it's all in the details. I'm learning a bunch here, and mostly I'm learning to pay attention to the details.

konginsd

Hey good catch. I used a glue to hold the tape vs the double sided sticky tape that came with it. Started at the top to show off the label since i was planning on using beer corks from my favoRite beer instead of the brooks end caps. Just a little flair.

canaidianbiker

been told its an 82 aero

jj1091

We always want to see pictures of the whole bike, both sides preferably. Then it can be assessed and commented on. Looks like most of it's in reasonably good shape. How much did you get it for?

Hummer

Your bike is probably a European Nishiki. The serial number appears to be the Danish format of bicycle serial numbers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_bicycle_VIN-system

This will help decode a Danish serial number. The "W" is for import into Denmark, the "BT" is for Taarnby A/S (the importer/distributor of the bicycles). The serial number should end with a letter and that letter indicates the year.

Hummer

canadianbiker,

I think your frame may be European. The "designed by NISHIKI" decal is typical of European market Nishikis.

A photo of the Bottom Bracket and a serial number will go a long way in determining what market the bike was built for.

jdspicer

Hi, I recently picked up a Nishiki - Serial CJ01491. The very worn decals on the frame classified it as the Competition model. After researching how to decipher the serial number all evidence points to the frame not being a Nishiki Competition but an International.
Is this correct? And would someone be able to explain the serial number to me.
The bike was equipped with a Shimano 600 Aberesque group set.
Thanks

https://imgur.com/sK6HyJp

gaucho777 

Welcome to the forum, canaidianbiker. However, I think you missed the point of this thread. It's a SERIAL NUMBER database. The first post requests a full drive side photo, along with the serial number. Then all mysteries will be revealed.

P.s. I miss T-Mar.

Hummer

In general, I do not think that the serial number can be used to determine the model.

I would guess that yours is an International, based on the fork crown and rear dropouts.

FYI:

Another Nishiki on this forum has the same serial number, only it was made in 1990. post #601

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post12097947

canaidianbiker

Hey I only paid $0 for it. it was in a grain truck at my uncles, but I was a stupid guy and didnt know what I was doing and threw out the back shimano rim cause it was bent way out if shape.(know a course I can true wheels haha) but its great shape for 10+ years in a grain truck and have been snowed 4 feet o snow on.

canaidianbiker

Yeah sorry ment to post one but I took them then started my ride to school so forgot about posting a nother photo but I think it is wbt 6574 but not sure

MathIsFun

Hello everyone! I bought my Nishiki Semi-Pro American Eagle about 5 years ago for $50. I stripped the gears and made it fixed. Hoping to find out some more about it. Serial number is KS121365 W



Mainly trying to find the age of the frame.

wrk101

1973+/- Missing original fork, or someone stripped it. Originally came with Suntour bar end shifters and a decent Suntour RD. Hopefully they found another home. Scan back through the pages and you will see my 1973 Semi Pro.

wrk101

Serial numbers are connected to year of manufacture, and not to model.

Hummer

Hi MathIsFun,

Nice detailed pictures of the bike.

Based on the serial number, your frame was produced just after the brand name change to "NISHIKI" from "American Eagle". The brand name change was supposed to have occurred in 1972. So a reasonable guess is a 1972 frame.

In the brand name change the model names stayed the same. So, there are American Eagle Semi-Pros also.

This was the last year(?) for the Semi-Pro model name. The next year(?) all or most of the model names changed.
The Semi-Pro model became the Competition model.

MathIsFun

Thank you wrk101 and Hummer, I appreciate the information.

redscampi

Here's another for the database, and the specs on the bike.

Purchased at a swap meet yesterday for $30.00 in pouring rain.
Bike is in excellent condition. Appears to have had very little use. Tires are old and cracked but they aired right up! More pics later but for now my battery has died.

S/N CI 06027

Bike says designed by Norco, made in Japan.
Suntour 7 GT rear deraileur
Suntour Spirit front deraileur
Sugino cranks
Ukairim wheelset on Suzue hubs
Suntour stem shifters
Diacompe center pull brakes
Norco generator, tail light and headlight
Toshiba Hi Tensile tubing

Can anyone help with the date of mfg? This thread is a bit overwhelming!

Gary

mjradame

Hello everyone,
New to the Forum here. I just picked up a pink Nishiki sport series and I'm having trouble decoding the serial number since it doesn't seem to correlate to T-Mar's database; # GM610075

Sakae Road Champion drop bars

Shimano f/r deraileurs (SL-5431)
sugino vp crank
Dia Compe brakes
Araya 27" wheels with Shimano 105 front hub and Shimano VIA GL rear hub

Any help is appreciated!
Thanks

formulasaab

Hi folks,
This is my first post, and its something that may throw a wrench in the works. You have my apologies in advance.
I have what appears to be a Nishiki Fusion with a confusing history.

By all the photos I've seen, there is no doubt as to the frame's origin. It is definitely a Nishiki Fusion. But there the clarity ends.
The paint isn't Nishiki. It is painted as a Raleigh USA and labelled as their then top of the line "Team" Technium frame and 753 tubing. Of course, Reynolds 753 was a steel tubeset and this frame is all aluminum except for the fork.

My guess is that someone who was racing for Raleigh at the time needed/wanted a time trial frame and this was the solution they came up with, for whatever reason. It wasn't unheard of for racers to use their favored builders and bikes but to relabel them as whatever company was sponsoring them at the time. That's what must have happened, but for and by whom?

Finally, the serial number is a bit confusing. As I decode it based on the information in the first post of this thread, it must be a 1986 model.
Why is that confusing? Because the first letter is "K" which is supposedly pre-1985, but the second letter is "F", so unless I count wrong, that's got to be 1986!

When I got the bike, it was a frame, fork, and front wheel. The front wheel is original.
I am working on restoring a fiberglass disc rear wheel for it now. I need some warmer weather to paint it but once that's done, it will be basically rideable. All I need to do is cut the bars to length, put some tape on them, and throw on a pair of pedals. It will be built with C-Record components, minus the hubs but including the Delta brakes.

Here are some early photos of it that I took shortly after it arrived. When done, it will get a proper photo shoot.











-STEFAN
vapaavelo.com

Hummer

Hi mjradame and welcome to the Nishiki database thread.

From the picture your Nishiki is a 1987 model year.

The serial number is a for a Giant built frame. In the case of this serial number the leading "G" is for Giant, the first digit "6" is for the year of manufacture, 1986.

Hummer

Hi Stefan,

welcome and thanks for contributing.

The serial number is the same format as the 1987 Altron 7000 Kawamura built. The 1987 Altron 7000 serial number started with a "K", while most of the other 1987 Kawamura built Nishiki serial numbers started with "R" or "W".

This is the first Fusion serial number that I have seen and it has the Altron 7000 format exactly.

There are images of a 1987 Nishiki USA catalog on the internet but I don't have the url.

From this catalog the Fusion was a time trial bike with an aluminum frame. 27 inch rear wheel, 24 inch front wheel.

Edit: The letter "F" means the frame was built in 1986, but probably a 1987 model year. I don't know if there was a Fusion model in 1986.

mjradame

Ok, thanks for clarifying Hummer! So for GM610075; G=Giant, 6='86 manufactured, build #10,075....so any idea what the "M" is for?

From what I'm seeing on this forum, would the sport series be an entry level bike in terms of quality and value?

Thanks again