markwesti

Thought I would post my Nishiki Altron 7000 (86?-87?) here for data base sake . Thanks for T-Mars tireless work . Anyhow this bike is a Nishiki Altron in frame only s/n KFI006 . Forks are Vitus , FD , RD is 7401 Dura Ace , brakes are Tektro , Wheels are Shimano 600 hubs Velocity rims .

Monkeyhanger

Lovely looking bike

markwesti

Thanks , it was a fun build . I messed up the decals when I clear coated them , I have new ones on order no cc this time . The last part I'm going to put on is a Aero Jacket disc cover from Wheel Builder .

C9H13N 

I bought a 1989 Nishiki Cascade last fall to use as an errand bike and finally finished cleaning it up this weekend. Changed out the contact points and BB, added a rack, left everything else. Mountain LX group with Biopace chainrings (eww lol, they aren't so bad after all). Someone attempted to convert it to 8 speed with the "extra click" but it didn't work when I got it, and even after some tinkering it's not 100% reliable. The wheels are non-original, LX Parallax hubs laced to plain Specialized rims, not bad.

SN W89051017

Pictures soon!

MaryMac

I bought this bike new in Spring 1973 and rode it everywhere. Then it hung in the garage for 25 years when life got busy. Now I'm riding it again and thought I'd add it to the database here. The seat, tape, tires, water bottle cage and end clip for the pump are not original, but the rest is. The serial number is KS182164 with a fancy big W underneath. Araya wheels, Suntour GT back derailleur, Sugino Mighty Competition in the front. Kyokuto Pro-Ace pedals, Dia-Compe brakes. Lots of nice details, 19" frame. A pretty little bike.

Londonsworld 

My Nishiki International frame/fork find is underway Picked up some paint stripper and brushed it on. The stuff bubbled up and came off easily with a wooden scrapper. The seat-top tubes did not want to give up the paint Cool to see the dropouts stamped WCC.

cristie

Hello!

I found this forum while researching to decide whether to invest in a tuneup for my 35 year old Custom Sport or ditch it and buy a new bike. It's been sitting in the garage all this time, but my husband's done some work on it and I'll ride it for now. I'm posting because it has one of those odd serial numbers, and I'm the original owner.

Purchased in Oregon, June 1982.

becave7

Just picked up this Nishiki Rally Sport Series 19" step through. From the serial number GD720123, it looks to be built by Giant in late February 1987, Nishiki 1207 tubing. Has Femco 27" steel wheels, Shimano front stem shifters and FD, Shimano Skylark RD, cheap looking Tracer cranks, Kun Yu hubs, Diamcomp side pull brakes, and cheap steel bars. Never seen Femco, Tracer, or KunYu before. Even the headset, BB, pedals and seat, are unbranded and feels like the bike shop was just throwing stuff on this bike, using the Nishiki name and frame to dump overstock parts. Not going to spill the LBS name because I really like them.

Still in near new condition for how old it is. Seller said his wife rode it a couple of times and hung it up in the garage. Score!
Photo from CL ad.

transhawk

Picked up a yellow Safari touring bike, serial # KS146572. Will post pics soon. In process of cleaning up. Pretty decent condition. frame was plain gauge CrMo. Suntour GT rear derailleur, Mighty Comp 60/42 crank, 13/31 Suntour 5 cog freewheel. Sunshine hubs. Stem shifters. 1972-1976, not sure which year. Didn't come with the canvas bags or front rack. Does have the heavy rear rack that appears to be able to carry a load!

HOJOBadger41

I have an early 1980's Electric Blue Nishiki Rally 10 speed. I think it was a 26" frame designed by Norco. The Stamp on the frame at right rear wheel is G098C.

It's Sitting in my Back heated Shed. I'll post pics. I bought it new when I was 14 from Cap's Cycles in North Surrey.

Tonyweiss

Hello Everyone,

So I just picked up a used Nishiki Olympic 12 and I was trying to decode the serial number to figure out the year. From what I have been seeing it seems to be a very unusual serial number, I was wondering if anyone may be able to help me out with it. The serial number is located on the underside of the bottom bracket and reads S011F347.

Suntour VX front and rear derailure
Champion stamped on the handle bars
Dia Compe breaks
Cotterless cranks
Chromed tips on the fork
Chromally frame
Araya rims
Yellow paint sceem, with brown decals, and yellow grip tape (I think its original)

It says made in Japan on most of the components and on the frame as well.

Any ideas on the year?

Thanks!

T-Mar

It's almost certainly G0980. and most likely a 1981 model.

T-Mar

While I don't know the exact year, it's from the earlier half of your timeframe, circa 1973. Check the the backs of the derailleurs for date codes (two letters). There should also be date date codes (4x-x) on the back of the crank arms.

T-Mar

The general description matches that of a circa 1978-1981 Olympic 12. Based on the serial number, I suspect it's 1980-1981 but can't say for sure. Pictures and component date codes would be a big help.

Tonyweiss

T-Mar,

Here is a little more info. I'll try and get some pictures up soon.

Chain ring is 40/52
Chain ring and cranks are made by Sugino 170mm and says forged In Japan J11
On the back of front derailleur it reads "Maeda industries LTD, 4532 Japan WE"

Thanks.

transhawk

Here is a pic of the Safari frame. There are no numbers on the backs of the Suntour GT rear or ProCompe front derailleurs. It has an American Eagle decal on lower seat tube. The Mighty Comp Sugino crank is 42/60. It has a Regina GS Corsa SICC freewheel, 13+16-20+25+31. The crank arm has a stamp 47-5.

Streichy

Hey everybody, first post, figured I just read this front to back so Ill contribute. I have a dark green, 1968-70 American Eagle Semi-Pro, got it off my dbag ex buddy, Corey. We were smoking some buds in our mutual buddy's garage when I point at this old relic hanging from the ceiling. I had a 90s Fuji Palisade, but snapped the frame pretty bad at the very front of the down tube (250lbs of poor decision making meat on the seat). Our mutual buddy is 6'7" and I'm 6'4" so this looks like my size, I ask whats up with it. He says it needs tires and a tune up but works, and that I can have it for free. I told him I would swing by the next morning to get it. Morning comes, and wouldn't you know it, Corey already came and picked it up, looking for fast cash no doubt. After taking the pedals for himself he offers me the bike for $40, which I accepted. Apparently he spent all of his money on an Iro frame, Brooks saddle, deep V rims, etc and was only pedals shy of his most recent creation being completed.

No worries though, I got what I wanted.

Serial number KS47659, the lowest number semi pro I've seen. A whole digit shorter than most and 25k smaller serial number than the nearest numbered Semi-Pro here. It has a "Stones Cyclery of Alameda CA" glazed emblem on it, cool since I live there and frequent Stones. Also cool, it has a CA bicycle license sticker on it, Expired December 31st 1970. It also has all of the original stickers, except for the red/silver stickers on the forks where the chrome meets the paint. The hubs are sunshine high flange with the larger non circular holes, but I need to lace another rear outer rim to the original casette and hub as for some reason the front was all alloy, the rear had a rusty steel outer rim but matching hubs. For now my Fuji's rear wheel does the job. I polished the one piece Taihel Compe seat post until it revealed it's markings, and with a little hand sanitizer the Fuji seat no longer said Fuji on the sides, good enough for now. It originally had the very early compe stem seen in this thread, in the odd size, but it wasn't perfect and made the bars rest uneven. I took my Nitto stem off the Fuji and spun it and it's wedge on a lathe, then sanded very lightly until I could juuuuuust get it to slip in. The original drop bars were narrow for me so I went wide with Soma Roundwise 142mm drop 90mm reach bars, and rebuilt the stock brake levers with new shims and bright red pivot pins. Finally I unbent the secondary safety levers. I liked the look of the original all metal shift lines and I managed to find see-through (to the metal inside) housing material for the brakes but not the shift lines. Turns out you can use brake line housing for your shift lines even though the sizes are different, squeezes in the lugs just barely. MKS AR5 pedals from the Fuji also went on.

Being a tall frame means the Swiss made Pletscher rack that came with it sat crooked, but after some finess work with my BFH and little extenders where the rack meets the dropouts my rack now sits parallel to the top tube.

Funny enough the bike didn't have caps on the crankset, dug through the parts bins at the local shops and ended up with one cap from one shop, one from another shop across town to make a matching pair (stoner recall memory is hit and miss, that day it hit).

I have some questions though.

1: Does this bike have a detent to the steering when pointed straight ahead?

2: How old is my bike? Anywhere on the components I could look that doesn't require disassembly?

3: It has a chrome levered, stem mounted shifter with S's on the end of the levers instead of black plastic like later years. Appears factory but I have yet to see anyone else with them. Anyone seen these?

4: Honestly I know the front wheel isn't the strongest, it flexes to the point where I can hear it rub slightly when I'm pushing hard. Brakes are not set super tight, and it's pretty true. Between that and the fact that the original rear needs to be laced up should I get new outer rims laced to the original high flange hubs (original quick releases too) or would I be better off picking up a new set of wheels all together? I'm trying to keep it retro as possible without dying from a 50 year old design. I say this because the lip on the rim isn't tall as on modern bikes and I've been told to only go up to 70 psi for fear of the tire blowing off, if I don't taco it first. rim is an Araya "light alloy 27 x 1 1/4 w/o H.P." whatever that means.

I'll get pictures up later tonight. Sorry for rambling.

-Streichholzschächtelchen

T-Mar

Sorry for the delay in replying. The front derailleur code is from May 1980, while the crankset code is November 1980. Consequently, it should be a 1981 model, which fits the previously suggested scenario.

T-Mar

The crankset code is May 1972. With only one date code and it being May, it could be either a 1972 or 1973 model.

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. Thxs for the contribution.

1. The detent is colloquially called indexed steering and is not normal. There is some argument over the root cause.

The traditional view is that the bicycle was ridden with a loose headset and and bumps caused the balls to impact the cup race, causing little dimples. When the headset is proper tightened, the balls want to seat in the dimples. This process is typically called brinelling.

The alternate theory is microscopic oscillations when riding straight causes metal to metal contact without a lubricant film, leading to a molecular bonds. When the handlebars are turned, metal is ripped away from the softer cup race, forming the dimple and restoring the lubricant film. This process is generally called lubrication failure from fretting.

If the balls are in retainers, a simple way to resolve the issue is to use loose balls. This requires more balls, altering the spacing and preventing the balls from aligning with the dimples.

2. The American Eagle brand was replaced by Nushiki some time during 1972, so it's older that. Based on the license expiry date, it should be no newer that 1970. You should find date codes on most of the components. Check the components page of the Vintage-Trek website for the location, format and decoding of the common Japanese component manufacturers. Let us know what you find.

3. I can't say that I recall these. SunTour typically used covers on their shift levers and it might simply be a case of missing covers.

4, W/O HP refers to wired-on, high pressure. Wired-on refers to tyres with a wire encased in the bead. They are often referred to as "clincher" tyres, though this a misnomer. High pressure rims typically have slight hook on the flange that aids in tyre retention at high pressure. Normal rims were good for 70psi but an HP rim will handle more, provided the tyre is designed for it. These rims are later replacements and probably Araya Model 16A(3) or 20A

The question of rim versus wheel replacement is a personal matter. Given that the rims aren't OEM there's not too much to prevent you from going with replacement wheels, unless you really want to keep the OEM hubs. Personally, I'd tear down the hubs first. If you find pitted races that may make for an easier decision.

I trust his has been helpful. Keep us informed on your progress. I'm sure the members would appreciate photos.

Dirt Farmer

Sorry to slightly hijack, but T-Mar, can you link to the Nishiki hierarchy, both 70's and 80's? Googling gives inconsistent results. Thanks

T-Mar

The inconsistency you're finding is not without reason. The Nishiki product line was never very stable after the first few years. The introduction and deletion of models resulted in almost yearly changes to the line. Then there were changes to the models. Some like the International, went though some drastic changes during it's life. I certainly wouldn't want to try to boil things down to one lineup per decade.

Static.sonar

Hello i am new here, i just found this nishiki i was wonering if its worth rebuilind as a road bike. I can bearly make out on the top bar international. 20170517_183129.jpg

Streichy

Ill have pics up soon, need more posts to be able to post links.

Streichy

Pics

https://www.flickr.com/photos/155023...57684198682545