since6

Sometimes it’s just one last thing and so it was for my 72 Katakura/Silk- Nishiki Professional. I had researched and found the right Karasawa mushroom frame pump holder and Primus frame pump which I painted to match the frame color, but something seemed missing.

While this was the TOL “racing” Nishiki sold that year I always saw it more as a fast daily rider/touring bike. The lovely chromed fender eyelets on the fork and rear drop outs seemed too empty. So a re-purposed set of Honjo hammered fenders were added and like that – done.

I’ll add a Berthoud small banana bag under the seat to carry the spare tube and stuff, and if all goes well, third year trying to get there, this year we’ll ride the 40 mile loop at the California Eroica.

repechage

The silver versions of this bike sold well- the green flamboyant- satin black headtube and seat tube panels was a striking combo but sat on the sales floor.

since6

Thanks repechage it rides well too.

For those with extra sharp eyes, there's a sort of hidden change too. With thoughts of grades to climb and elderly knees, if you look close you'll see I've triplized the chain ring with the addition of a 26T. So we are now 26T/42T/46T, kind of a Hi/Lo high range and then a 4WD Low range when the steeps come and you just find a gear and grind your way to the top.

unworthy1

But that's the one that I had, in fact I only saw it in that color combo, I did't know there was a sliver option. Unfortunately bought the one they had in stock (I was too eager to wait) and it was too tall, so i tried to make it work but finally broke down and traded down to a Nishiki Semi-Pro in metallic brown. Not as nice (and Heavier!) but got away from the sew-ups which were driving me crazy with all the puncture vine flats (you may call them "goatheads") that made me walk that bike as much as I rode it!

randyjawa 

Lovely bike and the fenders do it more than justice. However, unless the steering stem and seat post are extra long, you will do damage to both the steering tube of the fork and the seat lug of the frame. If they are extra long, no worries.

since6

randyjawa, both are extra long, it is a small frame and while I'm no giant it needed both longer seat post and longer stem to bring things up to the geometry I needed, but worry not there's many extra inches in both the steering tube and seat lug/tube.

Granddaughters will visit next year from France and they and Grandsons have kept me busy outsourcing first bikes, due to the small frame this will be a bike passed on when a granddaughter turns 16 and has grown into it. I've kept the original stem/handlebar and seat post and both should do fine. It may even come with stories of Grandfather's rides on it.

T-Mar

The biggest change is the conversion from tubulars.

repechage

Made me recall the rims on the bike that sat were Ukai tubular, plastic foam filled. The Japanese Scheeren. Good rims, both.

unworthy1

Yep, that's what my short-lived Pro had (and I recall it was a big selling point that the salesman emphasized when I bought it. I had no idea what he was talking about! "plastic-filled rims are...really good?") But IIRC they were pretty light and I never smashed a rim, I think they had Sunshine (Sanshin) hubs...is that correct?

repechage

Might have, I recall much but not everything.

since6

Yes T-Mar tubular tires were long gone by the time it came to me. Also a big change in my rebuild were new rims, Velocity Atlas, they are bomb proof and beautiful.

I am still amazed when I spin the rear/front wheels, these high flange SunShine hubs spin for an eternity, but then they went on to make their Pro-Am Hubs which I consider one of the best hub sets of the vintage age (believe they later morphed into Suntour Superbe Pro hubs?).