Oldairhead 

Fixed it!
Here is a page from an 87 catalog that might help.

T-Mar

That is not a 1986 catalogue. It is for the 1987 model year. You can tell it's not the 1986 catalogue by the mention of SunTour's Accushift indexed shifting on several models. Accushift was not introduced until the 1987 model year. It also mentions Shimano Santé, on the Tri-A Equipe. Like Accushift, Santé wasn't introduced until the 1987 model year.

agoodmanwa

Love the wrap around stay!

Bug Shield

Thank you, T-Mar, for your work on this.

Here's the Nishiki Seral I picked up off Facebook Marketplace this week. If I've decoded the serial number correctly it is of 1983 manufacture. It's 62cm center-to-center. The bike appears to have gone almost entirely unused but did get new tires at some point. Presumably the the bar-end shifters were an upgrade.

Here's a picture of the listing photo which is non-drive-side.




And here, as it currently stands with new cables and the addition of some racks.



Let me know if you have any specific questions about components and I will try to get the answer.

highwayzero

This was a great thread to help me ID and decide to buy another bike that I didn't need !!!

I picked up what appears to be a 1974 Nishiki International. The SN is KS295087. The bars, levers, brakes (now Dia-Compe Deluxe sidepulls) and rims/hubs (now Sunrims/Shimano 6-speed) have been swapped out, but I've got a set of correct KB bars on the way from ebay, and have the correct Dia-Compe levers & turkey levers in a parts box and will be swapping them out to original. The decals are long gone, and I've got a set of decals on the way, too. The crank is original and dated 49-7, which appears to be July of '74, still has the KKT pedals, SunTour shift group, and Dia-Compe stem and seat post. Can't wait for spring to hit...this one looks comfortable to ride!

Bug Shield

That headbadge is cool and seems to hearken back to the abandoned American Eagle name.

T-Mar

American Eagle was the brand of West Coast Cycle Supply, a California based bicycle importing and distributing company owned by the Cohen family. The brand had been established in the early 1960s, with the bicycles being sourced from Kawamura in Japan. At that time, Japanese products were still largely regarded in the USA as being inferior, so the patriotic American Eagle brand name was chosen. With the early 1970s bicycle boom, there was increased acceptance of Japanese bicycles and circa 1972 it was decided to change the brand name to Nishiki, to reflect the Japanese origin, with the name simply being changed on the existing American Eagle head badge.

Smokinapankake

Not as old as most of these but I picked this up for my daughter to go mountain biking with me this summer:







I believe it to be a 1996 due to the date codes on the components: September, October, November 1995.

Two serial numbers on the bottom of the bottom bracket:



R907360210 on the drive side

A602000565 on the non drive side

A602000565

Nice little bike for $20!

T-Mar

Yes, that's a 1996 Nishiki Cascade. There are two different serial numbers because there were two different manufacturers involved. The frame was originally manufactured in February 1996 then shipped to the Raleigh factory in Kent, Washington where the frames was finished (in March) and the components were installed.

Some time in very late 1988, Nishiki owner West Coast Cycle (Supply), was bought by Derby International, who had acquired Raleigh about a year previously. As a result, Nishiki became a sister brand to Raleigh in the Derby corporate family. Obviously, Derby found it advantageous to have at least some of the manufacturing for their other brands performed in the Raleigh factory. It appears to have provided sufficient American value added to permit a Made in the USA label.

The 1996 Cascade was 2nd in a line of 9 adult Nishiki ATB models. MSRP was $630 US, so $20 is quite a deal. The front hub and rim are mismatched with the rear, so one is a replacement. The spec rims were Weinmann and the front appears to be MAVIC, so the front would appear to be the replacement. Surprisingly, the handlebar extensions are factory installed items.

Thank-you for the submission. Hopefully your daughter enjoys her new bicycle and the two of you get to spend many happy hours together on the trails.

Smokinapankake

Thank you T-Mar for the information, it is very much appreciated. I figured the front was the incorrect wheel, but I suspect all else is OEM correct. You are correct, it is a Mavic 230 laced to an era correct LX hub, so nice stuff. I assumed the made in USA meant American made frame with Japanese components (Shimano) but what do I know? She's excited and I think after a few changes to the cockpit (Shorter, taller) and her preferred saddle she'll be in high cotton.

dbalu 

Here is mine, it is undergoing service, so pictures of the frame only.
Bought it with Cinelli stem and handlebars, DA 7400 rear derailleur and shift levers, Shimano 600 EX 175 mm cranks, front derailleur and Shimano 600 EX brown anodized brakes and brake levers. The wheels are with Suntour cyclone 7000 sealed bearing hubs laced to Araya 700c super anodized rims. Something tells me that some parts were swapped.
Anyways, here are the pics, I suppose it's from 1986 for EU market after the serial no.

highwayzero

Post-refurb update...correct bars and brake levers installed, decal set, swapped out the pedals for some KKT KR-II rat-traps, fresh cloth bar tape, cables, and lube all around. Ready for spring!

brandenjs

Picking up a Nishiki Pro tomorrow. I believe it is an ONP. Pics and info to follow.

brandenjs

Grabbed this today. I'm assuming by the serial number (NP7720029) that this is a 1977 ONP Nishiki Pro. This is a great example of the mix mash of parts that can end up on a frameset only order. It has a Dura Ace FD, Suntour Radius RD, Specialized crankset, Dia Compe GX400 calipers, Nitto stem and bars, Rigida wheels with Suntour Cyclone hubs and Suntour Accushift shifters. what a mutt! Some nicks and scrapes, but I have a period correct Dura Ace group that might go great on it. Definitely worth saving. Any thoughts??

tcarson

Bike as given to me. Will change out groupset to 105


Hi!,
New to this forum. I was given a Nishiki Finisher with serial # EB 501617. Unable to find any info on this bike but is similar to the NFA Alpha and Beta models.

albrt 

I am working on a Nishiki Olympic Royale, 1977 by the serial number - KG70268. It looks very similar to the one posted on this thread by junk250 back in 2010, including the bar end shifters.

It looks like a decent bike - can anyone tell me where the Olympic Royale was in the Nishiki heirarchy? Above or below the International?

The setup looks to me like they were trying to produce something to compete with the Raleigh Supercourse of the period.

albrt 

Here is the before picture of the 1977 Nishiki Olympic Royale.




All I've done so far is wipe off a little dirt and take off a giant set of pannier baskets that weighed about as much as the rest of the bike.

T-Mar

While your Olympic Royale was manufactured in 1977, it is actually a 1978 model, as it was a new for that model year. It was 4th in the 1978 model line, just below the International.

FEGUIA

Hello, would you please help me to decode a serial number GC90257

Thanks
Francisco
From México

T-Mar

Francisco, welcome to the forums. Assuming the serial number is complete, it would be an Asian market model manufactured by Kawamura of Japan in 1983. However, if there was a missing number, it could be a Giant manufactured frame from weeks 5-6 of 1989. The frame features and componets should allow us to determine which is correct. Please provide a good, drive side photograph of your bicycle. Since you have less than 10 posts, photos cannot be inserted in a post but they will upload to a gallery album under your forum ID, where memebrs can view them.

jessec

Hey T-Mar - I just picked up a Nishiki Bushwhacker which seems to conform to Kawamura '72-87 serial # standard, but seems to be 1991:

It's spaced like this on BB (## is numbers, I just don't like posting the full serial online - can PM it to you if required but I assume not):
CA0
01##

All of the components (full Exage 500 LX) I checked (brake levers, derailleurs, cantilever brakes, even rear hub) have the date code stamped OB, OI or OJ - which conforms to 1990 components, and serial number appears to point to possibly 1991 Canadian market then. There's also a sticker on the inner triangle that says "Japan" which could be the reference to Kawamura. Does this seem right?

The bike is in fantastic shape, and seems to be all original, even has Deore LX pedals, though they're pretty standard metals pedals hah.











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Londonsworld 

Found this on ebay....Nothing cheap anymore

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25545840973...UAAOSwq9liQN~H

T-Mar

Yes, that's a 1991, Canadian market model. At the time the Canadian Nishiki were being designed by Norco, while the USA models were being designed by West Coast Cycle Supply. model. The 1990 model still routed the rear derailleur cable along the downtube and the rear brake was a seat stay mounted U-brake. In1992 it was spec'd with Deore DX derailleurs. The MSRP in 1991 was $750 CDN. Thank-you for posting. Enjoy your new acquisition.

rickpaulos

Nishiki Pueblo
CX898660
fresh donation at our local coop. One owner. Biopace rings. Missing pedals, post and seat. smooth tires. Donor said it was hanging for 20 Years. Huntington Beach (california) dealer sticker. Would be nice to see it go to a Nishiki fan. Should clean up very well.

Nishiki.Pueblo.CX898660 (2)

T-Mar

I don't believe I've seen this particular S/N format in the past. However, based on the style of the down tube logo, we know it's a 1989 or 1990 model. I can't quite read the model name on the rear derailleur but it looks like an Exage Country rear derailleur., which was only produced for the 1988 and 1989 model years. So, based on the rear derailleur and logo, it should be a 1989 model. Thxs for posting.