Hummer

One more thing about the American Bushwhacker it was metalic blue and very similar to this one:

https://velospace.org/node/36124

Hummer

Another thing about the American Bushwhacker. On the bottom bracket below the serial number there is a stylized "W". I have seen this in many of the pictures of serial numbers on bottom brackets. On the Canadian MTBs I have not seen this "W".

Does anyone know what the "W" indicates?

gettingold

That is my exact bike! I love the color and still enjoy riding it. I have it hooked up to my trainer right now. The only difference is I have no rack and I still have the foam padding on the handlebars.

My serial number also starts out with a KJ, however, the date does not make sense to me. It was given to me as a gift by my wife (then girlfriend) and I was thinking it was a law school graduation gift (1983 frame). According to this though it was an 80 frame which makes me wonder now if it was for college graduation.

Losing braincells, one day at a time....

T-Mar

I wouldn't totally discount the possibility of it having been a 1983 graduation gift. The early 1980s were a relatively slow period for sales and a lot of shops had leftover models. This would be especially true is you ride a very large or small frame. With a KJ serial number, there's also the possibility of it being a 1981 model.

Glennfordx4

Hey Guys/Gals,

I picked up this Nishiki a few summers ago for $20 just for some of the components, at first I was just going to scrap the frame but then I looked a little more closely and liked the lug work and figured I would hold on to it. I am trying to find out what model it may be and what kind of tubing it may be made from. I looked at all 29 or 30 pages of this thread but didn't see another like it, but close. It still has part of the tubing decal which is oval shaped & all I can make out is Special and maybe 450 although the 4 could be something else. I haven't seen a decal like this on any of the other pictures of Nishiki's I searched for.

I know it is a pre 1975 and believe it is a 74 by the code dates on the components with the ser# being KS343145, it has WCCSC on the forged drop outs which may stand for West Coast Cycle Supply Company. Any insight as what this may be is appreciated.

The component list that was on it as found.

Suntour Cyclone RD
Suntour Power Shift Levers
Shimano 60 FD
Sugino Maxy double crankset
SR stem
Cycle Pro seat post
Champion KB rando bars
Dia Compe center pull brakes & levers
Kawawura BB

wrk101

Looks like an Olympic. Cyclone RD is a replacement. The Internationals (a step up from the Olympic) from that era that I had all had a cromoly sticker, rather than the tubing sticker you have. Also, they all had a date code on the fork. Mine were 1973 and 1974 models, I've had a half dozen of them. Just dropped off the last two frames at the co-op, paint was just too rough for a profitable rehab.

Looking at my fork below, yours does not have a chrome fork crown, so that is another sign that it is not an International. The Olympic originally had a cottered crank, so yours has some good upgrades, or maybe there was a model between the Olympic and the International??

Kind of hard to see, but there is a "2K" on the steering tube, meaning November 1972 (1973 bike). I rehabbed this particular bike, as under the dirt and grease, the paint was good.




Its dark, but here is the tubing decal:





As found, serial number on this bike:




And for laughs, the complete bike as found:

Glennfordx4

Thanks Bill, my fork also has a 74 date code on it as well. Paint on this is toast but it's already been glass bead blasted down to the original primer, next I am switching over to sand to take it down to bare steel and then I will paint it. It is my size and lord knows I have enough parts to build it back up keeping it all Suntour friction. I really would like to find out what tubing it is. I was thinking of building up my NOS SA drum hubs to put on it just to be different.

T-Mar

Circa 1974 Nishiki Olympic. Hi-tensile steel frame.

gaucho777 

I submit my recently acquired Nishiki, which I believe to be a '74 Competition (as it seems to match NJgreyhead's 1974 Nishiki Competition shown HERE and discussed HERE). Photos as found. Serial number KS331872.

ohjonnybegoode

Nishiki International - Serial Number KS343924

Cromolly frame
Suntour Cyclone FD/RD
Super Maxy Crank
Dia Compe Brakes
SunShine 80 Stem
Suntour barend shifters
Araya 27 inch alloy rims/Shimano hubs

Glennfordx4

Thanks T-Mar, That's what it is, I was hoping for it being a little better frame material but it will work for what I want to do with it, now for a color to paint it.

gettingold

She confirmed it was a 1984 graduation gift (May '84 which made me think it was probably an '83 frame). Purchased from a shop in Kenmore, NY (Buffalo-area).

To me, those old Nishikis are underappreciated. Beautiful detail on that frame. Later they became cheesy looking and cheap. I may have to put gum-wall tires back on it in response to another thread that says they are coming back into vogue.

Scarp172

I just picked up this Nishiki Olympiad. It's a 25"/63.5cm frame measured by the seat tube c-c. I'm in the process of cleaning it up and will repaint it this Winter as it's pretty beat up looking. I switched out the seatpost and saddle for more modern equipment and I plant to switch out the bars and stem for something wider and longer (it has a short stem and 40cm bars on it, but I'm 6'3" with broad shoulders, so I'd like to get 44cm or 46 cm bars and longer stem on it) It has a Shimano Eagle rear derailleur and a Shimano Thunderbird up front with Araya steel 27" wheels with Shimano stem shifters. Cottered cranks. Serial Number: KS161879 I'm wondering what the original equipment was for this model. It's been difficult to find information on the Olympiad model.

DSC_5419.jpg
DSC_5395.jpg
DSC_5445.jpg
DSC_5411.jpg
DSC_5425.jpg
DSC_5406.jpg

Bikedued

Gaucho, that thing is COOL! Love the details, and lemme guess? Randnner bars?,,,,BD

jeirvine 

Here's what I believe to be a 1973 Professional that I picked up recently. It has had a repaint at some point, so no decals or badge, and it has a mix of components (including some early '60s Campy high flange tubular wheels, and an Ideale saddle.) Serial number is KC270. Date code on the Sugino crank is 1972. I assume this is not a 1983 bike - from the lugs, biplane fork crown, etc., but according to the list it should have a KS serial number.

What components would have been original on this bike? I assume the crank is original, as are the Suntour V deraillers and first generation Dura Ace brakeset. Stem is Gran Gompe and post is Tahei. Thanks.

T-Mar

Actually, this appears to a Road Compe, rather than a Professional. The latter has stays that wrapped over the seat lug and used a different style crown.

Many of the high end models were subcontracted. In this case, yours appears to a Katakura built frame, hence the disparity in the serial number. In fact, the frame was built in early 1972, so there's a possibility that this may actually be an American Eagle, the predecessor to Nishiki. Of course, it could also be a similarly spec'd Katakura Silk model, though these were rartely see in the USA during this period, unless they were brought form Japan, typically by armed forces personnel.

Assuming it is an American Eagle/Nishiki, only two items stand out as being non-OEM. The original shifters would have been SunTour bar end and they typically did not come with leather saddles. I can't tell if the wheels are the orignal tubulars or not.

dveneman

Early Competition found on CL offered for free. Downtube failed while PO was riding.
s/n KS188532 large W stamped below s/n. Owner thinks it is a '73.

jeirvine 

Thanks for the info. The wheels are mis-matched 60's hubs and rims, so I'm fairly sure they are not originals. Is the Weinman center pull in the front original? I've since tracked down a Dia Compe to match the rear caliper. And what tubing would a Road Compe have had?

T-Mar

Dia-Compe would be OEM. Be aare that the front and rear barkes are often different reach. The tubing was only described as double butted CrMo but it's most likely Tange Champion. The original hubs were typically Sunshine.

lubes17319

A friend was headed out the door when his neighbor came walking over with this ride to pass on to him. Ultratour 18, Serial# KB04822.

Unfortunately for him, but more fortunately for me, he knew of only 1 person willing & large enough to ride it.

Appears to be all original components, which are in good condition for that age: needs some brakepad sanding & minor rear derailleur adjustment. Replaced tubes/tires/bar tape & saddle, then slapped on my fenders & pedals.

tcarl

I have a Nishiki Professional. If my memory is correct, my local bike shop got it in 1974 and I bought it in 1978. It was a frameset only. It has very few decals on it: a stylized N with Nishiki on the head tube; a stylized N with Nisihiki Pro on the seat tube; also on the seat tube 0.8 - 0.5 - 0.8 CrMo D B. I think/am guessing the tubing is Tange, but there aren't any decals/stickers that I know of. The color is "champagne". Serial number is NP 7830002. I was told that Nishiki was trying to make a European quality racing frame. All I know is that it's extremely stiff, quick handling (I think 74 degree head and seat tube angles), very fast and harsh riding on all but the smoothest pavement. The lugs are pointed with clover shaped cutouts in them, the seat stays come smoothly into the back of the seat tube and the bottom of the bottome is cut out. I hope to get it repainted and somewhat restored someday and ride it more. If anyone can tell me any more about this frame I'd appreciate it.

Hummer

Here is a Canadian Nishiki MTB frame from 1985. Can anyone identify the model? Does anyone have any 1985 or 1986 Nishiki catalogues?










Bottom of the down tube


Serial number CD 00230.

T-Mar

That is the Nishiki ONP frameset. Your tubing is Tange Champion #1. The frames were reportedly built in a separate section of the facility by eight craftsmen. From what I've be able to uncover, the project started in 1974 but frames don't appear to have hit the market until 1976. Some have been seen built with lighter Tange Champion Pro and there have been some reported failures on these.

edit: Yes, the seat tube should be 74 dgrees. Kawamura fixed the seat tube angle at 74 degrees but varied the head angle, depending on frame size.

BobHufford

Here is Bicycling magazine article on the ONP.

https://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=577

Bob

T-Mar

That's a really low serial number from 1984, so it should be a 1984, as opposed to 1985 or 1986. Do you know for sure it's a Nishiki? Given the serial number, it could be a Norco. If it's Nishiki, it's almost certainly a Bushwacker.