T-Mar

Chainrings are easily and often replaced. The presence of the chainstay protector does add some additional credibility but I still don't have a high degree of confidence.

I wouldn't make much of a case on it being a 1984 based on the SunTour derailleur codes, as they would appear to be replacements. The Columbus tubed Nishiki models were an attempt to crack the high end market after they failed to do so in the 1970s. First they tried with high end Tange frames equipped with Campagnolo Nuovo Record groups. When that didn't work well they moved to Columbus frames equipped with Nuovo Record groups. In this respect, it doesn't make sense to see a 2nd tier Japanese group like Cylone. Even if the Japanese components were a concession to the Austalian market, I would have expected to see top tier Superbe Pro (like the brakes) or Dura-Ace. Based on the mixed Japanese components, it's a Frankenbike to at least some degree and the derailleurs are almost certainly not OEM.

Assuming it is a Nishiki, the two known Columbus tubed models were the Maxima and Cervino. The former was made in Japan and the latter made in Italy, so you can tell the difference via the bottom bracket threading which should be marked on the cups.

The Australian market certainly poses extra questions, given that few Australian market models have surfaced on the forum. It may be a Nishiki but unfortunately I can't corroborate it, based on the current evidence.

BTW, please accept a slightly belated welcome to the forums.

dinobyte

Here are some quick wonky photos. Thanks for your help. The wheels (not pictured) are really crappy (probably the worst I've ever seen) with 5 speeds. I think the guy I bought it from switched em out. No big deal I guess.

T-Mar

Definitely a 1990 model.

zukahn1 

Would agree and say it is 1990 model made in late 1989.

konginsd

Hi all!
Just Purchased what I believe to be a 1977 Nishiki Competition off of CL. It's in Pretty fair condition. It has Suntour Cyclone Front and rear derailleur, Sugino Cranks, Shimano Hubs with quick release, and the rims are Araya 700C. I don't know if they are Original. Most of the stuff seems to be in good working order, so I plan to keep most of the original parts. I haven't been able to decide if I'm going to try and polish and touch up the existing paint to keep the decals, or if I'm going to Strip and paint the whole thing and spring for decals. Some of the decals are pretty Cool, like the registration sticker from 81. Any input is valued. Oh Yeah It's a 62cm Frame...I'm pretty Huge.

The Serial Number is KG44156



https://www.flickr.com/photos/64449739@N04/9645660121/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64449739@N04/9648898208/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64449739@N04/9648901016/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64449739@N04/9648904340/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64449739@N04/9648907640/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64449739@N04/9648910308/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64449739@N04/9648913490/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64449739@N04/9645682725/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/64449739@N04/9645686039/

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. I don't have the 1977 literature but I do have 1978 and they're very similar. However, it does appear to be an actual 1977, as opposed to 1978 manufactured in late 1977, as the 1978 had the model name shortened offically to Comp.

OEM wheelset for 1978 was 700C Araya rims with Sanshin hubs, so there is a possibility they were replacements. The other possible non-OEM component appears to the saddle which was an Elina in 1978. It's missing the OEM brake lever hoods and toes clips and straps. The front QR skewer looks like it has been screwed tight rather that using the cam locking action, as the lever is in the open position.

Generally, my approach to paint is that you can never go back to orignal. Consequently, I start by cleaning, polishing and touch up. Then I live with it for a while to see if it's really objectable. If it is, then it's time to repaint.

konginsd

Thanks. I think I'm gonna go with New paint!! The more I look at it.... The more I think it's objectable!

dinobyte

It's a cool funky bike. I was thinking about plastidipping the frame but the paint is too cool to cover up. After I find a wheelset I'll post up pics, I'm pretty much done tuning it up.

spacemanz

OK, here's my new-to-me-today, found-next-to-a-dumpster freebie, a 1981 Comp II, in 61cm ST & 58cm TT, which is just about perfect for me. It was mostly disassembled, both derailleurs were loose and hanging by the cables, and there was no front wheel, but the back is a SunShine Gyro Master, with a Suntour Pro Compe freewheel, and the usual Araya rim. I've never owned a Sunshine hub before, , LOL, but I know they're well-regarded. OK, I dunno what I'm talking about, mostly, so let's let some pics tell the story. BTW, the serial # is actually KA65294, I thought the 6 was a 0 before. I'll edit that other thread, to (hopefully) avoid confusion.

spacemanz

Well, according to this link, it looks like '81 was the first year for the Gyro Master and the Pro Am. Unless I'm mis-reading that. (?) Feel free to repost this link, it's not mine, I found it. https://cyclespeugeot.web.fc2.com/sanshin81.htm EDIT: Be sure to hit the "Home" button for that site, there's a lot of good stuff, including Suntour stuff.

T-Mar

I read it the say way as you, but it's wrong. Both hubsets were available much earier, though I can't tell you the exact dates on their debut. For instance, Pro-Am is mentioned in the 1976 Fuji catalog and the Gyro is mentioned in the 1977 Fuji catalog. Also, the author claims a 1979 date of introduction for SunTour's Superbe hubset (manufactured by Sanshin) but these go back to the 1977 model year.

Thxs for posting your Comp II, though I'd appreciate it if you could post date codes for the major components. The reason I'm asking is that it appears Nishiki spec'd an idnetical Comp II for 1982 and there's a possibility that it may be a 1982 model manufactured in late 1981. The date codes may help to determine the exact model year. TIA.

spacemanz

OK, the only major components left on it were, the Cyclone derailleurs, which are BOTH marked XA (for January 1981), and that rear hub marked March 1981. There is a Sakae Road Custom drop bar, and a single Gran Compe lever, as well as a single matching GC caliper. I guess there "might" be a date code on that Kawamura headset, which I'll look into, but I'm just guessing there, no idea if they were dated at all. Overall, this is just the bare frame & fork, with a few parts included, but I'm OK with that. BTW, the seat tube is smallish, I tried the 26.8 from the Bertin, and it looks a little big, but there's some cleanup needed in that area, before I really try.

T-Mar

Thxs, those are early enough in the year that it's almost certainly a 1981 model. 26.8mm is the theoretical inside diameter for most Tange butted crMo tubesets. I've seen them with both 26.6mm and 26.8mm posts. It all depends on much honing/reaming the manufacturers' perform.

briz4061

TMAR
i ve stripped down the bottom bracket and it is a fitted with a KE code shimano 36 x 24T italian reverse thread.
The sugino cranks are D7 the nitto technomic stem is RT code 1984. the steering tube has a columbus dove stamped on it
does this help with identification?

Steve

idratherbebiking_2

Nishiki Prestige. RG03303.

WPH

My first serious road bike was a Repco Nishiki Tri-A, which I bought new from Kev Olsen's Cycles in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia in 1988. I remember it had already sat around in their shop for a couple of years.

My bike is quite a bit like MikeyB1's, pictured here, except for the following:
-- rear stays painted black like the main triangle and fork
-- 'Repco' decals as well as Nishiki - no Tange sticker on the fork
-- 12 speed non-indexed
-- rear brake cable and both shift cables run inside the frame tubes
-- Shimano 600 brake levers were non-aero
-- Araya rims.

After riding that bike for several years I upgraded to 8sp (had to get the rear triangle cold set), then when I got a newer machine I gave the Nishiki to my brother, who rode it for a bit, then to my girlfriend, then it went to another brother, then to my friend Roq (who was road-bike-less and cash-less at that moment), then back to the 2nd brother, whose son, my nephew, recently claimed it. He has done a sort of resto on it, bit lairy for my tastes, but at least it has been saved and I guess he rides it sometimes to impress girls (he is 22 and a good bloke) and a Nishiki Tri-A is always impressive. I guess that bike has about 100,000km on it... and fairly flogged for most of them.

I will post a picture of the resurrected machine when I can get the komputa to work properly.

WPH

This bike looks a lot like mine, I would say from the same era. My frame has a Tange 900 sticker and round chainrings, plus the Repco stickers, no Kawamura sticker and a different Nishiki logo. How I lusted after Biopace chainrings... until about 1989 when they went out of fashion!

Sensational, never expected to see info about machinery of this age which I first rode so long ago.

Carry on chaps.

T-Mar

Definitely a 1987. I could tell that even without the serial number. However, we've never seen a format starting with an 'R'. Any chance that was typo?

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T-Mar

What I'd really asppreciate is the serial number. I don't believe we've had an Austalian market Nishiki and I imagine they used the standard Kawamura serial number format but with a different prefix, possibly an 'A'? It would be nice to able to add the Autralian market market serail number format to post #1 . TIa

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cooperryder

I recently completed a rebuild of my Nishiki Professional with some Dura Ace 7400 series parts, hubs, crankset, and derailleurs.

Calipers would not reach rims but T-Mar just provided some info on D/A calipers that would reach.

I also changed out the cockpit to Dia Compe Ene stem, Soma Hwy One bars & the drilled TRP brake levers.
Interesting that these new levers quick release feature has an auto release when you squeeze the lever.



Oh, new tires are Vittoria Hypers.

I am enjoying this bike.

OLDYELLR

That frame looks exactly like my Nishiki Ultimate.

T-Mar

Near as I can telll, the Professional and Ultimate were the same model but it went through a name change. We've seen both with KAxxxxx serial numbers, so my assumption has always been that it was Professional through the 1981 model year and that Ultimate was adapted for the 1982 models that they stated manufacturing in the autumn of 1981.

T-Mar

Well it confirms a frankenbuild, given 1984 derailleurs, 1986 spindle and 1987 crankarms!

One thing that I did not note earlier was the SunTour dropouts and this is very important. This almost certainly eliminates the possibility of it being a Nishiki, unless the Australin market was totally different from the USA and Canada, in which case I wouldn't have clue as to the model.

In Canada and the USA, The Nishiki SL frames (Maxima and Cervino) used Campagnolo dropouts. In fact, even the early 1980s Professional and Ultimate, which were Japanese built using Tange tubing, had Campagnolo dropouts because they were spec'd with Campagnolo derailleurs. Most manufacturers matched the dropouts and derailleurs to ensure thread compatibility (standard and Italian dropout threads are slightly different) and derailleur performance (different manufacturers have slightly differnt length and angle of hangers and stops, which affect large cog capacity and chain gap).

The presence of SunTour dropouts suggest it was originally equipped with SunTour derailleurs, so those Cyclone could be orignal, but Superbe would be more likely. In the mid-1980s a lot of US owned brands (Centurion, Lotus, Nishiki, etc.) went to Italian sources to try and crack the high end market. Generally, these bicycles were spec'd with Campagnolo, but there were also some SunTour and Shimano spec'd models. Lotus marketed the Legend (Suntour Superbe) and Odyssey (SunTour Cyclone, but a touring model)). However, I doubt it's a Lotus, as I don't believe they were sold outside the USA and these Italian built frames all had Lotus embossing on the fork crowns and stay caps.

Effectively, I'm back to square one, with no prospects on the identification. The threading suggests that the frame was built in Italy, though there is the small possibility that it was built elswhere by an Italian immigrant or a framebuilder who preferred Italian threading. The SunTour dropouts suggest it was originally equipped with SunTour. It could be anything from a custom frame to a local, contract built brand.

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Emtx

Hi all,
so this is my first post and I am also newbie in terms of racing bikes. I do have some experience, but fairly limited knowledge of bike construction. Recently placed in Denmark I bought second hand Nishiki Racing Master with serial no.: WN 36096 R which is embossed on side of seat tube. Bike looked pretty ugly, but actual feel is nice and probably needs lot of care. (Paintwork is badly damaged on several places, but alas no crack or dent.) It has stickers on that is handcrafted Nishiki frame. I can not really figure out according to info age of frame, but I suppose it Nishiki frame for US market (bought in Denmark - EU?) from 96 and I do not know month.
My plan is to actually step by step disassemble bike and provide complete refurbish - including repaint, since I would like to have it as training bike and would not like to spent money on newone. Can please someone share some info what is this frame, and possibly whats worth? (Would like to know before I start to work.) There have been some work done already by previous owner, I have front derailleur Shimano 105, back is RSX - which I think is original as well as RSX shifters - brake levers, TEKTRO brakes - not even having lever to open its jaw. There are Schurmann wheels (front one starts to have problem with bearing -Deore LX, back is Exage). My goal is to strip it, repaint, assembly, change wires, back derailleur for 105, brakes for 105 or anything decent, cranksetfor 3 speed compact(?) (since 105 front is 3 speed) change cassette and chain. Please if you have suggestions - starting if this frame is worth of this work and probably what its gonna cost me, any links which can help me with construction and how to work. Another question is, if I manage to resurrect RSX back derailleur (8 speed), will it actually work with 3 speed crankset front? Do I need to change bottom bracket for new crankset? Can anybody share info about which kind of crankset is possibly in this bike and what is to compactibillity issues for instance to 105?
Many many thanks for tolerance and info in advance... its a ugly bike at present moment, but I got feeling for it.

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. That's not a serial number but a Danish Vehicle Identification Number. It indicates the bicycle is from either 1978 or 1999 and was imported by Nordisk Cykelfabrik. The bicycle has such a mix of parts that it is hard to tell which, if any, are original. We should be able to easily distinguish a 1999 model form a 1978 by some pictures.

Few European market Nishiki turn upon the forum. The Racing Masters that I've seen have been 1980s mid-range models with Shimano 600 components and Tange #2 tubuing. However, since yours would be either older or newer, I do not want to make assumptions. The best way to tell the level of frame is by the tubing. Is there a tubing decal, and if so, what does it say? If no tubing decal, what size seat post does it use?

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