Classic & Vintage - $10 Nishiki with rat traps?

Here is a pic of the Nishiki I bought at a garage sale a few houses over.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b400/fj40/DSC01735.jpg
Were there low end Nishikis? I have only seen bikes like my Continental so I was very suprised to find this bike with stem shifters and rat trap pedals. I always thought of Nishiki as higher end equipment.
Its dust covered and completely original.
But what ugly pedals!

Yes there were! My brother-in-law has the twin to that bike. Been hanging in their garage for 20 years or so.

But what ugly pedals!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I like rat trap pedals, due mainly to having very large feet that won't fit in the Campy pedals, and my refusal to use clipless pedals.

Yep, a retrogrouch with large feet.

Nishiki introduced the mid-level Semi-Pro under the American Eagle marque in the late 1960s, quickly supplementing it with the low-end Custom Sport, which competed directly with the Varsity. By 1972 they had five models: Custom Sport; Olympic (adds QR); Kokusai (adds aluminum rims and cranks and straight-gauge CrMo main triangle); Semi-Pro/Competition (adds double-butted main triangle, Mighty Compe cranks); and Road Compe (tubulars, full CrMo frameset). Yours looks like something from the late 1970s.

I'm thinking early 1980s.

What a great find I would have paid that in a heart beat I hope your a tall person .That would be agreat bike to bring back to new condition .Good luck.

I haven't heard "rat traps" being said in 25 years :)

I'm thinking early 1980s.
It is. That's a nice bike.You ought to be 6'3" or taller for it to fit.It cost $380 to 400 when new.

It is. That's a nice bike.You ought to be 6'3" or taller for it to fit.It cost $380 to 400 when new.

Well I'm not that tall. I'm a little over five foot nine.
I can stand over it without problems though.
I can also reach the bars quite comfortably due to my ape-like arms and legs. I measured myself up years ago using a 6 foot level between the legs and found that I have 34.75 inches between my crotch and the ground. Add my long arms to that mix and it was no wonder I was banging my elbows on my knees on smaller bikes.
I like my frames at least one size larger. I think it's refered as a "French fit" nowdays. I just find it comfortable.
And I am going to leave the "rat traps" where they are!

I'm thinking early 1980s.
When did Nishiki change from 5 to 6 speed freewheels?
Has anyone sorted out Kawamura serial numbers?

A great deal! Mine was 10 times as much! If it isn't your size, I'd be glad to help you double your money!

Rat traps are awesome for grocery-getter type bikes...riding in comfortable street shoes is nice.