Classic & Vintage - I found a Nishiki Olympic 12 at a huge rummage sale

I had to wait three days from the time I found it till I could buy it this morning! It's not the best example, it has some rust around the lugs, but it looks to be all original, with exception of the rear rim. It fits me just fine, with about an inch of standover clearance for my boys.

Here's what I can find on it:

Nishiki Sport Series Olympic 12, lavender and white color scheme (kinda gay if you ask me, not that there's anything wrong with that :D )
Serial number is WG00603, which would be the 603rd frame built in 1987 for US market.
Infinity Tange Tapered double butted Chrom Moly frame made by Kawamura.
Maillard front and rear hubs, front hub being high flanged. Stamped with 37 86, and 41 86.
Maillard skewer on front wheel, unknown skewer on rear.
Shimano SLR side pull caliper brakes with Shimano SLR hooded brake levers.
Shimano SIS Light Action shifters, indexed rear, friction front. Mounted on downtube.
Shimano Light Action rear derailleur, Shimano front derailleur.
Shimano 6 cog freewheel, twisted tooth.
Sugino VP 175mm crankset with 50/42 gearing.
MKS pedals, missing one plastic foot cage.
Mistral M13L front rim, 36 hole, hard anodized gray.
MAVIC MA2 alloy rear rim, 36 spoke. (not original?)
SR seatpost.
Vetta seat.
Winpista handlebars.

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q146/gardnerdave58/Nishiki%20Olympic%2012/nishikirightside.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q146/gardnerdave58/Nishiki%20Olympic%2012/nishikicrank.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q146/gardnerdave58/Nishiki%20Olympic%2012/nishikifrontbrake.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q146/gardnerdave58/Nishiki%20Olympic%2012/nishikirearbrake.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q146/gardnerdave58/Nishiki%20Olympic%2012/nishikifrontwheel.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q146/gardnerdave58/Nishiki%20Olympic%2012/nishikirearwheel.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q146/gardnerdave58/Nishiki%20Olympic%2012/nishikileftbb.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q146/gardnerdave58/Nishiki%20Olympic%2012/nishikirearder.jpg
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q146/gardnerdave58/Nishiki%20Olympic%2012/nishikishifters.jpg

Let me know what you think! Yes, the price was $15. I hope East Hill can tell me more since she appears to be the Nishiki diva!

geek

I don't think that the wheel set is original. I had a Nishiki Olympic from 1984 and all of the components were Japanese: Shimano Golden Arrow gruppo with Sugino hubs with Araya rims. Everything else on your Nishiki is probably original.

I'm not really the Nishiki expert, even though I do love them! T-Mar is the man for the answers, and maybe roccobike.

The wheels are definitely not original, though. As leecycle said, most likely it came with Araya rims/Sugino hubs.

Nice bike, even if you don't like the colour :D .

East Hill

Can't go wrong for $15, I dig the paint scheme!

Nice find!

May want to rotate the bars down a bit though :D

I don't think that the wheel set is original. I had a Nishiki Olympic from 1984 and all of the components were Japanese: Shimano Golden Arrow gruppo with Sugino hubs with Araya rims. Everything else on your Nishiki is probably original.

I'm sure you're right, I thought Maillard was a French brand. I wasn't certain if the front or rear wheel were original, till I found that then Mistral wheel was made in the mid-90s. So entire wheelset is not original.

Thanks! geek

Nice find!

May want to rotate the bars down a bit though :D

yes, I noticed that too. Thanks! geek

Can't go wrong for $15, I dig the paint scheme!

The lavender I don't mind so much, since I make Lavender scented candles with the same color, but the white adds to the non-masculine aura of the bike. Candles may be girly, but I like my bikes to be somewhat manly (to compensate :D )

geek

That rust around the lugs at the bottom bracket looks pretty rough. I would check that really well before putting any major ride time on it. (Safety first)...Cool bike though..In my price range..

Nice Find.
even if the frame is toast (and that rust at the BB looks suspicious to me ) the MA2 wheel is worth
more than you paid for the bike.

Nice find!

May want to rotate the bars down a bit though :D
I wouldn't. I like to have the bars at about that angle. I don't like the bottom to be parallel to the ground. I find a small angle to be more comfortable and it allows the levers to be lower on the bend, making the reach shorter. That's a good thing for my small hands.

Besides that, nice bike even if it is way too big. :D That picture of the rear brake was confusing me at first. The quick release is lined up perfectly with the pedal and I was trying to figure what the hell was going on. Then I finally realized it was the pedal and not part of the brake. :o

That rust around the lugs at the bottom bracket looks pretty rough. I would check that really well before putting any major ride time on it. (Safety first)...Cool bike though..In my price range..

I was concerned about the rust, but figured even if the frame was toast, I could part it out or use it for a fun bike. I'll try to buff the rust down to bare metal and see how it looks, then maybe touch it up with some closely matching paint.

geek

Nice Find.
even if the frame is toast (and that rust at the BB looks suspicious to me ) the MA2 wheel is worth
more than you paid for the bike.

That wheel has a slight ding in it, like it may have been curbed, but is serviceable. I'm a bit anal, and it bugs me to have two different rims on it! :(

geek

As well it should.. good geek. Nice find for less than a case of beer.

As well it should.. good geek. Nice find for less than a case of beer.

Thanks! BTW off topic I like your Bubbles avatar! Mrs geek and I love to watch Trailer Park Boys.

They are the NEW religion.
*goes off with to play with his Patric Swayze Express*

Excellent find at a great price! In 1987, the Olympic would have been around the middle of the Nishiki line-up, certainly at least a sport bike, not recreational. I believe it's one level above the Custom Sport, that would make it the first in the line-up to offer aero brake levers.
I like your approach to evaluate the bottom bracket, I'm betting that is very recoverable based on similiar rusting I saw on a Centurion.

I'd bet you could find some nail polish that would match the paint. I had no trouble finding some to match my $15 thrift store Serotta http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=3636241&postcount=743

I love old Nishiki's as they tend to be very well made bike throughout their model range... I Love the lavender colour.

I was digging through the bowels of the shop tonight and discovered a bike that had escaped my watchful eye and there is nothing rare or exotic about a Nishiki Monteray... unless it happens to have a 27 inch / 67.5 cm frame !

Nice Nishiki, I actually like the color. I had the same Shimano group on my Prelude and it was very decent. Indexed with the best of them:). On a side note I saw a Nishiki kids bike yesterday. The downtube decals were on upside down? Not sure how they managed that.,,,,BD

Update: I adjusted the seat and bars, inflated the tires to 100 psi, and took it for a spin. It rides remarkably well! Shifts very cleanly, no mis-shifts or ghost shifts. Brakes stop well. It still bugs me about the mismatched wheels. As long as the frame is not compromised, I'd like to keep the bike all Japanese.

geek

Another update: The rust around the lugs is superficial. I have a small wire brush which is taking it down to bare metal, and it is all good. Now to find some touch up paint or nail polish. Also, scored a Ukai 700c wheelset supposedly taken off a late 80s Fuji. It has Suntour LePree hubs and 36 spoke lacing. Front wheel is true, rear one has a couple bent and loose spokes, so I may just relace them with new spokes.

geek

I would love to have the MA 2 rim....

I would love to have the MA 2 rim....

Sent you a PM

geek

I love old Nishiki's as they tend to be very well made bike throughout their model range... I Love the lavender colour.

I was digging through the bowels of the shop tonight and discovered a bike that had escaped my watchful eye and there is nothing rare or exotic about a Nishiki Monteray... unless it happens to have a 27 inch / 67.5 cm frame !

share a picture of that with me!

I just got this exact bike in 55cm off the craigslist. It's so badass (although filthy). I'll maybe make my own thread once it's daylight and I can take some pictures, but thanks for all the info, guys and gals.