Classic & Vintage Bicycle Appraisals and Inquiries - nishiki landau
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roryborealis
03-23-09, 02:44 PM
I am very new to cycling and know next to nothing. An elderly neighbor down my alley recently gave me an old Nishiki 12 Speed Landau, built for Norco. It sports a sticker on the frame ; Tange 900 CR-MO Double Butted Tubes. The Deraileur (sp) is ; EXAGE 400 LX , The wheels ARAYA 7000 Japan. Everything works, even though it has some surface discoloration but nothing that cannot be easily cleaned off. I know it needs a tune-up and I would imagine new cables and pads. My question is how much to spend on it? I see new bikes for sale around $200.00 often. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
USAZorro
03-23-09, 03:12 PM
Hi rory,
I'm moving this to the Vintage Valuation subforum, where you'll get better response.
roryborealis
03-23-09, 03:18 PM
Thanks alot!
If you do all the work yourself, and are thrifty in sourcing parts, you can refurbish this bike for less than $40. It might take you two days worth of time, depending how deep you go (disassemble down to the frame) and how much clean up is required.
If you take it to a shop to have the same work done, be prepared to spend $200 to $250 (hey, they have to pay their help after all). In that case, unless you are keeping the bike, you are better off selling it as a project for around $100 to $125 and then picking up a "ready to ride" bike from a flipper.
If the maintenance needs are truly minor, if you can find a shop to do the needed maintenance for under $100, I would do it.
roryborealis
03-23-09, 05:48 PM
Thank you, that is the kind of info I am looking for. i think I will keep it and do the work. It has been awhile, i have fixing my m.c.'s for years time to change hats i guess.
I went from wrenching on motorcycles to working on bicycles myself. If you can work on a motorcycle, then bicycles are easy. You will need a few specialty tools. But you can forgo the tool expense by taking the part/bike into your favorite dealer for that job.
Today I had a freewheel to remove and I did not have the tool required for that particular freewheel (I have a half dozen or so, but not that one). I took the wheel to my favorite dealer, they removed it while I waited for no charge..