surreal

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...shiki+ultimate

It's a pretty sweet frame. Surprisingly light, everything's cool but the paint. No rust inside,none evident outside, threads are in nice shape, looks straight, my size...

I was going to build it up with a modern group, but now i'm not so sure. I'm going to have it refinished in the original charcoal grey color, but i'm not going to play around with the contrasting red stuff (yet). The bike has campy dropouts, and originally came equipped with campy NR. I don't wanna do any campy stuff (although i do have those DT shifters, now), but i'm thinking shimano 600 2x7? What do y'all think?

What would you do with it?

TIA,
rob

roccobike

I'm into Nishikis. Collecting that Campy group and all the original parts for that bike could cost quite a bit, and with a repaint, I don't think it's worth it. I'm very biased here, but I would build it up with brifters because that's what I ride.
I guess, you need to decide, what would make you want to ride the bike more, brifters or downtube. Next what do you prefer, 7, 8, 9 or 10 speed and go with that. Other than having to stretch the rear from 126 to 130 if you go 8, 9 or 10 speed, it makes no difference what group you put on except what you like. If you've got your heart set on 7 speed, 600, go that way. If you really like 9 speed brifter bikes, then go that way. One thing to consider, 8, 9 10 speed rear wheels are readily available for cheap on the used market, I'm not so sure about 7 speed. On the other hand you could use a 7 speed freewheel, if you can find a road freewheel.

tomio

+1 for brifters. Go 600 Ultegra with RSX STI shifters. 7 speed stuff is easy to come by, especially if you are patient and find a deal on an older bike that has that stuff on it. Then you can use it for parts.

USAZorro

Use what you feel like. It's a quality frame, but any collectibility premium it might have commanded from being "original" is pretty much gone now. I actually breath a small sigh of relief when I acquire a frame like this. It gives me a blank canvas to work with.

surreal

Zorro,

this is pretty much how i felt, in terms of not having to worry about any collectibility. However, i wonder if i'd feel like a tool if i outfitted it with all new, modern looking stuff.

The good news is, i have basically an entire shimano "group", albeit a mix-n-match one. It's tenspeed, predominantly ultegra 6600, with dura-ace FD and barcons. The cheapest shimano non-series aero levers, too. I basically only need to get a wheelset and some medium-reach brakes. This'd been my plan, going into the purchase, but looking at the frame, i'm not sure if it wouldn't look "better" with something more era-appropriate. Certainly, an actual restore would be silliness. Right now, i'm leaning towards building it with the 2x10 stuff, and possibly switching that stuff to a different build if i still feel like a 2x7 would be better in the future.

To the folks above suggesting brifters: i can see why some ppl like them, but brifters are not my cup of tea. Rocco & Tommio, i appreciate the rest of your advice, and i agree that 7speed 600 components are plentiful and affordable.

Every season is wrenchin' season for me. I have too many projects right now, but that's how i like it...

=D
-rob

tomio

I feel like whatever way you go, it'll look nice. Truthfully, I really like the paint job now. I myself am a fan of vintage bikes with modern components. That's why I suggested STIs. Sounds like you have a plan of what you want to do though.

surreal

tomio,

The paint is interesting, but it's beat up in places and a little bit too much. The stickers are a bit harder to deal with, and they appear to be under some clear. Either way, it's cool to have seen it, but i'd rather go with something more understated. I totally understand the STI recommendation, but i'm a fairly committed barcon guy. I'm mostly up in the air re: 2x7 600 versus 6600 2x10. Other than that, yeah, i guess i have a plan. I'm thinking the modern stuff will look good, and it'll save me money. (more accurately, it'll leave me more money with which to get some wheels.) I'm off to the thread where everyone posts they're old bike with STIs, for inspiration. I hope to see yours there...

-rob

tomio

barcons do have their charm as well. Are you going to run them with friction? which set do you have already? 7 speed or 10 speed?

surreal

i have piles of barcons, but the ones that aren't in use are the 10speeds. I got everything i need for the ten speed drivetrain in a box, except the chain. FD, RD, 12/25 cassette, 53/39 cranks, extra 50/39 chainrings with little wear in case i need to gear down, and barcons. I'd probably use a set of a530 pedals that aren't currently on a bike, got brake levers, some nice bars, etc. I'll need to sort the seatpost out (a BF member with the same bike is running 26.8; mine should be the same, but i'm not counting on it), grab a saddle, and the wheels/tires. (So, yeah, no hubs currently, either. Sold a set of mavic wheels to cover this purchase...) It'd save me a ton in drivetrain stuff to just run it ten speed, plus it'd save me the expense of having to buy another frame to use all the 10speed stuff with =D.

So, my current plan is to build this ten speed, commit to it for a year or so, and if it bothers me, then i'll grab some 600 arabesque ish and start over.

Oh, and i tend to rock my barcons indexed, unless i'm running a mismatched shifter/cassette.

-rob

USAZorro

surreal - I grew up using barcons. I do like them indexed, but have to settle for not on the bikes I have now that run them.

I have an '84 Trek that I bought cheap with a 2nd hand paint job. I have it set up as a "modern" 2 x 9 with a compact double, Mirage brifters, and a paint job. It's a fun bike. Of course, I could undo it at some point, and return it to it's original 2 x 7 glory if I so chose. That's part of the beauty of steel.

Sounds like you're competent at the mechanical aspects, so why not just go and try it the way you're thinking?

surreal

that's what i'm gonna do, i reckon. Gotta find time to drop it off at the powdercoaters, then it's on.
Pics to follow.

-rob