Nishiki Competition
03-15-15, 11:24 AM
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Nishiki Competition
Howdy all.
Been awhile since I posted anything here. Very busy with 6&7 day work weeks and 4 year old daughter. Just scored this Nishiki Competition from my local CL. Paid a very low price for it. Not sure what to do with it, as it doesn't fit (too big.) But the cranks would look good on another soon-to-be-revealed project. Haven't torn into it yet, other than to verify stem/post NOT stuck!
Any ideas as to what year this one comes from? If I could ride it, I bet it would be a nice ride. Appears to be chrome under the paint... 27" alloy Araya rims. I'll likely harvest the parts and try to move the frame along to someone who can ride it.
These photos are as found. Interesting (to me) is the handlebars - Japan Champion rando -type bars. The tubing sticker, what is left, denotes the chrome-molybdenum, butted frame. 26.6 Seatpost - did I mention it isn't stuck?
Saddle looks broken - made in taiwan viscount with pleather over plastic construction. Looks like a hatchet to me, but maybe is the mostest/bestest?
Anyway, I'm positive I could part it out and be money ahead, for a change.
_MG_0441 by sonny_beech, on Flickr
_MG_0442 by sonny_beech, on Flickr
_MG_0444 by sonny_beech, on Flickr
_MG_0445 by sonny_beech, on Flickr
_MG_0447 by sonny_beech, on Flickr
_MG_0449 by sonny_beech, on Flickr
_MG_0444 by sonny_beech, on Flickr
_MG_0446 by sonny_beech, on Flickr
Been awhile since I posted anything here. Very busy with 6&7 day work weeks and 4 year old daughter. Just scored this Nishiki Competition from my local CL. Paid a very low price for it. Not sure what to do with it, as it doesn't fit (too big.) But the cranks would look good on another soon-to-be-revealed project. Haven't torn into it yet, other than to verify stem/post NOT stuck!
Any ideas as to what year this one comes from? If I could ride it, I bet it would be a nice ride. Appears to be chrome under the paint... 27" alloy Araya rims. I'll likely harvest the parts and try to move the frame along to someone who can ride it.
These photos are as found. Interesting (to me) is the handlebars - Japan Champion rando -type bars. The tubing sticker, what is left, denotes the chrome-molybdenum, butted frame. 26.6 Seatpost - did I mention it isn't stuck?
Saddle looks broken - made in taiwan viscount with pleather over plastic construction. Looks like a hatchet to me, but maybe is the mostest/bestest?
Anyway, I'm positive I could part it out and be money ahead, for a change.
_MG_0441 by sonny_beech, on Flickr_MG_0442 by sonny_beech, on Flickr_MG_0444 by sonny_beech, on Flickr_MG_0445 by sonny_beech, on Flickr_MG_0447 by sonny_beech, on Flickr_MG_0449 by sonny_beech, on Flickr_MG_0444 by sonny_beech, on Flickr_MG_0446 by sonny_beech, on Flickr
03-15-15, 12:09 PM
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I had one of those in silver. I bought it new in 1973 as I recall. The main frame at least is double-butted Cro-Mo. Yours may be a year or two newer than mine. Someone changed the derailleur cable housings - they should be wound stainless. If you part it out, I am interested in the barcons.
03-15-15, 12:39 PM
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I had one of these in a 58cm size, same color. Good bike, though not very light, and the Japanese stainless spokes became brittle after about 1000 miles. Big freewheel gave low gearing.
The stem is "bmx"-sized, .833" (or 21.1mm) quill dia, so perhaps best kept with the frame. Man, did someone cut your rear brake cable housing too long, or what?
Nishiki's supplier (Kawamura) knew how to build decent bikes by this time (around 1973 is my guess). They did good chroming and even used forged dropouts (though oddly without an integral rear derailer hanger).
My Kokusai model is perhaps a year earlier than yours, and was a slightly lower-priced model. I think yours has the same seatpost, shown reversed in this photo. I changed things like handlebar, shifters, chain, freewheel, pedals, saddle and wheels, and it seems like it was worth the effort.
The stem is "bmx"-sized, .833" (or 21.1mm) quill dia, so perhaps best kept with the frame. Man, did someone cut your rear brake cable housing too long, or what?
Nishiki's supplier (Kawamura) knew how to build decent bikes by this time (around 1973 is my guess). They did good chroming and even used forged dropouts (though oddly without an integral rear derailer hanger).
My Kokusai model is perhaps a year earlier than yours, and was a slightly lower-priced model. I think yours has the same seatpost, shown reversed in this photo. I changed things like handlebar, shifters, chain, freewheel, pedals, saddle and wheels, and it seems like it was worth the effort.
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