Originally Posted by pvfjr

I picked up this bike the other day for pretty cheap, and haven't been able to find any information on it. It's a Nishiki "Villager". It has a Shimano 3 speed hub, but it's the 3s not the 333, so I know it's not too terribly old. I can't find much info on the 3s either, but it doesn't seem to be quite as hated as the 333. This one works fine now, how much longer can I expect that though?
Anyway, the bike was filthy, greasy, cobwebbed, and the tires were completely rotted out. It cleaned up pretty nice though. I haven't been able to tackle any of the corrosion yet, but it should polish up a little better with some more work. I think the Dia Comp brake pads are probably the originals, but the rubber is pretty dried up and doesn't grip the rims all that well anymore.
I was mainly wondering if anyone could help me put an age to this thing. Anyone remember them making these at all? Seems like kind of an obscure model.