Originally Posted by
jongal
recently bought a nishiki frameset to build as everyday bike (with nice mtb drivetrain hacked with microshift thumbies, dirtdrops, and cyclocross wheelset). i liked the lugs and the fender/rack mounts. the faded decals say "NISHIKI" on the downtube and "Global" on the toptube. a decal just behind and under the seatube lug reads: "SIZE 753" (the number is twice the size of the word). serial number stamped under the bb shell is "I105241" (does not fit into the serial number sort out at the beginning of the thread). any info on the frame (where it is made, when, what tubes are the frame, etc.) will be very appreciated.
can't post pics and urls yet.
many thanks
additional info: the rear brake cable is internally routed on the right side in the toptube. the headtube and seattube lugs have flor de lis-like engraved designs. the top of the seattube stays are embossed with "Nishiki". a now inadvertently removed decal said "CrMo Chrome Molybdenum Kawamura'
uploaded the pics in an album in my profile. thanks
I don't recall seeing anything like this. I'm assuming it was specific to the East Asian markets. Based on the vertical dropouts, cantilever bosses and brazed-on chain stay protectors, it would appear to a grand touring model.
Given the tubing decal, I'd assume it was Kawamura manufacture and that the serial number format is Kawamura but missing the alpha market indicator. The "I" would represent the year, either 1979 or 1989. The frame characteristics suggest 1979 (i.e. derailleur cables routed over BB shell, style of lug cutouts, brazed-on chain stay protectors, absence of bosses on upper down tube for shift levers or cable housing). I suspect the rear spacing is 120mm OLD, as opposed to the 126mm OLD which would be consistent with 1989. It's likely also designed for 27" wheels, as opposed to 700C.
During this period, Kawamure typically built with Tange tubing. Since the tubing decal says CrMo but doesn't mention butting, I'd assume plain gauge, which was common practice for grand touring bicycles in the late 1970s. Consequently, the leading candidate for the tubeset would be Tange
#5 , in which case the seat post should be 26.6mm, possibly 26.8mm.
Selective photo assist:
