I just bought this Nishiki Sport Mixte-21" 53cm-locally for $40. It is scruffy,but complete. The derailleur and derailleur the clamp typer hanger were too bent to be salvaged,so I installed another one from my parts pile.
My questions:
1)What year is it-just ballpark.The seller said 1988, but it seems kinda primitive for 1988. It has a steel handle bar, and steel 27" rims. I though even cheap bikes used aluminum for those parts (by that time) since it was finally cheaper than steel? On the bright side it has a lugged chrome moly 4130 frame; 1988 seems late for a lugged frame, but I wasn't biking from 1982-2000,so I could be off.
2) Was this an extremely low end bike-steel handlebars and 27" steel rims make me think so, but nice enough frame says maybe not?

It rides pretty nicely, and it takes a 38mm tire big plusses. I would have preferred a smaller frame(my wife is rehabbing her legs and can't really step over "normal" top tubes)-maybe 16-17", but this is good for my purposes

Thanks,
Charlie