Mystery frame...
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,217
Likes: 1,398
From: Pico Rivera, CA
Bikes: 1983 Basso Gap...2013 Colnago CX-1...2015 Bianchi Intenso
Mystery frame...
This frame popped up and looking at the internal cable routing and pointed seatpost lug it may be a above average frameset. Pictures are from offerup seller.




#2
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there appears to be embossing on the seat stay cap but am unable to make it out
yet another one for our MauriceMoss to sort on his next visitation to these parts...
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there appears to be embossing on the seat stay cap but am unable to make it out
yet another one for our MauriceMoss to sort on his next visitation to these parts...

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#3
Senior Member

Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 540
Likes: 761
From: Los Angeles, CA
Bikes: None in ridable condition
Thanks for the tag [MENTION=333224]juvela[/MENTION]!
[MENTION=391445]malcala622[/MENTION] - pictures in the ad aren't the best, so this is gonna be a semi-rough guess.
I think this is a 1986-ish Nishiki Tri-A.
I'm not a Nishiki expert (so [MENTION=20650]T-Mar[/MENTION], please chime in with any additional info or corrections) but I think 1985 Tri-As had semi-wrap seat stay caps and internal cable routing throughout. '86s (most of them, anyway) had top tube internal cable routing like the mystery frame and external routing everywhere else, with the chainstay cable stop slightly on the side of the tube (as opposed to directly under or on top). Mystery frame shows no grommets on the down tube and the right side chain stay isn't fully visible, but I would bet you'd see a side mounted cable stop.
By 1987 the top tube cable grommets were moved to the underside of the tube and the chain stay cable stop was attached on top. The brake bridge was also different.
So, a nice Tange 1 frame but nothing fancy. It looks like at least a partial respray (I can't decide if the seat stay caps were just painted over that "N" decal or if the decal came off and paint was applied right over the residue). The fork is probably original, too - that sort of rounded crown was used on Tri-As and Tri-A Equipes.
Here are some pics:







[MENTION=391445]malcala622[/MENTION] - pictures in the ad aren't the best, so this is gonna be a semi-rough guess.
I think this is a 1986-ish Nishiki Tri-A.
I'm not a Nishiki expert (so [MENTION=20650]T-Mar[/MENTION], please chime in with any additional info or corrections) but I think 1985 Tri-As had semi-wrap seat stay caps and internal cable routing throughout. '86s (most of them, anyway) had top tube internal cable routing like the mystery frame and external routing everywhere else, with the chainstay cable stop slightly on the side of the tube (as opposed to directly under or on top). Mystery frame shows no grommets on the down tube and the right side chain stay isn't fully visible, but I would bet you'd see a side mounted cable stop.
By 1987 the top tube cable grommets were moved to the underside of the tube and the chain stay cable stop was attached on top. The brake bridge was also different.
So, a nice Tange 1 frame but nothing fancy. It looks like at least a partial respray (I can't decide if the seat stay caps were just painted over that "N" decal or if the decal came off and paint was applied right over the residue). The fork is probably original, too - that sort of rounded crown was used on Tri-As and Tri-A Equipes.
Here are some pics:







#4
#5
Yep, He sure does/has! Even down to maybe the re-spray being over the remains of that "foil embossed sticker" on the stay cap! I had one of these pass thru my hands many years back, I bought it with higher hopes but wound up flipping it, can't remember why but that particular frame wasn't a keeper.
#6
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,217
Likes: 1,398
From: Pico Rivera, CA
Bikes: 1983 Basso Gap...2013 Colnago CX-1...2015 Bianchi Intenso
thanks all for the help on this one. I couldnt bring myself to buy it. It was definitely a rattle can paint job when I went to see it.








