peripatetic

I just picked up an interesting Nishiki. A Prestige model with Araya 27 x 1 rims and gold components. The Dia-Compe brakes are labeled with a "G" and the frame is "Handcrafted by Kawamura", Tange CrMo. Serial # on the bb is KD 12872. Anyone tell me about this? It's in wonderful condition. The thin rims throw me, because I thought, looking at them at first, that they were 700cs. And the color scheme includes a gold outer chainring, gold Suntour Lepree RD, and the gold brakes. I assume this was some kind of flashy, limited edition model? (BTW, the frame color itself is a kind of gunmetal green with black lettering, black headtube.)

nova

Well i think the 12872 is a date code sure looks like it thats for sure. 12 month secound day 1987 most probably could also be manufacture month and year and a unit code 12 months of 87 unit 2 or similar.

I have a similar fram it was equiped with sim components but had mavic ma 2 front ma 3 rear 700c rims those are now on my 87 cdale. Note ither rim size works with pretty nearly any break set on the nishikis.

Theres something odd about the head set on mine. I was takign mine apart to use the headset and bearings for my raleigh. The lock nut spun all the way to the last thread easly but the cone nut will not go on easly i have to force it. Its almost like nishiki used some odd double thread system on their forks. So dont go buying new stuff like that for the nishiki and toss out the old before you check to see if its going to work. It could also be somethign odd with the raleigh or the lock nut could be worn just enough to work easly.

Just giving you my experiance with a similar bike.
All in all not bad bikes but my raleigh is much lighter when stripped to bare framm than the nishiki and the raleigh is from 73.

peripatetic

Thanks for the info. I had another nishiki--an olympic model--and it was definitely heavier. My '72 Raleigh grand prix is in fact quite light as a fixed gear, but this bike is really light, even with all the components. The Tange tubing is also nice and thin.

Anyone out there know about "kawamura"?

cudak888 

Interesting. I own an '86 Nishiki Prestige myself, full Suntour Cyclone, made for 700C.

I didn't have any 700Cs on hand when I built it up, so ironically enough, I squeezed a pair of Ukai 27" rims onto it, and mounted 27X1 Specialized tyres.

P.S.: Nova, did you inspect your Nishiki's steer tube threading and locknut to make sure one or the other wasn't boogered up on top? I've had similar cases where the top raceway will thread on fine, but the locknut will buck, slide and spin before I can get it to think my way. On closer inspection, I've always found poor threads right at the top of the steerer.

-Kurt

roccobike

I am soooo jealous! I have a 89 Nishiki Ariel pre-Cunningham MTB with a Suntour suspension fork conversion that I use for MUP riding and a Cunningham design Ariel that I'm building up (year not known). But I don't have a Nishiki road bike. I've looked for one and thought I was close last week, but the bike was too far away and went for too high a price for the model being sold. Some day I'll go to that garage sale and find a Nishiki like yours.

T-Mar

The serial number indicates a 1984 or 1985 model. I don't have info on a 1984, but the 1985 definitely used LePree. Later years used other derailleurs. If the LePreee has the triple pulleys, it is definitely a 1985. BTW, the 1985 cost $299.00.

Regarding Nova's headset problem, the problem is most likely incompatible thread systems. Raleigh used a proprietary 1' x 26 TPI system on their entry level models. The Nishiki should be 1" x 24 TPI which is far more common. It's not Nishiki that's weird, it's Raleigh! Sorry Cudak888.

nova

Nope nothing like that. Heck the lock nut just spun on with out realy trying to line it up the race however would not go all the way on. I tested on the nishiki and the lock nut spins down so far then stops. Its realy very weird. What sucks is id just use the nishiki forks and be done with it but i need to find some way to knock the remains of the quill stem out. Damn chromo tends to corode solid to aluminum its why i hate chromo so damn much. Its the main reason im gona buy new forks likly threadless for the raliegh or have the current forks rethreaded.

nova

But why in gods name does the lock nut from the nishiki spin on so cleanly? It requires no more force to thread to the granprix than the nishki infact as in previous post on the nishiki it stops just short og going all the way down the steerer tube. As for the granprix odd ball threading i was fully aware of all that. And i redid another granprix years ago and it wasnt a hard thing to do to rethread to todays standard threading. Just useing the nut for the new thread was enough to rethread. I tried on the guys broken forks first and tried my best to strip the junked one out and could not do it. Instead i started adding threads beyond the previous one. i ended up stripping the steel lock nut for the forks heh some tuff steel they used back then

peripatetic

It's a two-pulley LePree RD. What about the gold comps? What's up with that?

T-Mar

The dual pulley may indicate a 1984 model or maybe they had production problems with the triple pulley. The only 1984 or 1985 model that is mentioned as a limited edition, according to literature that I have, is the Medalist, but my literature for this period is not complete. Gold components may simply have been an attempt to compete by offering something different. At the time, many Shimano components had anodized accents. Just speculation on my part.

peripatetic

T-Mar,

Can you tell me about "Kawamura?" Was that the manufacturing house, or the framemaker?

T-Mar

Kawamura was the Japanese manufacturer for the Azuki and Nishiki brands. Depending on the era and model they may also have been the framebuilder. Like most most Japanese manufacturers they originally built their own frames but competition forced them to go to Taiwan where costs were lower. I don't know if Kawamura opened a Taiwanese factory or just subcontracted to a Taiwanese framebuilder. However, I suspect it was the latter, as I've seen ads indicating that Kawamura had been taken over by Giant, which was based in Taiwan. So Taiwanese Nishiki frames are almost certainly manufactured by Giant.

Many of the 1970s Nishiki intended for the Canadian marketplace were actually assembled in Canada. The importer, Shields, assembled the bicycles to increase the Canadian content and circumvent some of the duties. These bicycles are labeled Shields Nishiki. The Canadian government got wise and changed the duty structure, which was one the reasons that Shields went bankrupt. Norco took over Nishiki distribution at just about the same time, but I'm not sure if this is just coincidence or a direct result of Shields failure.

Your Prestige has the traditional Kawamura serial number so I'd assume it was a Japanese manufactured frame by built Kawmura themselves. The serial number also indicates a US model, which were distributed through Weat Coast Cycle.