npreigner

I recently bought a Nishiki Ultimate frameset (painted blue with red accent) w/ campy headset. The frame has a serial number stamped onto the bottom bracket housing, which also features a cutout "N", a raised heart on the underside of the downtube, and crome dropouts. I have seen some discussion about the history and origin of these bikes but don't understand the full picture. That said I have two questions for the group:
--Where can I go to learn more about this bike and others like it?
--Can you advise me on parts that should be used to rebuild it? What specificaitons should I be looking for in parts like a bottom bracket, long reach or standard brake levers, where can I get brackets to attach cable housing (it has no brazeons for cable housing) etc.

Thanks for any help you can give.

Nathan

John E

My personal Nishiki database predates your frame, but during the 1970s lower-end Nishikis TENDED to use Shimano groupos, whereas higher-end Nishikis such as yours were generally equipped with Sugino/SunTour/DiaCompe ensembles. I am not familiar with your specific model, but you probably can't go too far wrong with a Sugino crankset, Cyclone derailleurs, SunTour barcons or downtube levers, and DiaCompe brakes.

T-Mar

The Ultimate was Nishiki's top model. The handful I've seen all date from the very early 1980s and were Japanese manufactured by Kawamura. A "K" at the beginning of the serail number denotes a Kawamura built frame. The model has not appeared in any catalogs that I've seen. The frames appear identical to the ONP frames offered in the very late 1970s and I have often wondered if Nishiki built up these frames to get rid of them.

If I recall correctly, it was equipped with Campagnolo NR, except for SR chainrings, brake levers and derailleurs, and SL pedals. Brakes should be short reach and all threading should be English. I'm not sure of the tertiary components or the seat post size (but my guess would be 26.8mm). Try sending a PM to Old Yellr. I'm pretty sure he has an Ultimate and hopefully he can corroborate what I've stated.

OLDYELLR

My '82 Ultimate is exactly as T-Mar says, except the chainrings are NR. The s/n under the BB is KA 14364. No cutouts or other markings on the BB shell. The dropouts and cable guides are Campagnolo. The dropout faces, top of RH chainstay and top of fork crown are chromed (but the chrome probably extends further than that). I bought it new, but not as a "1982" because it was just hanging in the bike shop, not in any brochure or catalogue. I dated it from the Campag date codes. Here are some pix:

ga_mueller

Wow. That is one seriously pretty bike. The lugs, with "clover" cutouts, look exactly the same as my '78 Superbe. But no Campy, only SunTour/Sugino/DiaCompe. A beautiful time machine!

npreigner

That is exactly the paint-job that the frame I bought has. Here's a question for your though...I have not brazeons to hold shifter or brake cables...and it doesn't look like there ever were any. What is your suggestion to deal with this?

ga_mueller

One possibility:

npreigner

Where does one get those clamps?

OLDYELLR

I think my Ultimate frame is exacltly like Superbes I've seen of the same vintage, other than the Italian vs. Japanese dropouts and braze-ons, as ga_mueller mentioned. I especially like the fastback seatstays. Does the Superbe also have the diamond shaped reinforcements at the brake bridge?

My '78 Landau also has no braze-ons, except for a couple of little pieces on top of the downtube to locate the shifter and cable stop and guide clamps. It came with plastic cable "clamps" on the top tube, but they had an annoying habit of slipping sdown, so I replaced them with chromed metal ones I picked up at the LBS. They are generic ones similar to these: https://www.loosescrews.com/index.cgi...id=57574293362

ga_mueller

Or on eBay. There are several sets presently available, for around $10.

OLDYELLR: +1 for diamond-shaped reinforcements at the rear brake bridge. Mine does, however, have that big stylized "K" cutout from the BB ... so cool!