Thank you, T-Mar. I rode it with a group on a real mountain yesterday and it was fine!

I have a '77 Nishiki Superbe, bought new when I was 21. A friend of mine had a dealership license so he gave me a "deal". It was a fairly high end bike at that time IIRC. I think I paid around $1000 Cdn but not really sure.

Serial # KH 05922, Sugino 54t crankset. Not sure what the smaller ring is. Small cog 5 speed cassette. SunTour Superbe derailleurs, Gran-Compe brakes, Cr-Mo frame. I've changed the saddle, pedals and tires of course, but still have the originals....even the tires! The handlebar tape is original. I just can't bring myself to change it.

It's mounted to a trainer, and has seen most of its life as such. Unfortunately I bought a 58cm frame when a 56 is my fit so I've never been totally comfortable riding on the road, plus it has impossibly high gearing and never bothered to change the cassette, so the bike really hasn't been used that much on the road. Most of the bumps and bruises are as a result of our many moves.

It's a beautiful bike.

Nishiki Backroads
”3Z885779 is what I can see. But it's hard to make out the first and last number. Lol”

my friend saved one from the dump.

It's definitely not a 1977 model, as the Superbe was introduced for the 1978 model year. While some 1978 models would have been manufactured and sold in late 1977, this one was actually built in 1978 based on the serial number and would be a 1978 or 1979 model. The serial number also indicates it's a USA market model, so it's curious that you bough it in Canada, as Canadian market models with their unique serial number format go back to at least 1977.

I appreciate your comments regarding the gearing. That 54T is OEM and was paired with a 46T inner chainring. The stock freewheel was 13-21T, so it's definitely tall, competition gearing. However, it's not as bad as the CCM Tour du Canada, which came stock with a low gear of only 46T-18T Thxs for posting.

The serial number format, as transcribed doesn't match anything I've come across. However, the combination of fade paint, decal style and chain stay mounted rear brake all point towards a 1988 model. Thxs for posting.

Thanks!

Yeah, I realized it didn’t quite match. I’m going to see it in person and I’ll make sure to correctly get the number and a photo of it.

Ok now that makes sense. I thought I purchased it in the summer of '78 but then transcribed your s/n guide in post #1 and counted incorrectly and came up with 7 for the letter "H"....duh.
The guy I purchased it from was an acquaintance that was a bit sketchy. For some reason, can't remember why, he had a wholesale license but didn't own a shop or sell bikes. It took a few weeks to show up so he might of brought it across the border. It was brand new.
Regarding the gearing...I knew nothing about gearing or cassettes back then, and me and a buddy took our bikes on a camping trip to the gulf islands, with racks and panniers. We were both sprinters on our university track team but I couldn't get up any hills and he left me in the dust on every climb. I was so mad, thinking he was stronger than me. Ha ha!

Strangely enough it really is either 3Z885779 or BZ885779

Given the era and level, I was wondering if it might be GZ885779, That would make it a Giant sourced model, which would be appropriate but it should also make it a 1989 model manufactured during the last fortnight of 1988. However, an MBA review of the 1989 Nishiki ATB lineup shows that year's Backroads to use rear cantilever brakes and have the down tube logo with the Cunningham Design designation, at least in the USA market. This is consistent with other 1989 Nishiki ATBs that have surfaced. The Canadian market models were still using U-brakes in 1989 but there was no Backroads model in Canada that year.

I am new to Bike Forums and am curious about my vintage Nishiki Colorado - I welcome your input and suggestions for more information. The serial number on the bottom of my bike is: GR868851.
Do you know of any sources for ads or catalogs for Nishikis from this period?
Also, I saw a Diamondback catalog dated 1988, and the Apex looks nearly identical.
Did Giant make Diamondbacks? Thanks much.

You’re right it really must be “G”. When I zoom in as far as I can, and compare it to my own Giant manufactured Colorado it has to be G.

It has Sugino cranks and Suntour Derailleurs And thumb shifters. Cycloid Chainrings. Araya 1.50 rims and Joytech hubs. A Steel handlebar.

Maybe there was a demand for another batch of the old model? It was originally sold in Newhall, CA.

There's another Backroads in my database that's an excellent match for yours, except that the paint is green and white fade. It has a Giant format serial number and was built in late August, which could go either way in terms of model year. A 1988 model being built in late December is atypical but I can't rule it out as the characteristics definitely point in that direction. One reason for ta late introduction of the 1989 version might be that it was Cunningham's first year as designer for West Coast Cycle. Apparently, he re-designed the entire line and likely priortized them from top to bottom. Being near the bottom end, a Backroads would have been one of the last models to receive his attention.

Welcome to the forums. Your frame was manufactured by Giant around late August 1988. This is a gray area where it could be either a 1988 or 1989 model. However, the presence of a U-brake indicates the 1988 version.

Most Diamond Back models from the late 1980s tend to originate from Fairly or CBC. Off hand, I can't recall seeing one sourced from Giant. Most designers tend to copy what sells, so there's often a lot of resemblance between brands.

The 1988 Colorado was heavily promoted with double page advertisements in cycling magazines. Unfortunately, my scanner is currently down. The frame and fork was an unspecified CrMo, so presumably it was plain gauge. The component group was Shimano Exage Mountain. Claimed weight was 28 lbs and MSRP was $390 US.

Thank you so much for the information. I will keep my eye out for more info and photos of what it looked like new. Thanks again.

I have seen this format of serial number several times. 8909, the first four numbers after the W, are the year and month of frame manufacture: 1989 September. Other Nishikis that I have seen with a W8909 serial number were 1990 model year.

Hello JonAb,

welcome to the forum.

From the serial number, the frame was manufactured in 1981, probably in month 4 or April. The model year is also 1981. The frame was probably made in Japan, but not by Kawamura.

Hello Todd5050,

welcome to the forum.

The serial number is for a frame made by Kawamura. The first character "G" was used by Kawamura to indicate the frame was intended for a market in Asia. The "J" is for the year 0 or 1990. The frame cannot be for 1980 because Kawamura was not making MTB frames in 1980.

Thank you for your help with the manufacturing date of my Nishiki Colorado (1988). I am in the process of restoring it, and want to make it as stock as possible (within reason - for instance I used a more modern Shimano pedal rather than the shin shredders that came on it).

It has the stock white neck, but the bars are black. I can't seem to find many white bars out there that are not loaded with logos, so I could paint the bars white. Any suggestions on a very tough white spray paint that might work on the bars? Or other suggestions?

KS 162777 for this Nishiki Safari. 47-7 on the Sugino Maxy cranks (July 1972), OE on the Suntour RD (May 1972). American Eagle decal on the seat tube, Nishiki head badge and everything else. So a late 1972 or 1973 model.


1973 Nishiki Safari by wrk101, on Flickr

One of my dream bikes!!!!!!!!!!

Local CL find for wall art. Another serial number for T-Mar / KA06711

Super maxy cranks
Suntour Blueline FD
Suntour BL DT shifters
Kyokuto Pro Vic pedals



20.00 wall art





San Luis Obispo

Found this on the cheap for a buddy with no transportation too many DUI's Anyway, I'll service this and puncture proof the tires (Goat head thorns) Another serial number 5157088 for T-Mar. Interesting mix of parts...



For T-Mar

Thxs for posting. I don't think I've seen one of these before. It's obviously a 1985 city bicycle but the one piece, Ashtabula style crankset and BMX style fork are atypical. What's the model name on the top tube? TIA.

Pacific 5 is on the top tube. I was expecting a different serial number format and location was odd.

And that's a unique handlebar. Upright bullmoose?