When my son was picking up a late 80's Nishiki for me - BTW: it looks like the one on this site https://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN
if anyone can help ID the year, the seller also had a 1979 or 1980 Trek he would consider selling.

He's had it for years, purchased it used and has tried to ID it throught Trek or the vintage site, but did not get an accurate match on the Ser# so it was thought it may have been a personal build by a Trek employee. My son just had a brief look but it is all Campy with at least the rear derailleur being a Nuovo Record. The owner has replaced the hubs, BB and pedals with Phil Woods. From the vintage Trek site I would guess it would be a 1979 737 or 937 model. He couldn't get a read on the tubing type but at worst it would be Reynolds 531 and best Columbus SL/SP. It does have the long Nikko lugs of that era. It has clincher rims but I don't know if they were original or not.

I feel you can only have too many bikes when: (of course my wife would disagree)
a. you can't ride any more
b. you don't have any more room
c. you can't pay your bills

I'm approaching the limit on b so I'd have to do a little house cleaning to get and afford this one. As with many of you, it is hard for me to pass on a good bike so I need some help to decide on this one.

Any opinions on the value of this bike? It is a 25" frame which is generally comfortable for me to ride but a very close fit to straddle. Being from WI I may overvalue the old Treks, because I have an affinity for a homegrown product. Any help would be appreciated!

Sounds pretty tempting. Any chance you could work out a test ride? I know someone will say $3.50 but if it's in good shape I don't see how it's not worth at least 100x that. Given the Phil Wood stuff, I'd say this is a seller who knows what he has, so I wouldn't expect to get a steal. On the other hand, if he's not riding it or getting old or whatever, he might apply a "going to a fine home and enthusiastic rider" discount.

Unfortunately it is 250 miles from me so I don't see that happening until I'm over that way for a visit. Based on what I paid for the Nishiki I was guessing $350 would be in the ballpark for the asking price, I just don't know if I pay that and it doesn't work for me, if I could easily get that back out of it?

(On the other hand, if he's not riding it or getting old or whatever, he might apply a "going to a fine home and enthusiastic rider" discount.)

Definitely check it out, you might get a pleasant surprise. I'm in that "getting older" category & have applied just such a discount several times. When I was thinning my collection preparatory to moving, I even had a "buy one get one free" policy. This always surprised & pleased the young folks and I knew the bikes would be ridden for a long time. Don

The color scheme of the Nishiki is indeed mid-1980s, but what appear to be an Exage group would push it up to 1988. Post pics of your bicycle and the serial number in my Nishiki Serial Number Database thread and I should be able to nail the exact year.