Nishiki Tri-A equipe
 

Hi everyone, it's my first post on the forums and I wanted to share my most recent road bike purchase, and hopefully learn some more about it.

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It's a Nishiki Tri-A equipe. From the serial, it's a 1986 frame. The components are a mixture of shimano 600 and sante. I've looked all over the internet and haven't found a similar paint scheme. Can anyone offer any information on the bike?

Also, the frame is a bit rusted... at the joints, and at the numerous scratches on the frame. Is the oxalic acid bath recommended? Or I may just strip the frame, rattle can it black and convert it to a fixie. Just kidding on the last comment. I'm looking to restore the bike to as near new condition as possible, and would appreciate any guidance you guys have to provide. Thanks!

Nice old bicycle and you must be pretty happy with the find. In case you are interested, a visit to a website I publish, MY "TEN SPEEDS" might prove helpful. You might want to spend some time looking for information pertaining to repainting vintage road bicycles. The general rule of thumb is - don't! You would be wise to attempt to find out why this is good advice.

Hope this is a help.

I have a Norco tri-a there all the same [ norco built frame anyway]. Entry level nice ride any Ive had all had that same style paint job. Mine has shimano light action. Ive had 3 or 4 of them. Lots of them in my neck of the woods.

My LBS has a small frame Tri-A Equipe (exact same paint scheme) with full Sante. Very nice bike, but very small.

The OP's bicycle is a 1987 model manufactured in, I presume, late 1986. I've seen this scheme before. The mixture of Sante derailleurs and shifters combined with New 600EX crankset, brakes and hubs is the OEM configuration. Original retail price was $750 US. Please post the serial number for my database.

Norco, to the best of my knowledge, never manufactured any frames. All the Canadian Nishiki, were designed/spec'd by Shields and later Norco, but the frames used the same sources as the USA models, typically Kawamura or Giant. Canadian models could be virtually identical or drastically different from their USA cousins.

The frame does not look too bad from the pics. I'd spot remove and neutralize the rust using oxalic acid or simlilar solutions, then touch-up.

I had that exact bike . . . bought at the Bicycle Garage, Inc. in Bloomington Indiana in early spring 1988. It is indeed a 1987 model and was a nice ride. Sante was positioned close to Dura Ace in the Shimano lineup and this bike was a step up in the Nishiki line-up. As another poster said, I think I paid right around 750 for it. Still have the receipt.

Hope the restoration goes well. Post pics when you're finished.

I have the same bike. Serial # is WG 05017, which makes it a 1987 US model, I believe. 52cm frame, Shimano 600 crank/brakes, Shimano 600 Hubs/Araya rims and the Sante F/R derailleurs, but the crank has the Biopace 52/42 sprokets. Did the Biopace come as "standard equipment"?

Yes, BioPace was "standard equipment" on this model. BTW, thxs for posting the serial number. You may want to post your bicycle and pics in the Nishiki Serial Number Database thread on this forum. It's a repository for all things Nishiki.

I have the exact same bike as well. 56cm, full 600 with sante' shifters/derailleurs. Pretty much the same rust and scratches as well! I found mine in a thrift store many years ago. I wasn't riding much at the time and the Wife couldn't understand why I'd want it. No way I could pass on it at the price (wont rub it in, but I "stole" it!). Thank god I didn't pass on it. Ironically, mine IS set up as a fixed gear at the moment. But only because I procured a set of track wheels and wanted to see If I'd like riding one. It's a nice light and tight handling bike, and what I had when I started riding again. Since then, the affliction has set in and my stable has grown. It was being neglected as a road bike. As a FG at least it's being ridden and enjoyed again. Don't worry all the parts are cleaned up and stored nicely for when I return it to the roadie it ought to be after a decent track frame is found(no drewing or re-paint here, thanks!). I've been meaning to add the serial # to the data base but didn't want to post pics there as it's set up now.
SSFG post can be seen here

-Andy

Very nice!

It doesn't look so bad that a bath is in order (unless you plan on stripping it anyway and have the space, time, and equipment to do so). I have had a lot of success with vinegar soaked paper towels, wrapped in saran wrap. Especially if the rust is only in spots.