rothenfield1

In my neighborhood.
https://monterey.craigslist.org/bik/2182154601.html

531phile 

What you waiting for??? I'd be all over that. Those chrome tipped fork and stays are sexy.

reverborama

Buy it.

rothenfield1

Waiting for your affirmation 531phile, of course! I've just come back from a long dry spell to having several project bikes. Not sure wife will understand investing into another. But, this one looked appealing. Think it's my size too.

rothenfield1

Anyone have an idea of what model this is. Seller is a little clueless or vague and already already realizing that he is selling short. I see things that I like in the fuzzy craigs photos, I'm imagining 600 components which means the bike was intended for a higher end audience. However, the seller could not tell me the tubing other than it's "cromo". I'm not that familiar with Nishiki.

mazdaspeed

Hard to say what it is, but the pie plate doesn't look promising to me. Who knows though.

rothenfield1

^^^
Agreed. But I'm seeing something very positive with the stance, the fuzzy look of the crank suggests something yummy to me, the DT shifters with a stamped lug. The seller is away tomorrow, but I've arrange to see the bike Monday. It's a little bit of a travel. What's the motivative tipping point I'm wondering?

unworthy1

it looks like something about on the "semi-pro" level, but doubt they were still using that model name for this year. I'd buy it, I'd guess it's made with something like Tange Champ #2, though it may only have the Nishiki tubing decal that just says "cromoly". This looks like an interesting "transition" period when they still used the metal headbadge, but the frame has the "more modern" pierced lugs and sloping forkcrown, plus braze-on shifters...indications of a pretty good quality frame, and higher up the chain. T-Mar can nail it, I'm sure.

rothenfield1

After several days of back-and-forth, the seller obviously had been getting enough inquires that he decided to have an auction. He told me that he would be "showing" the bike this evening. Not wanting to participate in an 'auction', I told the seller that based on the bikes condition, its components, & fit; I was prepared to make a 'fair' offer. The seller just contacted me and said I could see the bike this afternoon before the others.

Now I just have to decide what a 'fair' offer would be. I know this is not the evaluation forum, but I had already put this post up and am not that familiar with Nishiki models. The seller wasn't very helpful when I asked what components it had and what type tubing. His reply, the frame is made of "Chrome Poly". That's a new one on me.

unworthy1

a tough call...if you really want it, it fits and has good wheels and components (very hard to assess with those pix), and knowing he thinks this may be a "goldmine"...maybe go to $200.

surreal

I think that the "minor skid on the seat" sounds gross, and you should subtract money from your offer accordingly. =P Seriously, don't let it's "nishikiness" confound you; look at the components, the usual frame details of note (the actual tubing, the drop-outs, etc) and, most importantly, does it even fit? Given all of that, make him the same offer as you would on similar bikes of the same style/vintage in your area.

-rob

rothenfield1

Doing a google search, I came across this one. Appears to be the same red framehttps://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Iy5WWtdCTX...shiki_girl.jpg

triplebutted

I used to live in Salinas. If I still lived in the area, I'd make a bee line for that thing even if it isn't my size.

rothenfield1

Leaving now to meet. we'll see what happens.

robertofergy

What happened?

Collin2424

I hope he got it. That bike is local to me too and it's a darn good thing it's too small for me, I'll just say that.

That cutout on the downtube lug wouldn't be on a lower-end junker, would it? Then again, as Mazdaspeed said the Pie Plate doesn't look good. I'm excited to see what this thing turns out to be

-Collin-

surreal

the pie plate might not be original; the lugs probably are. my nishiki ultimate has the same style cut outs...

someone might've put "whatever" wheels on there at some point, out of necessity.

-rob

rothenfield1

Funny story; so I met the seller and his bike and immediately started tugging on the wheels and crank, solid as a rock. Took a step back to take in the whole bike, frame was very clean and finish as good as a new bike with just the slightest traces of rust on the brakes. I'm admiring this gorgeous bike thinking, at the same time, how much I was wanting to ride it and how much I was going to offer when.....I looked at the down tube near the BB and saw a quarter sized rusted dent that looked as if someone had taken a crowbar to it..... I can deal with a lot of imperfections in a 30 year old bike. Dents in the frame are not one of them. I was really getting excited about the possibilities of this bike, but sometimes you just have to walk away.

10speed

I'd have offered $50 for the parts. used the frame for yard art.

mazdaspeed

Too bad. What kind of parts and stuff did it end up having?

rothenfield1

You know, when I saw that terrible dent, I was so heart broken, I just told the seller I wasn't interested and walked away. With hindsight, as the previous post says, I should have made some offer. I sorta lost focus at that point, but I do remember the RD. It was Suntour, Cyclone I think.

mazdaspeed

Hmm... the dent could have been cosmetic you know. You could always get in touch with him and make him an offer. I'm sure you'd have no problem selling the frame to someone that needs a beater bike.

rothenfield1

You got me thinking, and I went to Velobase to try and remember what I briefly saw. I think it was this, or something close:
https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.as...108&AbsPos=182

mazdaspeed

Hmm... That stuff isn't bad, but nothing to lose any sleep over (like cyclone).

rothenfield1

Ya, I won't loose sleep, but it is still funny how you can get wrapped up in the excitement of what a potential bike buy could be. It's best that we let this post die, and look forward to the potential of the next bike...........