curbtender

Hummer

Hello CtCruiser, welcome to the forum.

I would suggest that the serial number starts with the letter "G", GC910552. Not for the Canadian market.

This is a serial number from Giant of Taiwan. The first digit 9 is for the year of frame manufacture 1989.

Oldsteeler

Questions and discrepancies regarding the Nishiki Data Base / frame encoding.

I have pictures of a late 1970's Nishiki Professional where the frame code starts with the letter N.
See the following picture.*

*If I remember correctly, this Olympic with its pictures was presented here in the forum some time ago.


I can not explain this N myself with my available documents. There is no known or planned N for country/import coding.

Who can provide clarification on this?

Thanks for any informations .

Hummer

These Nishiki Professionals were a special order product and not destine for a specific region. Bicycling magazine in August 1976 had a story about the Order Nishiki Professional model. The serial numbers start with "NP" and it is presumed to mean Nishiki Professional.

There were generally two different cutouts on the bottom bracket shell, a Nishiki "N" or a four petal flower. Sometimes there was a Kuwamara "K" cutout.

Oldsteeler

Thanks @Hummer for this substantial information about the special frame code at Nishiki Professional frames

sspeed

I'm having trouble deciphering two Nishiki serial numbers.

First one, most important. Nishiki Olympic 12 (dark blue), serial GE 00436. Has what looks to be original Suntour ARX components. Tange 5 sticker

Second, Nishiki Custom Sport frame (blue), serial S1 2C467.

Neither of these fit the format I've seen.

Hummer

Hello sspeed, welcome to the forum.

the first serial number, GE 00436, is from an Asian geographical area. the letter "E" is 1985.

Second, Nishiki Custom Sport frame (blue), serial S1 2C467. This is a Japanese manufacturer, but not Kawamura, the first digit "1" is for the year of frame manufacture 1981.

LeftCoastJon

That second point is interesting to me. I have a Talbot with the serial number 'S1 2 255'. Consensus is it was probably made in Japan, up to this point I hadn't seen a similar serial number myself. I was dating it by the components only, which range from June 1980 to Feb 1981 so suspected 1981 - I'm pleased to see that's the case from what you wrote. Thanks

Hummer

Hello LeftCoastJohn,

some of the Deelite bicycles from Fred Deeley in Vancouver had serial numbers with this format.

Flaneuse

I have two serial numbers on this Nishiki Blazer, one of which I didn't see any information about.

The first one, length-wise on the downtube starting near the BB shell in a dot-matrix typeface, is R909188005, which would be consistent with the Derby format (8,005th frame built on April 1, 1998).

The second one, on the BB shell starting on non-drive side, looks like T9802 on the first line and then 0683 on the second line. "98" might refer to the year of manufacture. Any ideas about what this serial number is meant to denote?

nishikiwhat

Thank you very much for the tip!
Sent me straight down the Maruishi rabbit hole

I'll go bother the Maruishi guys for more info, thanks again!

FredDeeley

One more for the database. It’s an 83’ Nishiki International I just picked up, serial #CC 08655. It was built for the Canadian market with Tange No.2 double butted tubing. The “Tange 3F” stamp on the steerer suggests a June, 83’ manufacturing date and the Diacompe N500 sidepulls have “0683M” date codes. “GC” markings on the crankarms indicate they were made in March, 82’ while the “Z” and “ZD” codes on the front and rear Suntour AR derailleurs denote 83’ and April, 83’ manufacturing dates respectively.

zezi

Hello, can anyone identify my Nishiki Barbarian. The model number is CF 02979. I can't tell if the tubing is butted. It says cr-mo japan on the main triangle and forks. The frame is tig welded everywhere, lugs on the bottom bracket connecting the chain stay.

varadiattila

My search for more information on my Nishiki Competition has led me here, so I am adding to the pool.
I have come across an old online catalog that displays my bicycle, but it doesn't provide any information regarding its year of manufacture or country of origin.
Serial: WHJ34641P.
Purchased secondhand in Denmark a few years ago.

Oldsteeler

This frame encoding has its origins in
Danish bicycle VIN system.
The W stands for “other manufacturers”. HJ for 2013/2014.
At that time, the Nishiki brand was owned by a Scandinavian company.
This company only had the name Nishiki in common with the original Nishiki bicycles from Kobe/Japan. nothing else .https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_bicycle_VIN-system

varadiattila

Ahh I see it now. Thank you very much for the help and info!

Hummer

I have seen a Barbarian with "CE" serial number. Tange MTB Plain Gauge tubes and Mangaloy 2001 fork.

Oldsteeler

C = Canadian Katalog / Import
F = 6. Letter = 1986
02979 = Serial number

Hummer

Yes, a Danish VIN.

As I understand Danish VIN coding:

W is for an imported vehicle.

HJ is a code for the importing company. I do not know who that company is.

P at the end is for the year. 1977 or 1998 or 2019. Probably 1998, as you purchased the bicycle second hand years ago.

Where was the frame manufactured? Ask the importing company if you can find them.

varadiattila

Thank you for sharing these insightful pieces of information.

You are correct. It was probably manufactured in 1998, as I purchased it in 2019, and it wasn't brand new.

If I have more time, I will definitely try to search for them. Thanks!

Ksprack33

Hi!
The number on my Pueblo is

EH19 021124

Help please?

CNRed

I'm building a 1990 Nishiki Ariel, and I'd like to keep it as close to original as I possibly can. I bought the bike as a frame without a front fork. I'm at a point where I'm looking for the fork that fit this bike. It seems there may be a few other bikes that used the same front fork as my Ariel.
the fork is a little odd in that it is staight from the crown to the axel with no curve in the fork legs at all.
I'm a little in the dark about the specifications of this fork and looking for someplace that will list the specs of this fork, ie: steerer tube length, fork leg length and so on.
I have three questions for the Nishiki experts out there,
1, Will the forks from an older Nishiki Cascade, or Raleigh Technium or Diamondback Apex of approximately the same year fit?
2. Will the 26" forks from a smaller framed Nishili fit like forks from a 17" frame fit on a 19" frame.
3. Anyone out there have a fork that will fit?

CNRed

Where might I find the Serial number on a Nishiki Meridian, 7000 Series Aluminum Alloy frame. I've looked at the bottom bracket, rear chain stays, all the usual places, can't find it. I believe the bike to be built in the early 90's from a date printed on the rear hub, "1994" that's the only hint I have.

Breadfan

I'm finally getting around to it but I'm not going to rebuild it with the original parts. The chrome on the frame is toast so I will prep it best I can and paint it. I don't like the color so I will be changing it to a seafoam green color. The Chrome on the forks is nearly perfect so I am thinking of removing all the green paint and leaving the fork all chrome, or maybe adding a touch of the seafoam green to tie it together. I sold the wheels, cranks, bar end shifters, and the neck was damaged so, those are gone. I found a threadless stem adapter (not easy) that will fit a modern day stem and dropbars. I have a full Ultegra 9 speed groupset and some wheels with Ultegra Hubs that will work. I've spread the frame to 130mm. Instead of the "brifters" I will be putting on Tektro brake levers and I'm going to use a rebuilt downtube Suntour Power friction shifter. I hope it covers all 9 gears. If not I can go to an 8 speed cassette. One of the biggest roadblocks I have found with these old bikes are the decals. Although I'm changing the color and it won't be authentic, I'd still like some decals. The good news is I work in a very modern day print shop where i could make my own. But, that would mean learning Illustrator and I am on the computer 8 hours a day. When I go home, the last thing I want to do is learn another program and be on the computer. After 25 years, I despise it more and more. I'm on the fence on that and even if I do, the end result will not be perfect. I'm curious on what others do with these old bikes that decals are not available for? I know I am hacking this bike up a bit, but I can always change things if I'm not happy with it. What I really wanted was a nice old, light steel frame with a slight new/old look to it.

Mad Dan Eccles

I've just saved a Nishiki bicycle from going for scrap from work as I was intrigued by the head badge having never heard of them before, however it has no details
as to what model it is. Would anyone be able to ID it from the serial number?

KJ 14378

Its a singled/fixed speed from the looks of things but needs a few parts to get it rideable as its minus of a wheel, the front chain sprocket and crank/pedals, seat, any handlebar bits it might've had, and, if they were fitted anything to do with brakes.

Any restoration plans I might have for it though are at a dead stop until I can find out what model it is so I know what parts to look for.