melangeles

A friend gave this bike-less girl his Nishiki 7 speed instead of selling it for $40 on CL. He garaged it, is an occasional light use rider and bought it new but doesn't recall the exact year. It still has The Bicycle Den - Granada Hills, CA sticker. It's all original except tubes and possibly tires. I thought it would be easy to find its likeness on the internet, but not having much luck. The Thread: any information on Nishiki Katmandu? from 2008 is spot on except the SN maker, fluor orange instead of fluor green drop shadow logo and no reference to Katmandu on this bike. Crossing fingers worth keeping!

Update: I spoke with the former owner who said there was an option to buy a stock bike or have one assembled (which was cheaper) so he opted for that. He paid $400 in 1991 or 1992 - that answers to why it's been challenging to find its likeness.

Nishiki 1992?
SN R921920335

wedonttakecrap

I bought this Nishiki Royal (Serial: GJ01003) from a secondhand bike shop in Columbus, OH.
It follows the Giant serial numbering that would place it as a 1990 model, but has a "Japan" sticker on the bottom, and no indication of having been repainted. Probably part of the Derby/Univega conversion.

I doubt much of the bike is original. The shop owner said that the previous owner had "put a lot of money into it" before trading it in. Biopace triple chainring - Shimano 200GS components. Standard drive train of the time... for a mountain bike.

I suspect it to have been a bottom of the line bike with the "High Carbon Nishiki Tubing" decal, but she's still a nice ride. Note the distinct lack of bottle cage mounts. I'm working toward setting it up as a touring bike. The only things I've changed so far since I got it were the seat, seatpost (26.0), front tire (trying a 35mm on those aftermarket deep-v rims. The 23's from the previous owner were too harsh), the quill stem, handlebars, and brake levers. Still playing around with configurations so I haven't moved it off the stem shifters. Don't judge the trekking bars. I added the rear rack, but the scuffing and scratches indicate that it's sported one before.

I can't find any information on it or much from any others from the 1990's line. So I'm posting to this thread for posterity in hopes that it might help someone else.

wedonttakecrap

I can't find anything on the 88-90 models. Can you post some references or links? I'd love to know for sure what the year is on my Nishiki, and the headbadge looks similar.

roccobike

Sorry, no on line references or links. Just my own stash of Nishiki literature from back when I was a total Nishiki freak. Once upon a time I had something like 10 Nishiki bikes. That's been paired down to 6 today. I did a search of the information at hand and am sad to say I can not find your bike. Here's what I can tell you with certainty:
There was no "Royal" model sold in the US in 1990.
Your head badge does not match the 1990 head badge design or the 1991 design.
All downtube badges in 1990 had an insert that covered the middle of the last "I" in Nishiki, your downtube badges don't have it.
Your badges match the design of the 1988 badges perfectly. Problem is, there was no Royal model that year and, as you pointed out, the serial number appears to line up with 1990.
Possibilities:
You might have a Canadian badged bike. Nishiki was known for marketing the same bikes as they sold in the US, but used different badging and, in a few cases, different names for the models.
It is possible, someone rebadged your bike. That would account for the "Japan" sticker, but why they would re-badge using a lower end set of decals, I don't know.
The bike is certainly a lower end bike, because it has no water bottle bosses. Nishiki did market a lower end road bike in both 1988 and 1990 that did not have water bottle bosses. The Rally in 1988 and the Royale (not Royal) in 1990. Neither year had metallic green paint.
Sorry I couldn't help you more, but that's all I have.

wedonttakecrap

I appreciate the feedback. No doubt about it being a bottom end model.
I would agree with your assessment which is backed up by the component dating as a 1988 model.
I still say that while the headbadges are similar, they aren't identical. As the name in most of the 1988 US models goes across the large "N" logo, while mine is underneath. Having picked it up nth hand in a large university town, it literally could have come from anywhere in the world. Elsewhere it might be permissible to label a bike as "Japan" if it was simply designed there. Seems like a marketing department idea to me. I'm afraid I'll never really know.

The only other image of a similar headbadge was quoted as being a 1986 Nishiki Prestige in this form link:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...y-nishiki.html

roccobike

You're right, Your decals have me baffled. Your downtube decal is certainly 1988, fits it perfectly. Your head tube decal looks similar to the 88, but "Nishiki" runs through the N instead of below it. All the pics of the 88's that I have and my own 88 Ariel have the head tube decal with Nishiki under the "N". The more I look at this, the more I'm convinced you've got a Canadian Nishiki which were known to be badged slightly differently. Unfortunately, I don't have any literature about Canadian Nishikis for that year. Still it's a nice bike and looks to be in great condition. Enjoy it!
BTW, JunkYardBike's Nishiki frame is not an 86. I'm not sure if it's a 87 or 89, but it's not an 86. The downtube decal is a dead giveaway.

cremated

[attach=config]458393[/attach

Cool EH

cd16897

AllenBrewery

Hello all new here.

Just bought this bike at a campus surplus sale for cheap. Here are a few pictures that I took, will get more up later, not sure what I have bike is in pretty rough shape. Any one that can tell me what I have that would be great. Thanks. Added pictures of the serial number on the drive side. Looks like a Giant frame from 79.


Would anyone be able to confirm the year and maybe what model this bike is?
Thanks for any help. The bike is to small for me and I would like to pass it on to someone it would fit, just want to give a bit more information to them.

Hummer

Roccobike, I think that the serial number may start with the letter "G".

The 1988 Century usually had a "Made in Taiwan" decal in black at the top of the down tube. These frames were made by Giant, this is why I believe that the serial number starts with "G". The first number is "8", which indicates that the frame was made in 1988.

Hummer

Hi el mundo gira.

Nice rescue.

Your bike is the Repco Victory Tri-A, but not the Nishiki/Kawamura version.

See the Australian forums for more information.

Australian Cycling Forums - Repco Appreciation Society

The serial number for your bike is a match for some model years of Repco Victory Tri-A/Eurosport Tri-A; and Norco Victory Tri-A/Eurosport Tri-A. The first number "8" in the serial number indicates that the frame was made in 1988. The bicycle model year is probably 1988 or 1989.

Hummer

Hi Melangeles, thanks for posting the serial number and pictures.

The decoding of your serial number is explained in post #149 , by @Doohickie.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...ml#post8034305

Your frame is Series 600 tubing. I do not know which MTB model(s) had that tubing. Apparently, the Katmandu hybrid model had that tube material.

The Cascade model had Series 700 tubing. The Backroads and Manitoba models had Series 500 tubing.

Possibly your frame is a Colorado model.

Hummer

Hi Wedonttakecrap.

Interesting Nishiki, thanks for posting the serial number and pictures.

First the serial number. In spite of the fact that it starts with the letter "G" it is probably not a Giant serial number. The Giant serial numbers from 1990 were two letters followed by six digits. Giant serial numbers tended to be stamped around the BB shell and your serial number is across the BB shell.

The serial number stamping looks like a Kawamura serial number: correct font, correct format. There have been several Kawamura serial numbers reported that start with the letter "G". Hence, the Japan decal and not a Taiwan decal.

The bicycles with the "G" prefix serial numbers tend to resemble Canadian market Nishiki models. I do not know in which market the "G" prefix serial numbers were sold.

The tubing decal is the same as for some years of Canadian Rally and Regal 15 models from the mid-1980s.

What year is the bicycle frame? From the Kawamura format serial number the letter "J" decodes to "0" the last digit in the year. For a variety of reasons this is not a 1980 frame, so it must be 1990 (the same as you determined using the Giant serial number decoding).

The Nishiki decals on the frame are circa 1990 type decals. However the tubing decal does not match the decals used in and around 1990.

What Model? If this were a Canadian Nishiki it most closely resembles the Rally Model. However, this is probably not a Canadian market Nishiki. So it may be a Royal model for the market that it was intended for.

QFix

Hey there I own a Nishiki International Serial Number KG44080
I would like to know more information on it. I tried to decode the the serial number but failed.

roccobike

Yes, that would fit perfectly. Thanks for the info.

roccobike

Based on your serial number, that would decode to a 1977 model, possibly a 78. You can check the year using a different method. If your derailers are original, and it looks like they are, there will be two letters on the back plate of each derailer. Write them down. Then go to vintage-trek.com. On the left menu, click on Component Dates. Select Suntour from the menu on the top, not on the side. You can now decode your derailers. Remember, if a derailer was manufactured in the last half of a given year, it was probably used on the next years model. You should use the date of the newest derailer as both sat in inventory and the newest is the better indicator of the year the bike was assembled. See if that lines up with 1977.

EspenE

A little update about the Nishiki International 1984 I wrote about in #1334
The bike has been picked apart, cleaned an then rebuilt in original condition with
the original parts. Since I got it without wheels I decided to buy a new pair of
wheels built om low provile rims with 36 spokes 126mm rear hub. The bike is almost ready
I'm waiting for a set of pedals and a six speed freewheel before I can try it. When that happens
it will actually be the first time this bike is om the road. It has never been used before.

tretixe

Hello,

I got a cheap Nishiki Olympic 12 bike last days. The serial Number on the bottom is EH500126. I'm not sure about the real meaning, could you help me?

(If it is an european frame - no problem, i'm staying there.)

thank you

Sloperute

Hello, First post. Thanks for this great thread.

I purchased this Nishiki Custom in 1988/9 from a bike shop in Seal Beach Ca. I might be the 2nd owner as I'm pretty sure the wheel sets are not stock (the pictured set were on the bike when I bought it). I have not been able to find a matching bike in the 1987 catalog so I'm wondering if this might be a 1988+ bike.

The component set seems to somewhat match the 1987 Olympic 12: Sugino VP Crankset, Shimano light action derailleurs, Shimano SL brakes, and Shimano SLR brake levers. The bars are alloy with "Champion" engraved on them.

This original seat went missing years ago and the bike now has a new saddle (I thought white would look properly 1980's) otherwise aside from new bar tape, the bike is how I purchased it.

I hope someone can shed a bit more light on this Nishiki. Here are some photos:



















Late '80's Vetta computer. Looking for user manual.

Sloperute

Thanks, I'll take a look at the Shimano bits.

Jeff

milbournosphere

Newbie here. I picked up this bike from a good friend, and all he could really tell me about it is that it's an old Nishiki. Serial is WG12450. Looking at the guide on the OP of this thread, that dates it at...1987 if I read it correctly. I'm very happy with the bike post-tuneup. For a steel framed bicycle it's incredibly light, especially with the lighter wheels that the previous owner added. I'm using it to cycle to work and it's treating me very well thus far.

So here's the challenge: I'm trying to figure out which model Nishiki the bike actually is. The frame was pink before my friend rattle-canned it and the pink is starting to show through again (said rattlecanning was not exactly concourse-grade). It's not a sport, since it has shifters on the downtube, but I'm not sure if it's an International, or a Prestige, or a Modulus, or....

Wheels were replaced by the last owner, as was the seat. The bike was given to me with no bottle holder, for what it's worth.

Hopefully somebody with more Nishiki knowledge than I can shed some insight!
The bike is in dire need of a polishing; I'm tempted to tear it down and have the frame powdercoated, so any guides on teardowns/rebuilds would be greatly appreciated.

Pics:

Lawrence Rhodes

Here is my (from the database) 1977 Nishiki International. KG03758 Wondering what it is made of and if I am correct. #3758 in 1977. Wondering if it is full chromoly or if the forks are different.

flatlanders

I bought a 1983 Nishiki Cresta to commute with this summer. It's my first road bike and I'm already pretty attached to it.

-Serial Number: KC 21987
-There's a decal on the seat tube that reads Nishiki Double-Butted Chrome-Moly Tange.
-The shifters say Suntour -one is indexed and one is a friction shifter, which took some getting used to.
The front derailleur says Suntour Alpine Geartech. It's very shiny and new-looking, but the rear derailleur label is mostly scuffed away.
-The crankset says Sugino RT on the outside and 165 1 GC on the inside of the crank.
-The largest gear in the back reads Shimano MF - HG22, and the smaller gears have DC and DE stamped into them, alternating.
-The rims are Araya 27 1/8"
- The rack reads Jim Blackburn across the top.

Pemetic2006

I know I'm a bit late with this but what type of handlebars are on this bike? They're rando of some sort I believe and I like the way they look. I've been thinking for months about putting rando bars on my 910.
Thanks and sweet bike.

agoodmanwa

The serial number on my early 1970's Nishiki frame is KS189833. It was repainted almost forty years ago and no original componebts are on it.
Can someone help me determine the year it was made and if possible the model name. The top of the seat post has an interesting wrap around feature.
Thanks, Agoodmanwa

Hummer

Hi Sloperute,

thanks for posting the pictures and serial number.

This is a 1987. The headbadge and decal scheme match 1987.

The serial number is Giant of Taiwan. The first number, "7", indicates that the frame was made in 1987.

This model did not appear in the 1987 catalog. I have seen pictures of two other Custom models. They both had the same colours and decals.