Well recently Steve Willis of the Bike Stand and fellow CR listmember gave me an old Nishiki Pro f&f. It is sort of metallic tan with understated decals but some real nice lug work. It has sort of a tulip design cut into the lugs and what I would call a vented BB. Pretty light and too nice a frame to just trash. I just finished building it up and it is pretty neat, I cannot wait to try it out. If the weather would cooperate the snow may dissappear sometime in MAY. I would just be thankful to get up above freezing for a while.
As far as being junk, I think Bridgestone made some real fine bikes and
like other "classical" builders they made some not so good bikes. I would
argue that the RB-1 I own is a fine example of a very good Japaneese bike.
Rides like a dream and has the looks to match. On the other hand I have
had a Colnago and Bianchi that rode and looked like dogs. Each
manufacturer that tried to grow their business had to bring in a low end
bike because that is where the bills get paid.
Ray Homiski
Elizabeth, NJ