Rich, I will be riding a circa 1978 Nishiki ONP to Chucks Rose Bowl Ride today. This one is the real deal! I pulled it from deep storage and other than changing out the aged 20mm Conti tyres to something more comfy it looks ready to go. These frames were available built as full bikes or as framesets. I also have an ONP frameset I bought at the Cirque a few years ago (thanks Kevin!!).it was sitting in the lobby of the BG and I scooped it up immediately. My connection to these is that I bought a broken warranty frameset thru a friend who worked at West Coast Cycle back in 1979/80 (more on that later) for $50 or so and brought it home, fired up my dads acetylene torch and welded the broken dropout. A friend of mine helped and since we didn't know any better it came out fine. I rode the bike a long time until. (more on that later) Today's bike was purchased in San Francisco and is mostly Campa Nuovo/Gran Sport and Cinelli equipped but has an SR Royal seatpin. Supposed to be all original except the rim and brake lever upgrades done later. I got it from the original owner who had since moved to Iowa.. it was on the Rec-Bicycles-marketplace. Yes, Virginia, there was life before ebay ;^)
Time to ride, MG
Matt Gorski Belmont Shore, California, USA
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Here are three pictures of what is claimed to be a 73 Pro, but note the
third picture - long(ish), chromed lugs with windows
http://www.bircheffect.com/
Dave Ross' gallery on WoolJersey show two nice ones - one arly 70s, one
early 80's - and their lugs and finish sound much nicer than the one you
describe (both have cutout lugs I think)
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Rich Pinder Van Nuys, CA
Pat Moffat wrote:
> I answered a craigslist ad this morning for a Nishiki Professional.
> Never having seen one, I was expecting a bike similar to the bikes
> recently discussed and pictured on the list. It has long pointed
lugs,
> poorly finished with no windows. The seat stays are full wrap-around.
> It has a Nishiki metal head badge and an American Eagle sticker at the
> bottom of the down tube. Sugino crankset with crown. Black ano Gran
> Compe side pulls with black drilled levers. Suntour barcons. It has a
> later Suntour drive...someone has replaced some of the components. The
> bottom bracket shell isn't vented. The top tube decal says simply
'Pro',
> but I have a sense that the part that would have said 'semi' was
> removed.
>
> I have lusted after a Professional, but this bike just doesn't do it
for
> me. I recently purchased a Centurion Semi-Pro, and it is so much more
> bike than the Nishiki. What's missing here?
>
> Pat Moffat
> Tempe Arizona USA Flummoxed, disappointed