Nishiki BackRoads

I'm currently putting the finishing touches on a 1989 Nishiki BackRoads MTB. I was delighted when I found this Nishiki MTB at a Goodwill store a few months ago. All the components moved freely, the overall condition of the frame, paint and components was very good, the wheels were reasonably true.

Sometimes the reality of a good find slaps you in the face when you begin a rebuild. I usually start by confirming that I have a good usable wheelset before I get to engrossed in servicing the rest of a bike. In the case of this Nishiki I ran into some issues with the rear wheel. I was not able to get the lateral trueness to an acceptable level so I shelved the project.

That was a couple of months ago. About a week ago I decided to jump back in head first. I picked up a donor bike hoping I could just swap out the wheelset but that idea did not pan out. Fortunately the donor had a suitable set of replacement rims. I was able to successfully replace the rim on the rear wheel and so the overhauling commenced.

All of the major components have been serviced. Headset, BB and wheel hubs have all been rebuilt. I have also replaced the rear brake cable yoke and of course everything has been thoroughly cleaned.

As I said earlier, I still have a few finishing touches remaining. The rear derailer cable is frayed and needs replacing. I would like to replace the seatpost as well. I am pleased with the results at this point and will likely be taking the Nishiki to the Chicago Bike Winter Swap at the UIC in March.

The biggest issue on my mind at this point and time is which project to start next.