Nishiki is one of the more common vintage bike brands you will find, and I remember seeing them as a kid. The brand has a long history going all the way back to 1965 when they started as American Eagle. The head badge never changed, so the Nishiki head badge is an Eagle. The brand was started by West Coast Cycle out of California which was owned by Leo Cohen Sr and RosaBelle Cohen. Initially bikes were imported from Japan and manufactured by Kawamura Cycle in Kobe, Japan. Later they shifted to Giant in Taiwan. The product line included mostly road bikes, with some cruisers, children’s bikes, and later mountain bikes.
Manufacturers
Originally these were made by Kawamura in Japan. Late in the 80s production moved to Giant in Taiwan. I believe the current bikes are coming out of China.
Owners
Brand was originally owned West Coast Cycle. Derby International bought the brand right in 1989 and held them through 2001. As of 2010 Dicks Sporting goods has the licensing right to the name in the US. I’ve owned a Maricopa road bike and my kids had a Pueblo mountain bike from Dicks. These are good value bikes.
Quality
Japan was making really nice bikes for a good price in the 70s and 80s. These were bike shop quality bikes so comparable to all the better brands of the time.
Models
Altron 7000 – lower high-level road bike
Ariel – mountain bike
Backroads – hybrid bike
Bel Air – hybrid bike
Carbon – top of the line road bike
Cascade – mountain bike
Century – entry-level road bike
Citisport – cruiser bike
Colorado – mountain bike
Cresta – mid-level road bike
Cresta GT – mid-level touring bike
Custom Sport – mid-level road bike
Freewheeler – entry-level road bike
Fusion – top of the line time trial bike
International – upper mid-level to lower high-level road bike
Linear – upper mid-level road bike
Olympic 12 – mid-level road bike
Pacific – cruiser bike
Pacific 5 – cruiser bike
Pinnacle – mountain bike
Prestige – mid-level road bike
Professional – top of the line road bike
Pueblo – hybrid bike
Rally – entry-level road bike
Riviera – mid-level road bike
Sport – upper-entry level road bike
TRI-A – lower high level road bike
Villager – cruiser bike
Value
Most of their bikes are lower to mid-level and those go for $100-$200 in this area when in good shape. The higher-level bikes would likely get $300-500 depending on the model and condition.
Gallery
Custom Sport
1987 Olympic 12
This great looking Olympic 12 was upgraded to Shimano 600 at some point.
Image donated by RLB Cycleworks
Links
Vintage Bicycle Manufacturers and Brands
Vintage Bicycle Component Companies
Frugal Average Bicyclist 
My brother has an early-mid 70s Nishiki Pro. It is a really nice bike. Had I known you were featuring them, I’d have run over to his house to take some pictures. I doubt it has been ridden in the last 40 years so still looks like new. Sugino crankset, Suntour V-GT (if memory serves me correctly), bar-end shifters, Dia-Compe centerpull brakes, and helical stainless steel cable housing.
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Neat. Still accepting images if you can get some. 🙂
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Interesting article
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Thank you
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I have a 1977-78 nishiki arrow racing bike. It’s not listed here. It’s not the arrow speed ,mine has oval frame tubes, tear drop pedals, tear drop breaks ,jaguar brand seat.
Its still in good shape.
Whats it worth ??
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I’m not familiar with that one. Email me some pics and maybe I can come up with something.
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I have the O N P 858 tubes -campy
vertical dropout.
NOT showing. I’m in the ? Worth with you.
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I had a blue Olympic 12, I believe I bought it when I was a freshman in high school in 1980. Great bike. We had to do a presentation in our English class, so I brought my bike in. Most people had never seen a bike like that. They would have had a Huffy or Kent. We weren’t rich, far from it, I was able to buy the bike because I worked.
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I still ride my Gloss Black/gold highlight 1982 Nishiki International road bike regularly- everyone- from friends to mechanics at bike shops who’ve ridden it have told me what a beautiful bike it is.
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Hello y’all,
I just bought a blue Nishiki International for $90 then spent about $600 putting new rims and tires and blue tension wires and new wrap on handle bar along with new brake pads. I was wondering if she is a 1980 bike, serial – KG08636.
plus if I got my money’s worth. She rides great and she’s quite the looker too as her frame has no rust and all her badging is clean shape. If anyone can give an opinion on her I’d love it. Thanx everyone – cd
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