Last year, I came across a Nishiki mixte frame from the mid 1980s. It was in very clean condition and I felt it would be a nice bike for my wife. She was riding a Raleigh Sport from the 1970s and was not all that excited about the limitations of a three speed in our hilly area. The only problem with the mixte was the wheels - they were in horrible condition. I cleaned them as best as I could, but in the end, I just sprung for a new set. It made a big difference. The basket add-on was classic, and I used shellac on it to give it that vintage look... It has handlebars that allow for upright riding, and a ten speed drivetrain. The best of both worlds for her.
Only a very little amount of cleaning brought her back to life.
A few month after I had finished the rehab on this bike, I came across another Nishiki mixte frame! This bike was a tad smaller than the one I dressed up for my wife. I got a real nice deal on it at the thrift store over here where I live. The only deal with this one is that it has drop bars, which puts you in a much more aggressive road riding position. The plan here is to replace the bars, brakes and shifters and convert this bike to an upright rider like my wife's...
Spring project bike!!
~ charles
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