Old school Nishiki MTB rehab

I've decided its time to got some miles in and some...OK LOTS...of pounds off.  I've had this Nishiki Pinnacle since I bought it new as a NOS bike in 1991 from the Ambridge Bike Store near Pittsburgh during an internship with what was then Mobay Chemicals.  I saw this odd duck in the collection of basement old stock and knew I had to have it.   Black with crackle pink paint job, elevated chain stay for short wheelbase and funky look, Suntour components, Arraya wheels, PERFECTION!  
It went back to school with me that fall and has moved with me for years around the Midwest.  I've done some repairs and mods over the years-Panaracer Smoke tires, bar ends, new seat, new brake pads-but even those changes are better than 15 years old now.  
Today she got a new set of Maxxis Holy Roller tires and Continental tubes and I'm headed out now to get some new brake pads.   I'll replace the chain soon after I get my chain breaker.  I got a new helmet as well as the pads in my old Giro helmet had fallen off.  Pics coming soon

If the driveline is all original and is worn be cautious replacing just the chain as you may open a can of worms. Often a new chain won't work well on old gears and you'll get chain suck or it'll jump a tooth under hard pedaling.

Chain suck?  Not happening here!

Radwood bike category?

Chain and gears are all original.  Chain is rusty though I did lube it and the gears and rode it a bit.  Brake pads are crusty and hard so that wasn't much fun.  

You should be able to get new Koolstop pads for your canti's still. Looks like a fun bike to bomb around the neighborhood on or take on some multiuse trails.

Now give us a proper driveside picture of the full bike!

Close in shot

And overall rad goodness

Hard to get chain suck on that. :P

That is a bitchin factory paint job on that.

"interesting" frame setup.

Richard Cunningham had some weird (and some great) design ideas.

I always thought the elevated chainstay bikes looked like they had more weight and less rigidity than a traditional double diamond.

If nothing else, it *looks* badass as berkeley.

Indeed.

Rocky Mountain had a model with an elevated stay on the drive side and conventional stay on the other.

Thanks all.  I've been told to get rid of this old bike for years.  Glad I didn't.   I doubt I'll see many out and about in the 'hood.

I ride a 1996 Brodie Expresso, fully rigid, cantilever brakes, clipless pedals, etc. Every weekend.

It gets ridden hard and used as intended. No complaints ever.

Scares the hell out of the "full send" kids on the trails.

Glad you're using it. It's a perfectly capable bike.

Awesome...the Cunnigham e-stays and black/pink crackle finish really speak to me because I got into mountain biking in the early 90's. I'm still riding around now and again as well; it is a good way to try and keep the pounds off! I love my retro 26" fully-rigid mountain bike...it doesn't replace my newer bikes, but I also am not likely to get rid of it. Thanks for sharing!

No pics but I got the new brake pads installed tonight after swapping the summer wheels in to my wife's Odyssey and ordering the front brake parts it needs.  That's a job for next week.  

Pretty cool. I got a 83 Schwinn High Sierra, I built up to what I call a street fighter, with slick tires on it. Despite what some might think; the roller cam brakes aren't that bad.