Classic & Vintage - Koga Miyata Valley Runner - Any information

Just bought this frame new on ebay for $100 - interesting 26 wheel frame I am assuming from the late 80's and early 90's. From what information I have been able alot these frames were blown out in 2000 when Miyata left the US market. Perry as one built up and provided alittle information, but nothing very specific. I have also seen some information online about the Koga Miyata Fore Runner again not very specific. Sorry for not being online on this site for a while been spending my time on the Tandem and Touring sites.

Any information would be appreciate. Mw

Miyata produced the Valley Runner from 1987 to 1989. The first year was a lower, mid-range model, with triple butted frame and a hi-tensile fork. It was upgraded for the final two years with spline tubing and a CrMo fork.

I am not to sure how to tell the difference between a 87 and a 89 - I'll take a better look on Tuesday.
Mine is grey metalic in color as have been the other ones I have seen to date. I have never seen a factory built up one just the frames that were blown out in 2000. The frame is lugged and has a sloping top tube and appears like it is extremely well built and should be a nice touring bike when I am done with it - tube sticker say it's guaranteed for life. Some call it a mountain bike, but it's more of a 26 inch wheel sized commuter or tourer. It came with a factory installed and headset and bottom bracket both are shimano, but really low end. It appears to be very well made so I was alittle curious by your reference that that it was on the low end of their product line. The bike is sort of entigma - lots of quality but a unusal design as though they couldn't figure out what market segmentthe bike was built for. Thanks for the info

Based on the sloping top tube, it should be a 1989 model. Excellent manufacturing and finish are a hallmark of Miyata bicycles, including the entry level models. They had the same manufacturing and finish standards, regardless of the model. The difference in models comes via the tubing, geometry and features.

There is no design confusion here. The design is typical of most of the ATB frames for this level and the era. ATB design geometry has gotten more aggressive over the years. After all, this is a 17 year old design. It is from the first decade of mass produced ATBs, when the design was still evolving.

I did not say that this was a low end frame. I said that the 1987 model was mid range, but at the low end of that range. The 1988 & 1989 frames were upgaded by virtue of the spline frame tubing and CrMo fork and are more towards the middle of the range. When looking at a bare frame, the best way to determine its level is by looking at the tubing, relative to the vintage.

Thanks T-Mar,

From the touring end of the spectrum 26 inch bikes are unusal today unless high end with the exception of Surley or are converted new era mountain bikes. The geometry of this bike is more touring by today's standards than today's mountain bike. Please take no offense to any of my comments it's been sort of a been journey finding out any information on this bike. I am excited to build this bike up to see what it rides like, but the way the parts are coming together it might take a month or better. Historically why did Miyata pull out of the US market when they did. I must admit until I saw this frame and some others on this site I had only seen very low end versions of their bikes and it now seems I have missed a great deal to which it seems they have a very loyal following.

My wife has a valley runner that we bought new in 1989. Still works great, in fact we she rode it today.

Koga Miyata is currently building in the Netherlands (Holland), building racing, touring, tandem and other models.

Vosyer, no offense taken. I simply wanted to point out that you had misread my statement and that the Valley Runner is not a low end frame.

Regarding the demise of Miyata in the USA, like most cases, it came down to profitability. To help offset trade imbalances, the US dollar was devalued relative to the Japanese Yen in 1985. This increased the wholesale price of the Japanese brands, reducing their profit margins. The discrepancy between the two currencies continued to grow throughout the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, while at the same time Jpanese wages increased, compounding the problem. This caused many brands to shift manufacture to less expensive Taiwan, decrease their quality standards and/or abandon the market. Miyata refused to compromise of their quality standards and could simply not afford to remain in the US market. Some bicycles continued to filter into some dealers via Koga-Miyata, the European distributor. As of 2005, the Koga-Miyata bicycles are again being distributed in the USA.

vosyer,

I have seen it on the bay. Silver with blue decals, right? It is a 1990 Koga Miyata ValleyRunner. FM-1 tubing for frame and I am unsure for fork, but I think FM-1 too. I do not have the brochures at my place now, but I will check. It is very well made. Unlike Miyata, Koga hadn't a wide range. All Kogas were up market, and of those the ValleyRunner was the 'cheapest', but still very nice.

For as far I know nowadays Kogas (post 95) are made with Hodaka. It is said under supervision of Miyata, but that could also be marketingtalk....

Sorry guys,

I have been on the road, and didn't get a chance to respond - but yes that is the frame. Gray/silver with blue decals. It will take me atleast a month to put the parts together for the build I'll post a picture after the built up. Although it's life begain as a mountain bike it's being built up a as semi retro loaded tourer.
Again thanks for all the tidbits of information. mw