Classic & Vintage - Miyata 215 ST Bike

Hi! We recently acquired a Miyata 215 ST Bike that is in excellent condition – not a scratch on the Turquoise painted frame! We believe that it is from the mid 80's - maybe 1986 or 1987. Here are the details on this Bike:
Speed: 18 Speed (3x6 Drive)
Frame: Triple butted CR-MO Chrome MolyBdemun Tubes
Front and Rear Brakes: Dia-Compe Center Pull Brakes – Brake Levers on the Handle Bars are also Dia-Compe
Front Sprockets: Shimano Computer Designed Bio Pace Drive System. The larger sprocket is a Bio Pace 50. The middle sprocket is a Bio Pace 44. The smaller sprocket is marked 28 and is oblong.
Rear Sprockets: Shimano – 6 Sprockets
Front and Rear Derailers: Front is Shimano - Rear is Shimano Deore
Front Fork: Magna Light Manganese Steel Tubes
Front and Rear Wheels: Matrix Titan S 700C – Made in the USA by Tru America Corp.
Front Tire: Schwinn Record VR 700x28mm – Dual Hardness 700x28c
Rear Tire: Continental 700x28 (28x622)
Front and Rear Shifters: Shimano 600 Down Tube
Front and Rear Hubs: Maillard 500 – Sealed Mechanism – Made in France
Seat: After Market SerFas – Reactive Gel, Dual Density, Deep Groove Design. We also have a second seat which is an Avocet W 20 Gel Flex Seat
Handle Bars: Winpista – Japan 22.2
Color: Turquoise
Miscellaneous Information: Both the front and rear wheels have quick release levers. The bike comes with a water bottle and front reflector. There are reflectors on both wheels. There is a kick stand. Underneath on the frame is the following number: OU56214.

We are interested in selling it, but have no idea as to how much it is worth. If anyone out there is familiar with this model Miyata, we would be very interested in your thoughts!!! Thank you!

The crank sounds like a replacement, as IIRC the 215ST was spec'd with a "Signature" triple crank, and the Shimano 600 shifters and front/rear dérailleurs sound like replacements, as well. Ditto for the wheelset, as yours are French - mine came with Araya wheels front/back, and I'm thinking they were 40/36 drillings (I'll have to go home and check).

What to sell it for depends on where you live. The 215ST is a nice bike and rides very comfortably (I have two), but a "lower end" Miyata tourer. It is on the heavy side at about 27-28lbs, and has an oddity (considering it is a touring bike) - one bottle cage mount.

In a hot bike market, maybe $200 - $250 I would guess. Anywhere else, $50 -$100 in nice shape.

A pic, for reference:


http://img346.imageshack.us/img346/7098/miyata215st2smallqe1.jpg

The Miyata 2xx was their entry-level touring machine. The 6xx was their mid-range one, and the 1000 the top end. The 1000 is regarded as the finest off-the-peg tourer of its day, and one still sold for a good price on ebay recently. The 6xx was regarded as a very, very nice machine, but those that have appeared on ebay haven't done all that well, possibly because of their definitely-non-benchmark condition. The 2xx ones seem to have done about average for their year and condition, though there have been relatively few that I saw so I might have missed out others that did better. There's a certain amount of mystique about Miyata because they made their own tubes, but I'm not sure it's really a significant factor these days.

T-Mar is the one to ask for the deep details.

You left out two bits of essential information: where are you located and what's the frame size?

Here (http://cgi.ebay.com/Miyata-210-Road-Bike-57cm-27x1-25-wheels_W0QQitemZ220058698743QQihZ012QQcategoryZ98084QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) is a recent no-sell on eBay. A Miyata 210 - nearly the same bike as the one you have. In my opinion, seller made two mistakes: starting price was too high, and a poor listing (needs a better description - like the kind you offered here, and more closeup photos).

As Katzenjammer points out, they don't fetch high prices despite being decent bikes. And the fact that this is a full touring bike makes it a slightly tougher sell. Some of the higher end Miyatas (the Pro and Team and 9xx series models) fetch much higher prices, especially if they say "Spline Triple Butted" on the frameset.

[As Katzenjammer points out, they don't fetch high prices despite being decent bikes. Some of the higher end Miyatas (the pros and 9xx series) fetch much higher prices, especially if they say "Spline Triple Butted" on the frameset.

The 215ST does have the "triple butted" sticker on the seat tube.

The problem with selling this bike (as far as I'm concerned) is that a person intent on actually touring would probably hold out for a 6xx, a 1000, or a Specialized Expedition. It seems to me that the 215 is more of a sport tourer - it is an excellent (if heavy) all day bike, and does well on centuries. Sort of like the later Bridgestone T700's - a nice riding sport bike with a triple crank set for folks that live in hilly areas and like a more relaxed, comfortable geometry.

Like you say, location is key. If you're in the SF Bay Area, NYC, or some other hot location, ,and well made bike in clean condition can possibly bring $200. As you also pointed out, this is usually not the case on eBay.

And the size definitely does matter - with 54-58cm being the most popular and thus the easiest to sell.

Thank you for your comments and thoughts on the price! Looks like you have quite the bike there!! I will attach some pictures of ours. Thanks again!!
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We live near Pittsburgh PA. Sorry to sound somewhat "bike challenged", how do you measure the bike frame?

Thank you for your comments and thoughts on the price! Looks like you have quite the bike there!! I will attach some pictures of ours. Thanks again!!


So where are you located and what's the frame size? :) Looks to be about a 56-57 cm?

We live near Pittsburgh PA. Sorry to sound somewhat "bike challenged", how do you measure the bike frame?

Measure "center of crank" to top of seat post - should be something like 21-23". Convert to cm, round off to nearest whole number:

http://www.onlineconversion.com/length_common.htm

We live near Pittsburgh PA. Sorry to sound somewhat "bike challenged", how do you measure the bike frame?

We were typing at the same time. Measure from the center of the crank axle to the center of the top tube (at the joint between the seat tube and top tube). See here (http://www.coloradocyclist.com/bikefit/frame_dimensions.cfm) for an illustration.

EDIT: bigbossman gave you c-t instructions, I gave you c-c instructions.

Thanks for the instructions and conversion table. Looks to me like 61cm using the c-t measurements. I added some additional pictures of the bike too!

an oddity (considering it is a touring bike) - one bottle cage mount.

Strange, no double eyelets on the dropouts either? Looks like yours has a double eyelet on the forks though?

Strange, no double eyelets on the dropouts either? Looks like yours has a double eyelet on the forks though?

Yeah - that's what I mean. A person bent on doing some "serious" touring would likely pass on one. The relaxed geomerty and triple is nice, though.

It looks more like a 58cm from the pics. Bikes in the 61-62 range tend to have longer-looking head tubes.

The geometry and proportions of your pics make it look more like the bikes I own, which are mostly 56-58cm.

OK now guys, you've got me stumped again. What are double eyelets on the dropouts or the forks? What are they used for and/or what do they do? I do sell things on eBay (vintage jewelry mainly) but we are not listing this Bike on eBay. Not much of a market as JunkYardBike brought up. We will most likely put it on Craigs List - there's one for Pittsbugh.

OK now guys, you've got me stumped again. What are double eyelets on the dropouts or the forks? What are they used for and/or what do they do?

They are for rack mounts. Tourers hang bags, "panniers", front and back on racks to carry all their stuff.

Double eyelets would be mounting points for fenders and racks. Look for a little loop of steel forweard/aft of each axle.
Are you from up here? 'cool beans' is a Maineism.
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Thanks for educating me!! I think the original owner did have a rear rack but removed it and we did not get it from him. Oh and I did re-measure and it is a 58cm. The site showing how to measure was great! Do most people list the measurement using C-C or C-T or doesn't it really matter? Always lived in PA - heard the saying "Cool Beans" and liked it. So my eBay Store is called Two Cool Beans. My hubby is Jim and I am Deb - therego the jdcoolbeans. What can I say???!!!

Thanks for educating me!! I think the original owner did have a rear rack but removed it and we did not get it from him. Oh and I did re-measure and it is a 58cm. The site showing how to measure was great! Do most people list the measurement using C-C or C-T or doesn't it really matter? Always lived in PA - heard the saying "Cool Beans" and liked it. So my eBay Store is called Two Cool Beans. My hubby is Jim and I am Deb - therego the jdcoolbeans. What can I say???!!!

It may depend on the preference of the buyer. You could list both. I think C-T might be more applicable to newer frames that have higher seattubes, so a saddle stem can be set higher. I'm not sure, though.

If the bike is super clean, or if you recondition it yourself, eBay may be the way to go. I sold a Taiwanese built hybrid Bianchi on eBay for $175! Yours looks to be a much nicer bike with better components. Of course, I think some buyers become irrational when they see the name Bianchi, no matter what it is. And, unfortunately, Miyata doesn't have the name recognition I think it deserves. On the other hand, I gave a very detailed description, the bike was very, very clean (practically unused), and I posted good closeup photos in good light.

That being said, you could also probably make a decent profit in Pittsburgh with less hassle. If I
had it, and I reconditioned it (new cables, housing, brake pads, bearing grease and balls, tires, tubes) I'd probably list it at $200-$250 - if it's in the condition you say. If I were just flipping it without any service, I'd probably ask between $100-$150. For reference, I live in the NYC suburbs, and prices are a bit inflated here.

EDIT: Oh, and it's also a matter of conscience, but if you list on eBay, most buyers don't look at the product in person, and so it's likely to sell for more than the condition would warrant. For instance, you are not obligated to mention that it probably needs routine maintenance (the stuff I listed above) and most buyers will be oblivious to it. Even needing maintenance, it would probably function well, with problems cropping up much later. Now, since you are not familiar with bicycle mechanics yourself, you might not know that things like regreasing the hubs and bottom bracket will prevent premature damage to the cups and cones - and most buyers won't either. But now that you've posted here and have read this, now it's going to be on your conscience! Seeking advice and help is always a double edged sword...:D

Again thank you so much for all the info and advice. Guess I will put the re-conditioning items on the "Honey Do" list - LOL - and see what he wants to do. I've been selling on eBay for about 4 years and the Buyers I deal with seem to be very particular about their purchases. And, you need to deal with feedback comments too! We sold a golf club to a guy in CA and he said when he hit the ball, the head of the club "exploded" and wanted his money back. When we asked for a picture of the club, he did not respond back. A golfing pro friend said that he probably didn't like the flex of the club and he purposely broke it, as the heads don't typically explode. So, I would rather do Craig's List and have the people come to personally inspect it and weather permitting, take a ride on it.

Again, thank you all so much!! This has truly been a learning experience! We have a second Miyata that has more than 18 speeds, but it is not in as good of condition as the one I described. When I get the details on it, I'll give you the specs to see what you think of that one.

Miyata 215 ST Racing Touring Bike 21 Speed


Well, here are the details on the other Miyata 215 ST Racing/Touring Bike we have. It is in good condition. Here are the details on this Bike:

Speed: 21 Speed (3x7 Drive)
Frame: Triple butted CR-MO Chrome MolyBdemun Tubes
Front Fork: Magna Light Manganese Steel Tubes
Brakes: Front are Dia-Compe 5583. Rear Brakes are Dia-Compe E86. Brake Levers on the Handle Bars are also Dia-Compe.
Sprockets: Front Sprockets are Miyata Cotterless Signature. The larger sprocket is a 50 – SA307. The middle sprocket is a 40 - SA341. The smaller sprocket is a 28 – SA363. The Rear Sprocket is marked Shimano RX-100 FH-A550.
Derailleurs: Front is Shimano - Rear is Shimano RX-100
Wheels: Front Wheel is Alesa. Rear Wheel is Alesa – Made in Belgium – 613-22700C.
Tires: The Front and Rear Tires are Michelin Select 700x25c – 25-622.
Shifters: The right side is marked Shimano Light Action SIS Friction Set. The left side is marked SL-S434. Down Tube
Hubs: Front is Shimano RX-100, HB-A550. Rear is Shimano RX-100, FH-A550.
Seat: After Market SerFas – Reactive Gel, Dual Density, Deep Groove Design.
Handle Bars: Winpista – Japan 22.2
Color: Gray with Turquoise lettering/decals

Miscellaneous Information: Both the front and rear wheels have quick release levers. The bike comes with a water bottle and front reflector. Underneath on the frame is the following number: PE53863. Frame is the same as our other one 58cm.

It sounds like this one has more of the original equipment than the 18 speed Miyata we have. Any comments on this one? Really appreciate your help!!

Apropos measuring: the measurements that I look for are

- center of crank to top of seat tube (not top of seat post), the reason being that the length of the seat tube determines how far down you can push the saddle and therefore how long your legs must be. So measuring "c-c" --crank to center of top tube-- doesn't really help as much since some seat posts rise above the top tube by an inch or more, plus some bikes have strange angles, plus some people measure c-c straight up instead of along the seat tube which is very confusing to anyone used to thinking in terms of seat tube length.

- center of seat tube to center of head tube, measured along the top tube or, if the top tube slants, along a horizontal line from where the top tube joins the head tube. This determines how much you have to compensate in some way (different stem length, different handlebar type) if your arms, legs, and torso aren't proportioned the way an average male's are, or you have an orthopedic problem, or you simply don't like riding the way the manufacturer decided everyone must!

- from the center of the top tube to the ground. If the top tube slants, measure from the point where the rider would stand (about 6-9 inches in front of the seat, in other words). This is the "stand-over height" and needs to be an inch or more shorter than the rider's crotch-to-floor measurement for obvious reasons.

- crank length from the center of the pedal's axle to the center of the crank axle. There are calcuations specifying how long a crank should be for a given leg length to the the optimum amount of knee flexing and so forth. Both tall and short people usually get uncomfortable crank lengths that aren't good for their joints.


So: what are the measurements on your second Miyata? :D

OK here goes! For #1, the seat tube length c-c is 58cm. From c-t it is 62cm. For #2, it is 56cm. For #3, it is 81cm. And for #4, it is 46cm.

Here are some pictures of this bike. Now, please remember that this one has not been cleaned up at all!

I also own a Western Flyer bike that I bought in the early 70's, may have even been the late 60's. Again, it has not been cleaned up at all, but thought you might like to see it.

Here's a Miyata 215 ST (http://cgi.ebay.com/54-cm-Miyata-215-ST-18-Speed-Bicycle-Mens-Bike_W0QQitemZ190062807487QQihZ009QQcategoryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) on eBay to watch to gauge market value.