Classic & Vintage - team miyata

I have a Team Miyata that I found in the trash and have been riding for a while but unfortunately have to sell. Does anyone have any suggestions or resources to help me date it? It's a 14 speed, I rebuilt the wheels onto hooked rims because I didn't want to deal with tubulars. It has friction shifters, had Look pedals. I still have the rims & pedals. Also, the frame has some scratches and a dent. Will I be more successful selling it as a whole or parting it out?

Why not keep it? If its a 14 speed it should had indexed shifting unless it was converted. Post some pics along with the serial number and T-mar will date it to the hour.

why sell something that you got for free? but if you have to sell the bike as a whole bike....

What size is the frame?

There are some conflicting timeline issues with the description. Obviously, the bicycle went through some aftermarket modifications. I can't imagine anyone trashing a Team unless it was hot or a faux Team. We definitely need pics and a serial number.

Generally, you can make more parting a bicycle out, especially if it non-original as this would appeasr to be. Once we have pics, we'll know the extent of the mods and have a better idea.

I don't have access to a camera right now; maybe later today. The serial number is MU58742. The frame is 53cm, I ride a 56 normally, so now while I am cleaning house this is most reasonably the one to go. It's so fun though - and fast! I feel real bad selling it, but I am a broke college kid. I've restored and given away more trash bikes than I can count, so I have justified it to myself to sell the one that I could make any money off of, heh.

Well it's a 1985 based on the serial number. It would not have been 14 speed originally. The LOOK pedals also are not original. The tubulars would have been original, so you should probabaly rebuild them, should you decide to sell it as a bicycle.

The frame should be bright blue with a black head tube and chromed, drive-side chainstay , with the chrome running a few inches up the seat stay. Should have braze-ons for the shifters, two bottles, front derailleur, tunnels for rear brake cable, and a chain hanger. Tubing should be Miyata Triple Butted CrMo.

Components shoud be a full Dura-Ace 7400 group but with friction shift levers. Other components should Mavic GP4 rims, Selle Italia Turbo saddle and Nitto bars and stem. The orignal rear gearing would have been a 13-18T, 6 cog, straight block. Should you decide to sell it as a bicycle, the closer that you can get it to original spec, the better price you will get.

Both the Team and Shimano 7400 have a strong following, so either way, you are looking at a good chunk of change.

Pics please, those Team Miyata's were very very nice bikes!

Hi! I have a team Miyata SL (for sale on ebay right now) , these are in fact very nice bikes. Anyways, In my quest for informations on google ( they are rare) I was able to find the 1984 miyata catalogue, this might help restore/sell the bike.You need adobe reader to open this file (its a pdf) .

http://www-hsc.usc.edu/~rpinder/images/Miyata84Catalog.pdf

Yeah, it is exactly as you say, except for the saddle. Still trying to get a hold of a camera though.
and thanks for that catalog, mainducoyote, that's really neat and helpful! I wish my frame were in as good shape as your SL's is! Beautiful!

T-mar, wouldnt an '85 team with the new 7400 Dura-Ace have a downtube shifter that can be switched between friction and indexing by turning the d-ring? There's on over shift on the 6-speed indexed lever that allows you to index a 7-speed freewhel/cassette with the proper spacing.

T-mar, wouldnt an '85 team with the new 7400 Dura-Ace have a downtube shifter that can be switched between friction and indexing by turning the d-ring? There's on over shift on the 6-speed indexed lever that allows you to index a 7-speed freewhel/cassette with the proper spacing.

You would think so, but there is no mention of SIS in the literature and close examination of the rear shift lever indicates that it does not have the dark grey bezel that the SIS levers had. It could be that Shimano did not have SIS shifters available earlier enough for the catalog shoot or maybe Miyata was not sold on the concept of SIS, initially. The latter appears to be the case, as corroborated by the OP's bicycle.

Tom, the Team model with new Dura-Ace was an indexed equipted bike. I dont recall what color plastic was on the DA lever. OP's bike has the indexing turned off or the levers been changed.

Tom, the Team model with new Dura-Ace was an indexed equipted bike. I dont recall what color plastic was on the DA lever. OP's bike has the indexing turned off or the levers been changed.

Jim, attached is the detail from the catalog. As you can see, it is not SIS. Plus, there is no mention of SIS in the text or specs. If Miyata had gone with SIS, I would think that they would played up the fact in the literature. That's only normal marketing. However, as I recall, initially there was quite a bit of skepticism to SIS, mainly as a result of the recent failures of Positron and the AX groups. By 1986 the Team had SIS and maybe Miyata even added it as running change part way through 1985, but the objective evidence indicates that the early 1985 models did not have SIS.

Tom, you make excellent points. I just dont ever remember seeing a non-indexing Team with new Dura-Ace. Perhaps the OP will furnish us with some pics...

Jim

Jim, attached is the detail from the catalog. As you can see, it is not SIS. Plus, there is no mention of SIS in the text or specs. If Miyata had gone with SIS, I would think that they would played up the fact in the literature. That's only normal marketing. However, as I recall, initially there was quite a bit of skepticism to SIS, mainly as a result of the recent failures of Positron and the AX groups. By 1986 the Team had SIS and maybe Miyata even added it as running change part way through 1985, but the objective evidence indicates that the early 1985 models did not have SIS.


The change to SIS definitely took place in 1985. I sold them. I believe you are right when you state that the spec did not appear in the catalog. I also remember that all the bikes we sold left the shop with the shifter in the friction setting, so your comment about scepticism is also spot on.

I'm sorry, I'm still working on a camera. I am almost positive the shifters are SIS. They say friction on them, there is a D ring on the non drive side.. are you saying that that can switch them to indexed?

I'm sorry, I'm still working on a camera. I am almost positive the shifters are SIS. They say friction on them, there is a D ring on the non drive side.. are you saying that that can switch them to indexed?

Onlt if they are indexing levers. Do they look identical in every way to the ones in the picture?

no, that one has a D ring on both sides. Mine only has one on the non drive side.

no, that one has a D ring on both sides. Mine only has one on the non drive side.

Yours is probably indexing. Does it have what looks like a screw holding it to the frame?

What you would do is loosen the screw then rotate part of the lever to the S.I.S. position from the friction position. IIRC theres a small arrow pointing to the current mode. Remember, if you can move it to the indexed mode it may not index due to the 7-speed gearing and a variety of other factors.

Similar to this picture:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e317/jim2527/bikes/3d62_1.jpg

It may be posible for the six speed levers to index 7 speed gearing if, obviously, it spaced correctly.

i'll have to try that, that's really neat. I had no idea. I think the gearing in the back is a block of 12-18 teeth so maybe it'll work.