Mystery Miyata Road Bike?
 

I picked up a Miyata road bike off craigslist this week for $100. I'm hoping that with a little work I can do some light touring with it. Anyway, I've been looking around other threads, through Miyata Catalogs, and am having some trouble identifying the bike. If y'all could help me figure out what is, it's best used for, or what it's worth I'd greatly appreciate it!

Anyway, back to the bike. Initially, I assumed it was a Pro-Miyata, as it has a "pro model" sticker on the bike (pictured below) but I feel it the bike doesn't match up to the specs for a pro. Also, the frame says "high tensile 1024 butted tubing" and I'm unsure which Miyata's use this type of frame.

Here are some other specs I found on the bike:

• Sakae randnner (handlebars)
• DIA-COMPE (brakes)
• Shimano 500 (derailleur)
• Ariake 7378 (seat)

Also, the first thing you'll see when you look at the bike is the large rack on the back that it came with. Anyone have one of these?

Thanks for your help!

-Ethan
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Looks like a nice bike clean and in good shape Miyatas have a big following. Yours is a low end entry level model from the late 70's early 80's with what look like steel whels turkey levers stem shifters and lesser components. Only a $130 bike in my opinion in good ridiable condition. You should remove loose the rearrack if your selling it distracts from the look of the bike. Plus you can sell the rack seperately for another $30-40 without taking much of anything from the value price of the bike.

Look at a 70s Miyata catalogue, here's one possilbe source http://www.velo-pages.com/main.php?g2_itemId=26669

I have a '72 hi ten Miyata, slightly better components than yours. I ride it routinely, it's a terrific bike and a solid commuter. However, they are heavy...and I had to change the rims to SUN M13 hooked rims to use high pressure tires.

That rack is a joke, get it off that bike! I opted for a Pletscher vintage style rack for a set permanently mounted panniers, but they're not intended to handle real touring weights.

Looks like a very usable bike. Sell the rack and lose the safety levers. Also check the rims to see if they are alloy or steel. If they are steel keep an eye on craigslist for a cheap set of alloys.

It's a rideable bike as others have mentioned but it wasn't high end, in fact that series of tubing was used in their lower end models. I'm not sure but I think it's 89 110 model due to the rainbow pattern just above the decal on the down tube. But without taking a bunch of time to research it I'm kind of guessing. But the frame material does suggest a lower end bike as does the bar break levers and stem mounted shifters. It would be a great bike for commuting to work or school and are worried about getting a more expensive bike stolen, but it would also make a good starter bike.

By the way I don't think any bike built in 89 came with steel rims anymore due to safety concerns, I'm 99% sure those are alloy wheels.

One thing to note, it appears that the forks are black with chrome lower halfs, if so that's not the original fork, the original were painted the color of the frame so someone at some time bent the originals and found a suitable replacement. Hopefully the fork was all that got damaged and not some other part of the frame like the head tube.

Thanks guys! I'll probably get rid of the loose rear rack and get a more normal rear rack/pannier setup going. The tires are slightly cracking so I'll have to replace them, I think they may actually be the originals... the bike seems like it was hardly ever used. I'm planning a long tour next summer and though a lower end bike, I feel I can make it work for a few shorter weekend tours throughout the next few months before acquiring a higher end bike for next summer.

Also, my bad on the pictures, the fork is definitely the original, it's red and matches the rest of the bike. Looking throughout more Miyata catalogs I believe the bike's from the late 70's. Thanks for all your advice everyone! Much appreciated!!!

The original tires were 27 1 1/4 Kenda K152's tires, I doubt you have the original tires because that would mean the bike would have less then 2,000 miles on it and would pose the question about the fork replacement, but it's possible. I got a 84 Fuji Club with 5 miles on the bike last summer, the original tires were still on with the nubs still showing.

The bicycle is a Miyata MX-S, circa 1975-1976. The serial number will reveal the exact age.

Great call, I think your right. The bike looked newer then that and knew I've seen a 110 that looked similar but the thing I couldn't remember was that darn rainbow above the name decal on the down tube, and it just seemed out of place but I knew there was one somewhere near there...now I know why.

The serial number is E803088. Would that make this a 1975 or 1976 model?

The serial number is from 1976 but it's high enough that it could also be a 1977 model built in late 1976. The picture resolution is too poor for me to identify the front derailleur. Is it a Shimano 50 or a Shimano 500?

It's a Shimano 500.

Unless it's been replaced, that would make it a 1977 model, as the 500 front derailleur was new for the 1977 model year.

Sweetness, thanks for sharing the knowledge!!!

T-Mar is apparently the person for all your Miyata knowledge. I've seen their expertise in action before. Impressive.

Zombie thread!
T-Mar resigned over a year ago.

T-Mar was an unending wealth of bicycling knowledge.

And his insights are certainly missed.

Hahaha, I saw that it was a thread from a long time ago right after I responded. Sorry everybody. And it sucks to hear T-Mar is gone. I've never seen anything but good solid knowledge come from them (him?). If I need any good Miyata info does anyone have T-Mar's personal phone number? :)

Does anyone know why T-Mar left?

IF I recall, Tmar had a goal of 10,000 posts, and when he met that goal, he left, which is what he always said he would do.

But he was 3 shy!

HE had them and then they were deleted I recall him saying he had the requisite number.

Well, I'm sorry, but the proof is under his name, he is 3 short, so he needs to come out of retirement to post those 3, and as a punishment for retiring before he got to 10,000 he'll need to complete another 10,000 posts to make up for early retirement and falsifying the information.

I see no other way around it.