OldManJones

Hi Miyata folks, question about two of the frames I have acquired this summer. I have a 1981 912 and a 1986 710. How would you compare these frames to Reynolds/Columbus or other types of steel frames? I know Miyata's are highly regarded but I'm not sure how to quantify their steel vs other types.

daf1009

To me, it is very hard to tell the difference in the different steels...when riding them...at least if they are of the same general caliber...

While I have limited time in the saddle of a 912 (although some) and really none in a 710...and not sure of the vintages...but...ride wise, these rode pretty good. For me, and I am sure others will agree/disagree, I have hard time telling the various versions of "good" steel...

kimcalif

My Miyata 914 with new 105 groupset

m_sasso

1981 Team Miyata Frameset

Team road frame, this was Miyata's top of the line flagship model, and the exact same frame raced by the pro Peter Winnen, to the 1981 Tour de France Alpe d'Huez stage win. The beautifully crafted Miyata was the Japanese bicycle that brought Shimano into the European pro circuit ridden by the Koga Miyata Capri Sonne team.

Miyata TF front drop outs, and Shimano EF rear drop outs. Custom Miyata tubing with decals on fork legs and seat tube. Fully chromed chromoly double butted tubing underneath the paint. Ornate lugs and pantographing throughout entire frame. Hand filed "M" cut-out lug work, "M" Miyata Gear Logo panto-graphed fork crown, and "M" cut-outs in the bottom of BB shell. Seat stay caps are Panto-graphed "PRO M", indicating it's rarer and the highest end frame Miyata produced at the time. Brake bridge is lugged and the inside fork crown lugs even have ornate cut-outs.

Miyata designed, manufactured and drew their own tubing for these frames and the bikes featured a 1.1mm by .9mm by 1.1 mm downtube that gave them incredible stiffness during a hard sprint. Frame measures 54 m ct ctc and 53.5 cm top tube , Miyata called it a 56 because of the dropped platform dynadrive pedals.

Each frame size received its own specific tube, a 50cm didn't get a cut down 58 tube and a 60 didn't get 58 tubes with long butted ends. Miyata designed the butt lengths for each frame size and they cut the splines to a specific length for each frame size to optimize the ride quality and characteristics of each frame size. No other company did this. Different frame sizes get different geometry so it only makes sense that they get different tubes.

Miyata also finished their bikes better than most everyone else. They used a 7 stage process that included washing in zinc phosphate for rust prevention and 6 layers of primer and paint including a clear coat.

Build Specifications

Frame and Fork
1981 Team Miyata, J784913 56DD, Frame and fork feature sparkle bright light Team Miyata metallic blue,
B-114 and gold head tube paint with gold window fills. Miyata Cro-Mo double
butted tubing, Miyata Industries and Made in Japan decals. Two stylized "M"s, flanked by slots, bottom bracket cut-outs
along with Shimano EF horizontal drop outs. 1980g/4.4lbs
Blackburn Chicane cage
Handle Bars
Nitto M106 NAS, 40cm, 26.0mm, Reach 78mm, Drop 128mm
Shimano PRO Alloy handlebar end plug, blue
Lizard Skins DSP 1.8mm bar tape, white
Stem
Ibis Titanium Quill Stem 26.0mm, 110mm, 6 Degree
Shift Levers
Shimano Dura Ace SL-7800, 10 speed fr/index
Headset
Shimano Dura Ace HP-7410, missing crown race
Shimano Ultegra 6500/600 crown race
Cranks
Sugino OX801D, 172.5mm, 48/34
Sugino MB-608-II, BB
Brakes Levers and Calipers
Shimano Dura Ace BR-7800 callipers
DiaCompe Aero Grand Compe brake levers
Saddle
Prologo Scratch Pro T2.0, 134, white
Seat Post
Sugino SP-KC, Fluted with measurement ruler
Cassette
Campagnolo Record Ti, 9 Speed, 12 23
Chain
KMC X10 SL Superlight
Wheels
2006, Campagnolo Chorus hubs, Velocity Aerohead rims (O/C rear), 32 front 36 rear, 425g,
Wheelsmith double butted SS 14/16 spokes, cross 3, 172g per 32 units, Duristan Brass nipples
Skewers
Shimano Dura-Ace HB-9000 quick release
Tires and Tubes
Michelin Pro 4 Comp V2, 23mm
Derailleurs
Shimano Ultegra 6700, silver, front, braze on
Origin8 Derailleur Braze-on-Clamp. 28.6mm
Shimano Dura Ace RD-7800, rear derailleur
Pedals
Shimano DuraAce PD-7750
Cables
Ashima Reaction Brake Cable Kit
Computer
Cateye Strada Wireless Cyclocomputer, CC-RD300W

Corben

Can anyone tell me exactly what the "bottle basement" is that was included with one twelve and one tens 1988 models? A picture of it would be nice too.

Giacomo 1 

Wow, that is beautiful and pristine!

Does it get ridden?

m_sasso

Hello Giacomo 1,
I will confirm I very recently reassembled it with mostly individually acquired components after having purchased the frame some time ago. However since putting it together it has become my favorite ride in fair weather and it does get ridden hard when it goes out. I really try to take care of the things I enjoy. Road bikes while being ridden really are not subjected to the wear and tear they almost always attain while being handled and transported.

Thanks on the complement, the people that spent time making these Miyata's I am confident would be very gratified to hear them.

Hello Corben,
The air bottle basement is a single threaded mount on the underside of the down tube. It is the same size and threading as a water bottle braze-on.

It was designed to mount a bracket to hold a CO2 cartridge. Hence - air bottle basement.

Sorry could not find any images but my understanding it was an addition mainly directed at the Tri crowd who do not like to carry pumps.

czhiddy

I managed to find two Miyata 1000s in my size this summer - both of them are 1988 57cm models.

The first one was from a Craigslist estate sale hunter. This bike still has the original radial tires, with almost no wear on the tread. There is minimal wear on the chainrings and freewheel, both wheels were original and completely true, and the original foam handlebar wrap was still in excellent condition when I bought it! I was looking for a commuter bike, but this one seemed too nice for the task.



Luckily, a few weeks ago, I found another 1000 on Craigslist (for $120!). This one saw some more use, but was still in superb condition. I found a great deal for a triple Sora groupset online, replaced the wheels with H+Son TB14 laced to 105 hubs, changed out the saddle, and swapped out the brakes with more modern Shimano CX cantilevers. I replaced the stock handlebar and stem with a Nitto Noodle and Nitto stem.







I'm getting a rear rack + trunk bag tomorrow for my first bike commute on Monday. Can't wait to ride it!

otg 

That's a great build!

pressed001

I picked this up yesterday. Today I put some hours into it before taking the photos. Pretty much set on leaving it the way it is.

tmh657

That is very nice. I have looked at couple of these in my size and this color in the last few years but never found one clean enough to consider it. Great find and I would leave it the way it is as well. Nice photography too.

Elev12k

Looks like in very good shape. Isn't the stem a bit much outward or is it a special stem?

Elev12k

As a (Koga) Miyata afficionado I have been interviewed by a mag. Also pics were taken. This is one of them:


(Koga) Miyata ensemble. Pic by Erik Boschman. Considerably larger pic.

fietsbob

I have a Koga Miyata too but its 7005 T6 aluminum and welded .

I've posted it before in Touring section .. Rohloff Hub .. 04 WTR ..

OldsCOOL

I have a question for the panel of Miyata experts. Did Miyata/Koga make a pro racer dating back to '74? I'm still in search of the bike one of our high school riders had back then. The frame had chrome rear dropouts (era), sewups were also the main thing we all took note of. Also was equipped with a 14-21ish FW and if I recall, the RD was a Shimano Crane. The bike was incredibly light, 19lbs if I recall. It was definately Japanese, cost 200.00 in the summer of '74. Does anyone recall a similar Miyata pro level bike produced in '74?

pressed001

Good spot. Yeah it was like that when I bought it. The stem is too far outward. I need to adjust it down. But I do like the higher position. I still need to adjust that and the seat position before a real ride, which I have yet to do.

pressed001

Thanks for the complements. It was not that nice when I bought it! The frame was obviously in decent shape. The original components as well. But it was full of road grime and some local bike shop put stickers all over it (I seriously don't understand how someone who loves bikes could commit such a crime). All in all I am very happy. Like most bikes, it just needed a little love.

non-fixie 

Vey nice picture! Do we get to read the inteview as well?

Cougrrcj

A few weeks ago I picked up this '86 Miyata 710 off the Phoenix Craigslist:



Pretty much in stock condition with only the seat and pedals having been changed out. I needs for be gone through - a good cleaning and replace consumables - and it will also get a set of SunTour barcons like my other road bikes. Seriously, I tried to ride it to get it dialed in, but I kept sliding my hands back to shift the barcons that weren't there!

The only 'bad' thing is I'll be keeping this bike in AZ at my mother's place for something to ride when I visit two times a year. That means that it isn't near my bike tools!

mstateglfr 

Surprised I havent posted this up. Its an '87 912 with all 600 components and an 8sp tricolor cassette and RD. Coming soon will be some 9 speed 6500 Ultegra STIs. Pretty excited to try them out but also hesitant since the bike is totally original except for the 1 gen newer RD. Something neat about keeping it so original, but the STIs will hopefully work well for how much more I plan on using the bike this season.


Pics are from today- took it out to try some new Clement Strada Lgg 25c tires and make sure everything felt great before a long training ride tonight.

Dfrost 

Which version of Tange Champion tubing was used on the 1979 912? My '79 Miyata catalog doesn't specify.

I screwed up and removed the tubing sticker years ago, and would like to replace it. I would expect that it was #2 (thicker gauge) on my 25"/63cm version that I bought new and still enjoy in its rebuilt 8-speed form as my fender bike. (I sold my Rivendell Rambouillet since I prefer the ride/fun of the 912.)

bane

You are going to like that set up. I have Ultegra 10-speed on my '87 912 and it is my favorite bike of the limited number I've ridden.

pressed001

I pretty much finalized the build recently and took some new pics today. I should have waited until late afternoon, but oh well. Some sun was nice. The only thing I want to change about the bike right now is the saddle. But no one makes a light weight super cool brown leather saddle. So I will wait.

I changed the drivetrain around a bit. I changed the cassette to an 8 speed on a set of DT Swiss RR 1.1's with 190 ceramic hubs and titanium spokes. The gold nipples end up matching the frame quite well. I actually bought the wheels used a few years ago for my wife's bike. They just so happen to be better suited for a more classic build like this so I swapped them out. I did not yet cold-set the frame, so that is also something to do in the future.

The Brooks leather bar tape and the 622-25C Continental Gran Prix Classic's are the last little touches I have brought to the bike. Those, as well as the pedal adapters (from the Russian guy on Ebay) so I can use more recent pedals (not AX). I also installed some silver aluminum brake blocks from Ashima so that I could run the Koolstop Salmon pads which I love, and hey waddaya know the color matches too.

The 11-32 cassette is a little extreme, but works fine. I need it out here with the 42/53 cranks which I will not change.

Some wax would also be a good idea for the frame...

upthywazzoo 

Ugh. So pretty. I'm sad that Miyata lost most of the cool pantographing and cutout details by the time they started using STB

JGuerra

I posted this on a junior road bike thread but it seemed appropriate to add it here as well. Miyata Sport Junior 24" wheel boys verion.

1986 Miyata Sport Junior - Pedal Room