rookgirl

So, I just made my second road bike purchase a Miele for $70. What on earth did I buy and did I do ok?

The rims/tires appear to be tubular and aluminium but some of the spokes are rusted - do these have to be replaced?

Components seem to be Shimano SIS and SLR (?) and a biopace chainring

Where do I start on this thing and what do I do?

Apologies for my board hogging!

sauze

Miele is a french Canadian brand with Italian heritage. Run a couple searches you'll find a few threads dedicated to them.

Short Wiki Page

Beach Comber

I would have bought it just for the biopace. Hopefully it will clean up OK.

Clean the wheels and take them into the LBS to true. They can also replace and spokes that are beyond just surface rust.

Looks mid 80s. IMO, you did OK. Enjoy the rebuild!

shadoman

Nice find for $70 ! Get that sucker cleaned up !

Bianchigirll 

SLR is shimano Linear Response, it was shimanos buzzword whan they lightened up the return spring int he caliper and added a return spring to the lever to help make the brake fell better.

great bike. I can't wait to see it all fluffed and buffed. I never find deals like this

twoducks

$70 is a little more than I would have paid for a bike in that condition, but you didn't do too bad on it. First step is to take it all apart and wipe the crud off of everything. Hopefully you don't run into any stuck bolts or stripped threads, that's always the crapshoot with this kind of a purchase.

I've bounced a number of Miele bikes from the mid/late 80's back to life, they always turn out quite nice and have been a pleasure to ride. I haven't kept any of them, but I think that's just because the right one hasn't come through my garage yet.

Also, I think every Miele I've had came with one of those brown suede saddles.

randyjawa 

Miele bicycles are, indeed Canadian made, for the most part. Yours would be of mid level quality and well made, as was the case with most Miele bicycles.

I have owned several Miele bikes, and cling to good old special issue number 17. Why 17? Read the story if you wish.

Perhaps a visit to a Miele Catalog, would prove helpful.

rookgirl

Thanks! I wasn't really sure what I was looking at when I bought it (though I did know that Miele was ok). I just saw the tubulars and figured that no one would put them on a really cruddy bike! I've also been lusting after chromed forks so this really pushed all my buttons.

The saddle looks like it would be really comfy, but unfortunately it's torn and has a chunk out of it on the ND side. In any case, it's not for me (Seat tube is 58cm). I'm hoping that DH will like it even though he insists he likes big frames, though he can't actually give me a measurement! I'm hoping it's a nice enough ride that he'll like it.

Do I take it all totally apart? i mean, do I take the cranks etc off totally to clean it up? I suppose this is what should be done...

randyjawa 

Yup! Cleaning is one important task, best accomplished with this and that removed. And you must remove, this and that, to do the most important task - lubricating rotating parts, such as your bottom bracket bearings, and wheel hub bearings, and head set bearings...

Have fun...

rookgirl

Thanks! and I love your site, by the way. it is very helpful and informative.

Chombi

Yes take it all apart ASAP. You WILL need to know whether the stem, seatpost and Bottom Bracket are not seized on the frame. Those three will determine how much hard work you will expend on the bike to get it back on the road.

Chombi

rookgirl

Thanks.

Seatpost seems to be stuck. I'm going to go and try to remove the stem now. i don't have the tools to remove the crank arms.

I did inflate the tires (though they are toast) and put the wheels on and got DH to stand over it and at least it's a close fit for him so hopefully the work will be worth it.

Chombi

Make sure you do a good forum search to find out the best methods to remove a stuck seatpost and stem before you go at them too hard, as you would want to avoid damaging them or the frame.
Good Luck and keep us posted on the Miele cleanup!

Chombi

knoregs

+1 Remove all components. Get those cranks off before the rings get ruined. Same with the rear derailleur. The 'hanger' the rear derailleur is bolted into is easily bent. You'll need a crank puller like the Park CCP-22. For the derailleurs you just need a 5mm and 6mm 'allen' wrenchs. You'll also see a two letter date code on those items with the first indicating the year and the second indicating the month it was produced. Wouldn't hurt to have a bottle of PB Blaster. Spray it on nuts and bolts and allow to penetrate. You'll see it bubbling as it penetrates. Not necessary on the cranks but the chainring bolts it couldn't hurt. The PB also does double duty as a great degreaser. A toothrush and rag and the PB will have all that stuff looking near new.

Good luck... Report back with the date codes.

~kn

Alan Edwards

Score, just the fact that it has a chrome fork makes it worth twice the price just for the frame and fork. Sorry about the sew-ups, they are hard to work with in the real world, don't get me wrong I have three pairs. For an everyday bike look for clinchers.

mapleleafs-13 

where did you get the bike from? is it somewhere in canada?

my brother picked up a really nice miele frame off ebay from california, it was kinda weird that it was all the way out there but i suppose someone from canada bought it and moved out there.

but his miele i'm pretty sure it's one of the ones that were made by colnago way back, due to the slx frame and the fact that it had a rear chromed fork, and 2 cable holders on the top tube

rookgirl

Cranks are going to be problematic as I don't have a crank puller, or indeed a socket that will fit. I am hoping I can borrow these things from someone as we don't have a bike co-op here.

This bike also has cable holders along the TT - 3, I think. Also the cable housing for the brakes doesn't run along the bars or out of the top of hte brakes - they appear to run inside the actual bars themselves and then sprout out near the stem. I'm a bit worried about how to route new cables and housings, though I suppose that's a ways off.

Yeah, I am a bit disappointed about the sew ups, but it's only going to be a casual bike (he rides a 2010 hybrid!!! Sacrilege!). I am hoping to get some cheap from a colleague at work who has a bag of them.

ScottRyder 

Rookgirl, what brand of tubulars are those? Just curious.

Scott

rookgirl

One is a Michelin (says made in France too) and the other is difficult to read but says Hang Shen or something.

knoregs

A crank puller is like $12 or so. Not expensive. The crank bolts you refer to have to come out before threading on the crank puller. They are either 14mm or 15mm. It's the 15mm's that make it difficult to get a socket on as a standard 6 point socket will be too thick to fit. I use a 12 point socket for those but be careful, a 12 point socket will 'slip off' easier and possible round off your 6 point bolt. I've lost some skin from the knuckles.

~kn

rookgirl

Just bought a crank puller and a new socket set (old one didn't go big enough and they were out of just the sockets!), so I'm ready to go! I'm hoping it's not a 15mm nut in there.

knoregs

Think of all the fun you'll have with the bottom bracket once you get the cranks off.

~kn

GrayJay

Those are not tubular (glue-on / sew-up) tires, they are clinchers. Forturnatly for you, replacement and maintanence of clinchers is much easier than for tubulars.

rookgirl

OMG that would be embarassing! I haven't tried to get them off, but when I pull back the sidewall there is no bead and it seems to go all the way around. They are also both presta valves, not that that means anything by itself. I guess I should further investigate, LOL. Um, bike knowledge fail!

Now I have the cranks off but I don't have the right tool to get the lock ring off. LBS guy said to use a hammer and screwdriver but I don't want to wreck it, plus I don't want to buy any more tools. Spent way too much money today! Any suggestions?

Chombi

There were rims made to handle both clincher and sewup tires.........there is a chance that your bike might have them if those indeed are tubular tires you have. but that will be unusual as they did not really become that popular and also considering one tire is branded as a Hang Shen? which I heve not heard of in the tubular tire world.

Chombi