Hey guys,

I've been able to actually log real miles on some of my collection and I surprised myself by getting a feel for ride geometry! I've gotten into old steel more from the mechanic side of things and now that I've sold my car I'm always on the bikes by default.

I started commuting on a Cannondale St600 from the early 90s I picked up in Boston. I put hybrid wheels and monster 36mm (I think) tires with almost off road knobbies on them. What a beast! I think you could almost off-road downhill this bike. The 2" downtube and beefy aluminum are stiff as hell but the tires (and maybe the steel fork) smoothed out the road.

After I got more comfortable with city riding I pulled out the Miyata 710, an '85 with 3ple butted tubes and mangalite fork. It's still rocking the 23mm front and 25mm rear armadillos that I bought it with, maybe 15 years old but still holding air. This is a lively ride compared to the CDale. On the Dale you can look around and the bike will track straight, but the Miyata wants to follow every head turn. Different and very fun. It also spins up faster with the lighter tires.

Now with loaded panniers on the Cannondale it's a different kind of fast. Like a train, takes a while to spin up but once it's going it holds speed effortlessly and laughs at rough pavement.


Then I recently pulled out the '84 Miyata 310. 2ble butted tubes, and 1024 fork it's the humblest bike in the stable. It's my first C&V bike, given to me because I wanted to try bike riding again so I asked on Facebook if anyone had an old bike they were sick of storing. The "free" bike needed about 170.00 dollars in tape, tires, cables, etc. and I cleaned and tinkered it back to shape.

Well guys, it might be my favorite commuter. It splits the difference in ride quality, being stable but fun, and it's just really comfortable. I don't know if it's the fit or the geometry or materials but it's just a honey of bike. It seems to absorb road shock without being too insulating, its responsive but not at all squirrely, it's just about the perfect middle ground.

I still need to put time in on the other rides, the 610 needs assembly, the 912 needs toe clips, and some other projects are on the burner, but I'm just startled by how much I like the "bottom end" of Miyatas semi-pro line up.