My 1984 Miyata 1000 touring bike has a broken frame. It broke in two places at the rear drop out. It has about 122,000 kms on it. Should I try to get it welded, or opt for a new machine?

Time to put it to rest.

Like I can See ?

just the dropout ? they are easy to replace if someone knows How. & has the torch.

It depends how much sentimental attachment you have to it.

If it's just the dropout, that's trivial to replace. If looks aren't important, a few squirts of rattlecan paint will protect the repair from rust, and it's on the road again.

Yup.


OP, 1984 frame with 120,000km on it? OP, you realize that is almost 1/2 way to the moon, right?

Bike has got to have some soul. Repair it.

+1 on retirement. At 100,000 kms any bike has earned retirement to a fond place in our memories. This doesn't mean that they can't go farther, but they don't owe us any more.

Fix it if you want, but feel free to celebrate the memories and move on.

Put it in a glass topped coffee table.

I'd just get both the dropouts replaced. (They're equally fatigued, so the other one will break soon too.) Where in BC are you?
If you're near Vancouver, give Robert at Dizzy Cycles a call. He also works at Toby's Cycleworks, and they should be able to fix that up for you.
There's also Mike Truelove at MT Metalworks up in Squamish. He does really great work and has tons of experience doing exactly that type of repair. The only trick is sourcing the same or similar specced dropouts to the ones currently on your bike. Columbus and old Campagnolo ones are still pretty common - and extra eyelets can always be brazed to them for fender and rack mounting, if you like.

Easy repair for a frame builder.

I had a dropout crack on my Panasonic and had the pair replaced and road the bike another 10 years.
The builder will probably want to replace both sides, it's easier to get them to align properly that way.

I've removed all the parts, and the old Miyata frame sits there, naked. I look forward to getting a new road bike, but it's still sad to see the old one like this. Thanks for the advice everyone.

You have to respect a bike with that many miles on it. Get it fixed and keep riding it.

Thanks for the advice. I've decided to go for a new bike, but choices are scarce in Nelson in the autumn.

The Miyata 1000 is considered by many to be the best production touring bike ever made. I'd get it repaired.

So is it the dropout casting or the tubing the dropout is brazed into? If it's the dropout casting, get it repaired; if it's the seatstay or chainstay tubing, it's probably time to retire it. Because it's a Miyata 1000, somebody will still probably want it if you don't want to use it as wall art.

+1. It's like a family member.

Good plan. BUT - as long as you have it around - see if you can find someone to teach you how to weld it yourself... could be a fun new skill and no downside.

Well, technically on a lugged steel frame it's brazing, not welding.