Evrard

Hello!
This is my first post but I have been reading and learning a lot on these forums for a couple months now.
I bought an old peugeot last spring on the belgian ebay for cheap and really enjoyed riding it. So every now and then I look up bikes on various sites out of curiosity.
Today I was looking at a local second hand site and found à Koga Miyata (road speed I think) and I'm wondering if I should buy it or not and hoped to get some information here.
It is equiped with a sakae custom handlebar, acera x, and shimano 600 crankset. that's all I know.
After offering 40 €, the seller said he needed 70. Is it worth it?

FastJake

Sounds like a mismatch of components. The Acera derailer, black pedals, and Bontrager saddle are certainly not original. I don't know what the market is like there, but I'd say 70 euros (~100 USD) is a fair price. Not a deal by any means, but a fair price based on the information given.

See if you can haggle down to 50 or so. Just make sure you ride it first and make sure everything works, the wheels are straight, etc.

KonAaron Snake 

I disagree with the above poster...at least for my neighborhood. It is a steal and I'd buy it in a second, especially if I wanted a rider. In my 'hood, I'd get $300 for it pretty easily.

ijsbrand

Kogas of that age do around 100-120 euro around here, in the north in the Netherlands, close to where they are made -- which may be because their reputation is too good.

The seatpost doesn't look original either.

Make sure the wheels are true, and all the bearings are greased.

lostarchitect 

I agree with Aaron. If you like it and it fits, buy it. That would go for at least $200 where I am, probably more.

Evrard

Ok. Soo I am going to go see it on monday. I have been e mailing the seller about the non original parts hoping i can get the price down, but i will probably buy it 70 euros isnt too bad.
Does somebody know what brand that front brake is from the picture?
Thanks for the advice!

wenwen9

That bike could be either a Road Speed or Gents Racer. The year looks like 1978 or 1979. The seat post is, like others wrote already, not original and Koga seats are a little slimmer. I could be wrong but it just may be a Gents Racer the top tube is not showing the model from this angle. The Gents Racer and Road Speed have the same frame geometry, at least in '80 they did.

70 euros today is only $74.27 There is a Gents Racer selling for $900 on Ebay.

As it happens I just purchased my third Koga on Ebay just before I saw this post. I had a '83 Gran winner, then a '81 Gents Racer now I bought a '80 Road Winner. 1st bike hit by car, 2nd bike stolen I like them for the ride and they are reasonably quick bikes. Your pedals may not be original, they shipped with clipped pedals in 1980.

The order hierarchy is top of the line koga full pro, then full pro L, Gents Racer Lux second tier is Gents Racer S, Road Speed, Road winner. The second tier in 1980 they label 'Racing' but probably entry level. The wheels on the bike you are looking at should be Mavic open pro if they are original. I switch my wheel set out for carbon and the ride is nice and stiff. Even after my first car vs. bike crash and bringing about a bend in the frame the bike was still stiff, a good thing. My Ebay purchase for the Road Speed was at auction I was lucky only $375 my Gents Racer was $575 (but all original Ax 600; everything original)

Hell if it is just for getting around $75.00 aint to bad if you are only going to spend less than $100 I'd give it a test ride.

Juha

It's been nearly 3,5 years since @Evrard posted his questions... but if he still hangs around, it would be nice to know how things worked out?