1987 Miyata 712 Weirdness-Seeking Advice
 

Hey folks, just scored a sweet 1987 Miyata 712 at a local thrift (not bonkers over the lavender and white color scheme, though). Didn't know squat about them, so did some research and found most come stock with Shimano 105 components including derailleurs. Mine has Shimano Deore derailleurs (long-cage rear), so I was curious. Looked through the web and didn't find anything with stock Deore, so. . .The shifters and brakes are 105. Anyhow, put the bike on the rack today to see how it shifted. Stock they are 14 speed , double crank, right. Well, lo and behold, I've got triple cranks and a six speed rear. I have a 1990 1000Lt and damned if it doesn't look like a 712 frame turned into a touring bike, with 1000 components. Anybody ever come across something like this? Font rim is a Wolber Alpine with 105 hub, which are pretty stock for the 712s. Rear is a made in Italy Miele Durex. with a Suntour SuperbePro hub. This is a cool bike! Custom built or owner conversion? What do y'all think. Don't have the juice to deal with pics right now. Do your best. All advice appreciated

Those are nice bikes, used to sell them, but yes, yours does not sound stock.

Sounds like someone made some sensible modifications to widen the gear range. All good stuff.

Sounds like its been worked on over the last almost three decades and has had some parts replaced.

The 1000lt geometry us different from an 87 712

I own a 88 712 which I got in a garage sale many years ago I use now as a commuter bike, its a black and blue color. Mine came with 105 (SIS derailleurs) group with a Bio Pace crankset, but my rear cluster is a 6 speed not a 7 speed cluster, my 87 Team came with a 7 speed cluster, so I don't think the 7 speed cluster was stock. Both of my rims are the Wolber Alpina which is the same as your front. The Superbe Pro hub I have a 1984 version of that hub on another bike and it's the best hubs I have in my fleet, silky smooth even after over 160k miles.

Interesting conversion but not a bike well suited for touring, even though they came with eyelets on the fork and rear stays those were designed for fenders not touring bags. The rear rim is nothing expensive by any means nor is it a touring rim either but they were durable and heavier than most Ambrosio rims, and was probably a used rim off a Miele because only those bikes used those wheels with that name on it as far as I know but the rim was built by Ambrosio. So I'm thinking something happened to the original rim either it got bent or worn out and the guy found a used rim. So my thought is the bike wasn't used for touring but possibly by an older guy with borderline knees and/or lived in a mountainous area and needed the triple gearing, probably had the bike since it was new and then as the years went on he needed gearing help. If you ever wanted to convert it back the Bio Pace crankset, 105 SIS stuff is cheap to find even NOS or NIB.

If you find the tires difficult to take on or off next time you get tires get folding tires instead. Those rims were notorious for being a pain to get wire beaded tires on and off which is what they came with.

The 712 is a fantastic bike, it was probably the best bike you could get back in the day for the money because the frame was very stiff for a steel frame which at the time no other company could make them that stiff, but that splined tubing came at a price of a slight weight penalty. Anyway if the bike fits you good then make it work for you and ride the heck out of it.

Thanks for the great info. BTW, I do have the Biopace cranks. Do you have any thoughts on how this frame compares to the 1000LT frame? Regarding the Miele rim, it does say built by Ambrosio on it. The frame is a 53cm, which is small for me, but it's the same size as my 1000LT, which is small, but it's such a cool bike, I love to ride it anyway. I put some 700 X 38 tires on it and ride it on the street.

Never threw a leg over a 1000LT frame so I can't say anything about it, however if it's made by Miyata, and it is, then you count on it being a very good frame. It's a heavier frame of course because it's made for touring; and they even splined the tubeset and triple butted it. All Miyata frames that used the splined technology were superior frames.