Gravel racing a Miyata touring bike?
 

I'm entered in 2 gravel races this year, first ones for me. I've got a Fargo which is a meh ride, and an 86 Miyata 1000 I used for rando rides, though it's never seen gravel. It's pristine condition. I'm thinking of using the Miyata for gravel, so I suspect the original paint (which literally does not have a scratch on it) may get dinged-up. But it rides so much better than the Fargo and is set up for big miles in the saddle.

Blasphemy to gravel grind this bike?

Nope, it's a fine bike. I've been thinking of turning a sekine SHS 271 I picked up into a gravel mutt. That bike can take huge tires.

If the paint is pristine the Miyata 1000 would have very good resale value. Using it for gravel races will severely affect the cosmetics and devalue the bicycle. However, it is your bicycle and if you can accept losing ~50% of the resale value, that is your prerogative.

I wouldn't. Sell the Fargo and buy something like the 1000 but in less pristine condition.

What is meh about the fargo? Lighten up the tires/wheels and stretch yourself out a little a/la road bike, with more saddle to bar drop, and higher gears, and keep your Miyata clean.

It's a 2017 GX and the frame and fork are way too stiff, just drains me riding that bike. Miyata frame is much more responsive to power inputs and doesn't beat me up.

Plasti-dip the frame.

Touchdown.

I have a Fargo and the bike came alive with decent tires. Try WTB Nanos for example and you won't have to beat up that nice Miyata.

What rims do you have on the Fargo? Can you run them tubeless at a lower pressure?

That'll transform that Fargo.

To quote Dujours, when asked whether Neo should follow her and White Rabbit to the fetish club...

"Definitely!"

I wouldn't have any qualms about taking the Miyata out on gravel.

Fenders - will direct 90+% of the objects away from the paint job.

However - my wife's 53 cm Miyata 1000 would take much less of a value hit due to being cosmetically pre-challenged. :D

My 84 Expedition Touring in "very good" not "pristine" condition, says "Get a rope!" so ride the Fargo. Don

Sounds like you don't enjoy the Faego frame as much. My wife thought she liked her Jake CX bike for a commuter until someone decided they needed it more than her and I built her up a 650b'ed Trek 710. You can make a killer gravel bike by throwing 650b wheels on just about any racing steel frame. Check the pics out in my sig.

Alternately, If your Fargo's not disc, buy a nice steel frame and transfer the parts. Sell the Fargo frame. Spread the frame to fit the wider rear hub. Check the STI on vintage frames thread.

Steel is real.

Where do you live? Perhaps there is a member nearby who will loan you a set of wheels for a 20+/- mile ride so you can see if you like it with narrower tires. I it just my opinion but if you don’t have at least two extra wheel sets around that will fit that bike there must be something wrong with you! :p

I do agree if you think the paint on the Miyata is pristine why take a chance on running it? There are lots of decent bikes out there that will serve your purpose don’t ruin something nice.

So a couple of things...

First- I’m not so much a “racing” person, so take my opinion for what it’s worth.

I’m a “touring bike” kinda guy- and have a 1990 Miyata 1000LT. Without looking at a catalog- I would guess that the 86 Miyata 1000 is a really well built, well specced machine. Probably full XT. While the dimensions may be similar to ATBs of the period, I’d imagine you’d want a shorter wheelbase and possibly more aggressively angled bike. To that end- to my way of thinking- if you wanted to stick with “vintage,” a more purpose driven ATB or a 650B’d sport-tourer with some modern dual pivot brakes would dominate.

Any year of the Miyata 1000 is more of a desirable, collectible bike than the average bear. Yes, bikes are for riding, but you’ve got a really clean bike that people sell limbs and testicles for. There’s a certain amount of responsibility that goes along with that. My Miyata came with some replaced parts and chipped paint and faded decals. I think the Miyata paint is really tough- I would have no problem responsibly beating on my bike- but if it were cleaner I would pass off to a different bike.

Yes.

N+1

You could cover the downtube and chainstays of the Miyata in painters tape during gravel rides. However, the Miyata is still not ideal for the job.

I've been on a half dozen gravel events and dozens of gravel rides. A tubeless 700x36 or larger tire is practically essential. Source a Cyclocross bike or gravel bike and enjoy gravel as it was meant to be enjoyed.

Maybe helicopter tape (or any kind of tape, as Barrett suggests) if you're worried about rocks flying up at the frame.

But that doesn't solve the problem of component wear if the ride is gritty.

It it was a pristine bike, I probably wouldn't as those can be fairly valuable, but then I only ride bikes that are a bit beat up due to my budget.

I'm really glad I didn't ask for limbs or testicles when I sold my Miyata 1000. Could've made the transaction a little awkward. ;-)

1- What races did you enter? Im guessing they are in Canada based on your name. Always interested in what races people participate in.
2- If the Fargo is ‘meh’ and doesn’t fit well, then why keep it? Sell it and get something that fits and is fun.
3- Gravel is different all over the country. Heck, it varies from county to county where I live! Some is great on 32mm tires and some is much more fun on 40mm tires. I would say that if the max tire size works for where you live, then perfect!
4- Is the gearing on the Miyata something that will work for your area? It came stock with 28/28 bailout gearing, which works for many on gravel hills, but could be tough for you. Sitting and spinning is nice for gravel hills because it keeps weight on the rear tire to reduce slipping out(though I stand for hills a lot and just accept the lack of traction). If 32/32 is what you need to climb paved road hills, you will need easier gearing for the same hills with gravel roads.
5- Do you like to downtube shift on gravel roads?

Just some things to think about. My first gravel bike was an early 90s 700c hybrid that I converted into a drop bar and had friction bar end shifters. It fit 40mm tires and opened up a whole world of riding routes.
Hope you have a blast with whatever you choose!

I’ve been offered a freshly removed kidney for mine. I was all like “I’m not going to give my bike to some random guy waving around a bloody body part. Again.”

Oddly enough I remember re-purposing my UV Specialissima (same frame as Miyata 1000) based touring bike to try a cyclo cross race BITD. It worked pretty well, despite my total lack of skill at the time. All I did to it was glue some cyclocross tires onto a spare set of training tubulars, and hit the mud. Lots of times... hahaha.

So yeah, you could do it. But considering the cachet of those 1000 bikes now thanks to Sheldon (et al), I'd be hesitant to screw up a mint condition one. At the time they were like a cheap alternative to the equivalent Trek, and IMO the ride was a bit sportier. Now they are relatively valuable. Unless you're really competitive, I don't think there's much of a downside to using the slightly heavier Fargo instead. Might be better if mud is thick.

The ride is just so much better on the Miyata, but I haven't tried really supple tires on the Fargo (e.g., Soma Supple Vitesse 50mm or something like that). Maybe I'll try that first and see.

To the poster above, the Fargo fits fine and rides ok for commuting and just riding around, bur for long gravel races it's not in the same league as the Miyata. I've done 300km and 400km rides on the Miyata in rando events without an issue. The Fargo frame would have killed me on those rides it's so stiff and unyielding.

I had a '77 Miyata Gran Touring bike that oddly had a high bottom bracket and fairly quick steering, though I did for no good reason use it off road, extensively, using 700c wheels/tires. It held up just fine, though I retired it for a later Six-Ten model that I use in much the same way, but which has better geometry for off-roading.


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