Miyata 710 any good?
04-04-19, 11:49 PM
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Miyata 710 any good?
I saw a pretty old Miyata 710 in an antique store's yard today, and wondered if anyone's familiar with that model. It seemed really heavy to me, and the tubing sticker said 1030, I believe. I was mostly interested in the lights, lol, and a very early Jim Blackburn rear rack. The mounts of the rack were much different from what I'm used to, they came down further, then made a 90 degree bend, before ending with the eyelet hole. 🤔 It was fairly spendy, for my liking, so I passed, but "could" reconsider.
04-05-19, 01:06 AM
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OK, I was kinda joking a little there, but kinda not, as I know next to nothing about Miyatas. So after a search, I see that this particular one is from the '70s, as it's written 710, and not Seven Ten. 👍 Also, it has Suntour VX derailleurs, another indicator of an "early" Miyata. 👍
One thing that threw me off, is it's hanging, so harder to see & evaluate, lol. 🤔 I also noticed that the tires are pretty crumbly, as in disintegrating, so that kinda put me off, at first. But now that I have a better idea of what it is, I think I'll go back for a better look. 😎
One thing that threw me off, is it's hanging, so harder to see & evaluate, lol. 🤔 I also noticed that the tires are pretty crumbly, as in disintegrating, so that kinda put me off, at first. But now that I have a better idea of what it is, I think I'll go back for a better look. 😎
04-05-19, 05:04 AM
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When in doubt, pick up the frame and see how light it is. Experience ought to tell you approximately what a quality bike should weigh. Light bikes didn't come cheap then or now.
I'm not familiar with 70's Miyatas (80's, yes) so I don't know how good their quality was during that decade, but their models generally go from 110 and up, so a model 710 should be high up in the product line, right behind the 910 which sits at the top, just below the pro frames they made.
I'm not familiar with 70's Miyatas (80's, yes) so I don't know how good their quality was during that decade, but their models generally go from 110 and up, so a model 710 should be high up in the product line, right behind the 910 which sits at the top, just below the pro frames they made.
04-05-19, 05:37 AM
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Death fork? Naaaah!!
I'd wager that the 1030 decal was on the fork. My '81 has a hi-ten fork (1024) and chro-mo frame, or at least the main tubes.
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04-05-19, 06:25 AM
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Miyata was arguably the best of the mass volume manufacturers in the 1980s and the 710 was a well respected, mid-range, road model. This one should be circa 1980-1981, as I don't recall the model number designations going back into the 1970s, and the Vx was replaced by BL for 1982. As noted, the hi-tensile decal is probably on the fork. The main tubes should be double butted CrMo. I suspect the "heavy" weight is coming from the lighting system and rack. During this period, the claimed weight for a 23" model was a respectable 24 lbs. Please note that during this era it was still 27" wheels. The 700C upgrade came for the 1984 model year. Provided it has not been abused or worn out, you'd be be hard priced to find a better bicycle than early 1980s Miyata, at it's price point. Original price circa 1980-1981 would have been ~ $300-$325 US.
04-05-19, 06:47 AM
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04-05-19, 09:16 AM
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T-Mar, I didn't actually see a size, on those crumbly tires, but pretty sure they were 27"s. A wiki search told me the model decals were in numbers, rather than written out, until the late '70s, but I don't know that myself yet, lol. In about an hour or so, I'll know more. 🙂
BTW, I forgot to ask, but where is the serial number likely to be? That would clear up it's age. 😁 Thanks.
Last edited by stardognine; 04-05-19 at 09:21 AM.
04-05-19, 11:49 AM
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04-05-19, 12:31 PM
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SN is probably on bottom bracket. Or a dropout. Sold in the 1982 to 1986 range. Or thereabouts.
See here for Miyata SN info. Also Mikata Wiki. First letter of K through O corresponds to 1982 to 86.
See here for Miyata SN info. Also Mikata Wiki. First letter of K through O corresponds to 1982 to 86.
04-05-19, 12:41 PM
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“Miyata didn’t make any bad bikes.” I don’t remember who said that but I think it’s essentially true.
I have had two 710’s. One about the age of the subject bike; the other late-80’s. The later one had much better paint. Both were good riders. The one you are looking at would have great possibilities with 700c wheels. The late 80’s one I had came with 700c as T-mar mentioned, and clearance was era-appropriate. You could maybe possibly squeeze a 28mm tire in if you were lucky.
I have had two 710’s. One about the age of the subject bike; the other late-80’s. The later one had much better paint. Both were good riders. The one you are looking at would have great possibilities with 700c wheels. The late 80’s one I had came with 700c as T-mar mentioned, and clearance was era-appropriate. You could maybe possibly squeeze a 28mm tire in if you were lucky.
04-05-19, 01:33 PM
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28mm will fit up to 1985. In '86 it was updated to a chromo fork with less room
1985 with 25mm
'86 with 28mm's
1985 with 25mm
'86 with 28mm's
Last edited by Chr0m0ly; 11-03-19 at 07:06 PM.
04-05-19, 01:39 PM
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Banned
maybe
Could be good, as long as nobody crashed it ...
OR left it unserviced for 30 years and so stem & seat post are firmly stuck..
OR left it unserviced for 30 years and so stem & seat post are firmly stuck..
04-05-19, 01:49 PM
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You will likely be able to find it in one of the miyata catalouges here: https://www.ragandbone.ca/Miyata/miyata_selector.html
04-05-19, 05:47 PM
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I have the 1979 Miyata catalog from purchasing the 912 that I am still loving and riding regularly, albeit in its 4th major configuration. There’s a 710 in that catalog. Colors were Ming Brown and Platinum. Frame tubes were “1024 double butted high-tension steel tubing. Suntour GS forged and machined rear fork ends with adjusting screws.” Also: Suntour VGT-Luxe derailleur, Sakai SI- 5DRG-AH crankset, sidepull Diacompe 500G brakes, weight listed as 25# for the smallest size. 27” wheels like all Miyata except the 1200. My notes say it sold for $270 back then.
04-05-19, 07:00 PM
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04-05-19, 08:57 PM
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Sorry to say, folks, but this one was indeed crashed, or hit, as the rear dropouts were badly bent, and the rear axle actually broken. Add to that some severe neglect, and it just wasn't a keeper. 😩
It was an '81, bought in Palo Alto, with California bike license stickers for '81 & '82.
The good news is, I bought it far cheaper than the original asking price, and scored that cool Jim Blackburn front rack, a lighting system made in West Germany, the VX-S rear derailleur, downtube Power Shifters, and several small bits. 😎
I wish the wheels hadn't been trashed, they were 36-hole Sunshine low-flange hubs, on 27" Araya rims.
Sorry for the long delay, internet is unreliable here, lol, this is my fourth try at posting. 🙄
04-05-19, 09:01 PM
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That third pic is with the rack on my '85 Cannondale, a perfect fit on the front, once I figured out spacers for the front brake. 👍😎
04-06-19, 04:22 AM
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Good decision, that bike is nowhere near as nice as an 80's 7xx series Miyata would be, seems to look pretty mid to low-end, and it's not even cromoly steel? Wow. Looks like some really tight, aggressive-looking geometry on that frame though, not typical for competing bikes back then. And it doesn't have turkey levers or stem shifters.
Last edited by Lemond1985; 04-06-19 at 04:27 AM.
04-06-19, 09:17 AM
#20
Death fork? Naaaah!!
Mine was in worse shape with a broken rear dropout to boot, but it's now a favorite:
Don't let the decals fool you, it really is an '81.
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Don't let the decals fool you, it really is an '81.
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You know it's going to be a good day when the stem and seatpost come right out.
(looking for a picture and not seeing it? Thank the Photobucket fiasco.PM me and I'll link it up.)
You know it's going to be a good day when the stem and seatpost come right out.
(looking for a picture and not seeing it? Thank the Photobucket fiasco.PM me and I'll link it up.)
04-06-19, 11:49 AM
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Good decision, that bike is nowhere near as nice as an 80's 7xx series Miyata would be, seems to look pretty mid to low-end, and it's not even cromoly steel? Wow. Looks like some really tight, aggressive-looking geometry on that frame though, not typical for competing bikes back then. And it doesn't have turkey levers or stem shifters.
That Hi-ten sticker is just for the fork, the main triangle is double butted chromo. Stays are most likely Hi-ten too.
If you've purchased the bike might as well take a shot at rehabbing it. Sheldon's page has instructions for trueing a triangle, and if you're current plan is to ditch the frame, then it'd be great practice:
04-06-19, 02:23 PM
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That Hi-ten sticker is just for the fork, the main triangle is double butted chromo. Stays are most likely Hi-ten too.
If you've purchased the bike might as well take a shot at rehabbing it. Sheldon's page has instructions for trueing a triangle, and if you're current plan is to ditch the frame, then it'd be great practice:
BTW, it's warming up now, supposed to hit the 80s F today, but that darn river is COLD!!!! 😳😁
04-06-19, 03:47 PM
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Normally, that would be a good plan, but I'm touring in the Southwest, with very few tools. I just crossed the Colorado River this morning, from Arizona into California, so that frame is history now. ✌️
BTW, it's warming up now, supposed to hit the 80s F today, but that darn river is COLD!!!! 😳😁
04-06-19, 07:05 PM
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