Bought this on a bit of whim.. looks like a lower end mid to late 80's Miele.

Imgur album is at https://imgur.com/a/257GA84

- Shimano 105 brakes, hubs and deraillures
- Shimano Biopace 52/42 Chainring (!)
- Tange Infinity CR-MO tapered double butted frame
- Trico Saddle
- Nitto B115 420 handlebars
- Alex DA13 rims (seems people don't have nice things to say about Alex rims?)

There's no serial number or any other stamping on the frame as far as I can tell.
Any ideas on what I just bought?

Based on the Shimano New 105 brakeset, crankset and derailleurs it should be a 1987-1989 Miele Lupa. However, I've never seen a Lupa with Tange Infinity or the brake cable routed along the bottom of the top tube. Stay cap treatment is also unusual for a Lupa though the treatment at the dropout end is typical of Miele. Furthermore, the headset, which is one the components least likely to be replaced, is not New 105. Is there a serial number? If not on the bottom bracket shell, check the bottom of the seat tube. Is the shift lever a 7 speed SIS unit? The wheelset has 105 hubs which are two generations than New 105.

Thanks T-Mar
I’ve checked every inch of the frame including the seat tube and bottom of the bracket. There are no stamps of any kind on the frame.
Shift lever is indeed 7 step.
cog count on the rear is 8 so this might be interesting.

i wonder if this is some sort of Frankenbike or a prototype given the lack of a serial number.

does anyone know if this gear set requires any special considerations for a chain?
the bike came without one so I have to acquire one and install it.

Assuming the shift levers are OEM, it should be a 1989, as 1987 and 1988 were six speed. Unfortunately, I have no Miele literature for 1989 but both 1988 and 1990 spec Columbus Cromor for the Lupa, so it's strange that the year between would be Infinity. It would be interesting to know what size of seat post it takes, as Cromor typically uses 27.2mm, while Infinity would be 26.6-26.8mm.

The other place we might be able to get a frame date is from the fork. Speaking of which, it's atypical to have painted fork on this level and era of Miele. Regardless, if it's an off-the-shelf Tange fork, it should have an alpha-numeric date code on the steerer tube. Do you feel like a headset overhaul?

Seat post is 26.6mm. so this does indeed look like an Infinity.
I’ve never done a headset... will have to think about taking it apart just to figure out what this is.

by the way how does this compare to my other acquisition- a slightly rusted Binova with light action derailleurs?
Ill try to post pics later today.

I'm thinking this is a lower grade frameset which has been upgraded with mixed generation 105. That would make sense given the painted fork, dropout eyelets, headset, etc. The frameset itself would be comparable to a circa 1986-1987 Binova though the components should be a level higher.

Thanks.. pics of a Binova I picked up last week.
Serial number is W748xx. Any idea what year it is?
What can I do about that rust on the fork?

https://imgur.com/a/SdmmJio

Your Binova is the 1987 edition, in the Ferrari Red/White colour option. It was 2nd from the bottom of a 16 model road line.

That's pretty heavy rust of the fork crown. I'd likely remove the fork (here's your practice), strip the entire crown using abrasives then repaint. You can try to match the white or go contrasting and try to match the red. Given that the white will be separating it from the red on the frame, colour match won't be as critical/noticeable with a contrasting fork crown in red. Another option would be chrome paint for the fork crown.

Hmm.. what if I just strip and paint the crown?
I don't want to lose the labels. Don't mind a bit of "patina" given the age of the bike.

Looking forward to my practice on the headset

Follow up.. headset rebuild was easy on the Binova. I cleaned up the rust and just applied some rust converter on the top of the fork.
Painting or any other treatment seemed like a cover up job. I'll live with it as-is.

Unfortunately(?) I had a great offer on the yellow "Lupa" and sold it before I could take it apart. So its identity will remain a mystery for now.


Got another mystery machine
https://imgur.com/a/bOBcTsx

Looks like another low end / entry level model but this one sat in the guy's garage, brand new and unused for 20+ years.
I had to rescue it!

"La Classique" label on the cross tube
Exage SLR Action brakes
Exage shifters and Sport derailleurs. Interesting to note that the left shifter (for the front derailleur) is indexed. [This seems to have been produced only very early in the Exage line?]
Biopace chainring
Exage Sport crank wheel

Is that the model name - La Classique?
And what year??