A Friendly Gesture - Gifted an Early '80s Pro-Miyata
02-17-21, 07:59 PM
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A Friendly Gesture - Gifted an Early '80s Pro-Miyata
Hello folks!
This morning a gentlemanly friend of mine (a retired school teacher who rides in same circle as my uncle) asked me if I wanted his old Pro-Miyata, which he purchased new. It happens to be a 60cm frame which is close enough to my ideal size, and features some nice components, so I couldn't say no!
There's some surface rust around the bottom bracket, under the top tube on the seat post lug joint, and along the cable guides up top, and the decals are in fair to poor condition but still hanging on... Lots of grime but a lot of it wiped off during my quick inspection after getting it home. He said the only components he recalls replacing were the wheels, which now have Mavic MA 40 rims laced to sealed Suntour Cyclone II hubs. The front still spins nicely, but the rear freewheel was clogged up so I couldn't determine anything about the hub before I put it in storage.
Anyway, in storage it will stay for a while until I finish up a Mercian and a Carlton, but I haven't had a bicycle gifted to me in years and I feel honored that this fellow trusts me to do justice to his old steed, which he said he "easily did 100,000 miles on." I have no reason to doubt it!
I reckon it dates from between 1981-1983 based on a bit of research done on the forum and a PDF version of the 1982 catalog that I found online this morning. Anyone who knows better is welcome to chime in, please, as such bikes are not my usual cup o' tea! I'm also interested in confirmation regarding the model of the brake levers so that I can source some proper hoods... I believe they're an older version of the Dia-Compe AGC levers but don't match the 251s I've seen online, what with the little plastic bit on top, though another thread I discovered had someone refer to this exact one as AGC also. I'm also surprised that the headset is Galli. Is that typical for these? Cheers!
-Gregory
This morning a gentlemanly friend of mine (a retired school teacher who rides in same circle as my uncle) asked me if I wanted his old Pro-Miyata, which he purchased new. It happens to be a 60cm frame which is close enough to my ideal size, and features some nice components, so I couldn't say no!
There's some surface rust around the bottom bracket, under the top tube on the seat post lug joint, and along the cable guides up top, and the decals are in fair to poor condition but still hanging on... Lots of grime but a lot of it wiped off during my quick inspection after getting it home. He said the only components he recalls replacing were the wheels, which now have Mavic MA 40 rims laced to sealed Suntour Cyclone II hubs. The front still spins nicely, but the rear freewheel was clogged up so I couldn't determine anything about the hub before I put it in storage.
Anyway, in storage it will stay for a while until I finish up a Mercian and a Carlton, but I haven't had a bicycle gifted to me in years and I feel honored that this fellow trusts me to do justice to his old steed, which he said he "easily did 100,000 miles on." I have no reason to doubt it!
I reckon it dates from between 1981-1983 based on a bit of research done on the forum and a PDF version of the 1982 catalog that I found online this morning. Anyone who knows better is welcome to chime in, please, as such bikes are not my usual cup o' tea! I'm also interested in confirmation regarding the model of the brake levers so that I can source some proper hoods... I believe they're an older version of the Dia-Compe AGC levers but don't match the 251s I've seen online, what with the little plastic bit on top, though another thread I discovered had someone refer to this exact one as AGC also. I'm also surprised that the headset is Galli. Is that typical for these? Cheers!
-Gregory
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02-17-21, 08:12 PM
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Very cool.
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02-17-21, 10:06 PM
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Yes, indeed, very cool to be rewarded for your dedication to, and appreciation for, vintage bikes. You will love the Superbe components. If it were me I'd swap to bar-end shifters, but of course your mileage may vary.
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02-18-21, 07:40 AM
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Wow.
Your description set me up for a bike in much worse shape - but that thing is beautiful. A teardown, cleanup, and rebuild, some OA on the BB, and a few small sundries will turn that thing into a minty Pro.
-Kurt
Your description set me up for a bike in much worse shape - but that thing is beautiful. A teardown, cleanup, and rebuild, some OA on the BB, and a few small sundries will turn that thing into a minty Pro.
-Kurt
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02-18-21, 11:22 AM
#5
Fast Old Guy
Beautiful bike in one of my all-time favorite colors.
If the previous owner really put 100,000 miles on it, the headset could easily be a replacement. I would expect the Cinelli bar is not original and may have been changed when the bike was purchased.
The Hendrickson's Bicycles sticker brings back memories of many hours spent there in the 70's. My Colin Laing track bike was originally owned by Larry Hendrickson, the shop owner.
If the previous owner really put 100,000 miles on it, the headset could easily be a replacement. I would expect the Cinelli bar is not original and may have been changed when the bike was purchased.
The Hendrickson's Bicycles sticker brings back memories of many hours spent there in the 70's. My Colin Laing track bike was originally owned by Larry Hendrickson, the shop owner.
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02-18-21, 01:56 PM
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That stem looks like a "SR Super Light" but no, it's a Sugino, never seen one with that front "plug" before (velobase says it's a HP-GL and the one they have is a 25.4 bar clamp so "interesting" it's on Cinelli bars)! Very cool bike indeed and should be a very satisfying ride, the one problem area to be aware of is the brake pads for those "aero" Gran Compe calipers: unobtanium AFAIK. The Galli HS looks like a rebranded Stronglight A-9, not unusual to see and a very nice upgrade (but I may be wrong there also was a proprietary Galli HS and don't recall what those looked like). EDITS: no this does appear to be a re-branded A-9 but different in the GALLI brand is also on the cup and not just a pad-print on the top nut (much more typical). You got a PO who went in for some unique and high-end component upgrades, quite a nice gift!
Last edited by unworthy1; 02-18-21 at 02:09 PM.
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02-18-21, 03:01 PM
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83 looks about right https://www.ragandbone.ca/PDFs/Miyat...logue%2083.pdf
could be an 82 they are specced very much alike
83
could be an 82 they are specced very much alike
83
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02-18-21, 03:47 PM
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Thanks for the comments, folks. I like how eclectic these bikes were right out of the factory... I've seen others with this Sugino stem so I'm sure that is original, and the Shimano 600AX seat post is purposeful but doesn't match any other parts on the bike! Interesting stuff.
I regret that it doesn't have the Superbe hubs any more but maybe I'll lace a set up to don't tubulars to keep around for special occasions... At least it has Cyclone.
I've decided that after I finish the touch up paint on my Mercian I'll let it cure for a few weeks before spraying the clear, so I'll get to tearing down and starting the restoration on the Pro-Miyata within a couple of weeks here. I'm excited!
-Gregory
I regret that it doesn't have the Superbe hubs any more but maybe I'll lace a set up to don't tubulars to keep around for special occasions... At least it has Cyclone.
I've decided that after I finish the touch up paint on my Mercian I'll let it cure for a few weeks before spraying the clear, so I'll get to tearing down and starting the restoration on the Pro-Miyata within a couple of weeks here. I'm excited!
-Gregory
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02-18-21, 03:54 PM
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It appears that the top-tube shifters may be standard, meaning not of the Symmetric family? I've never seen those.
02-18-21, 04:52 PM
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Originally Posted by clubman
It appears that the top-tube shifters may be standard, meaning not of the Symmetric family? I've never seen those.
VeloBase.com - Component: SunTour Symmetric LD-2350 (Direct Mount)
02-18-21, 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Kilroy1988
They look like these to me. Says Symmetric...
VeloBase.com - Component: SunTour Symmetric LD-2350 (Direct Mount)
VeloBase.com - Component: SunTour Symmetric LD-2350 (Direct Mount)
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02-18-21, 09:15 PM
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Originally Posted by squirtdad
83 looks about right https://www.ragandbone.ca/PDFs/Miyat...logue%2083.pdf
could be an 82 they are specced very much alike
83
could be an 82 they are specced very much alike
83
02-18-21, 09:51 PM
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Nice. I spy a 41t chainring too.
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02-19-21, 12:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Straightblock
Beautiful bike in one of my all-time favorite colors.
If the previous owner really put 100,000 miles on it, the headset could easily be a replacement. I would expect the Cinelli bar is not original and may have been changed when the bike was purchased.
The Hendrickson's Bicycles sticker brings back memories of many hours spent there in the 70's. My Colin Laing track bike was originally owned by Larry Hendrickson, the shop owner.
If the previous owner really put 100,000 miles on it, the headset could easily be a replacement. I would expect the Cinelli bar is not original and may have been changed when the bike was purchased.
The Hendrickson's Bicycles sticker brings back memories of many hours spent there in the 70's. My Colin Laing track bike was originally owned by Larry Hendrickson, the shop owner.
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
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02-19-21, 11:04 AM
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Originally Posted by gugie
I bought my first pair of cycling shoes there. I believe they were Lambertini "handbuilts".
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02-19-21, 11:22 AM
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Rusty mentioned Larry and his shop when I went to pick up the bike and said I would have loved it there. Rusty's from Reedley but apparently he spent enough time at Hendrickson's to have fond memories!
-Gregory
-Gregory
02-19-21, 01:30 PM
#19
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Originally Posted by Straightblock
My first shoes came from there, too, also Lambertini. First shorts and jersey in the same purchase.
First shorts were wool + real chamois, I'm pretty sure I got them there as well.
Might have run into you at some point after you were finished making the mods to my Raleigh Super Course MkII over at Big Wheel. ;-)
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02-19-21, 05:08 PM
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Originally Posted by due ruote
Are those seat stays unusually beefy, or is that an illusion?
-Gregory
02-19-21, 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Kilroy1988
They certainly look wider than classic "pencil stays" to my eye. When I get the bike to my apartment for the restoration I'll measure them compared to a couple other frames I have handy.
-Gregory
-Gregory
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02-19-21, 06:27 PM
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Although I raced the next generation Team Miyata with splined tubing, the gold head tube and long point lugs are my favorite gen race bikes from Miyata. My buddy raced a 60cm Pro Miyata circa 1983 and I was on an 86 Team Miyata. Something about the color in the sun along with that gold head tube just had it going on. I will say the Nuovo Record on my bike did run quieter than the Superbe on his bike, and it always bothered him.
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