I have recently mostly retired and will be building up a Miyata 215ST for loaded touring. The tours I have in mind would not impress the touring community, just short local tours close to home. I would just like to experience touring on a bicycle. I bought the bike at Goodwill 11 years ago for $15. It was all original, grimey, and had new tires. It is the bike that got me back into cycling. Little did I know what this simple purchase would lead to. It got me hooked on bicycles. I lost 30 pounds and have kept it off. I have purchased many bikes over the ensuing years. And the tools to work on them. And the repair manuals. And the bike repair stand. I love to refurbish the old bikes. In addition my wife and I have been riding a tandem for the last six or so years. On the Miyata I took it completely apart, cleaned everything, replaced grease and all bearings. I replaced the headset caged bearings with loose ball bearings. A few years ago I changed out the drop bars for a taller stem and upright bars and bar end shifters.

Here is my list for the build.
Upgrade bottom bracket with sealed unit and Sugino triple crankset with 46-36-24 chainrings. Or my other option is a cold forged Shimano FC-6206 with 110/74 BCD. I would install 46-34-24 chainrings. Current rings are too big. And I have the original bottom bracket that came with the Shimano FC-6206 off a Trek 620. 12-36 cassette. This would give me 18 to about 100 gear inches to ride with.

Widen rear dropouts to 130mm. Rims to be 36 hole H+Son TB14's. Hubs to be 36 hole Shimano Ultegra 6500 nine speed. Stainless spokes, nickel plated brass nipples. Tires maybe 32-35mm Panaracer Gravel King Slicks. Planet Bike Hardcore 700c x 45mm fenders. Rear derailluer Shimano Deore M591 long cage nine speed. Silver nine speed bar end shifters. Dia Compe 960 cantilever's for brakes.

Original Blackburn rear rack that came with the $15 bike. Tubus Tara front rack.
Handlebar mirror. Maybe a bell for the bike paths.
I like good a quality flat pedals. No clip-ins for me.
I am familiar with the Brooks B67 but will be trying a Brooks B68 for this bike.
I am on a Medicare Advantage plan and they have a Fitness Reimbursement Program. Which means they reimburse my expenses for things such as gym memberships, yoga classes, ski passes, hiking boots/shoes, ect. I called and they said they would reimburse me for the purchase of the seat and the tires. The allowance for 2025 is $750.Last year I bought a paddleboard and snowshoes with the plan.

I have most of the componets on hand so will not have to try to justify the expense to myself. I've already had that conversation.

I would love to hear your thoughts about my plans for the build. Your ideas will be most welcome.
Photos of bike in current form.

Needs pictures!
Anyways- as far as I know there was never a Shimano 600 triple crankset. Also there is no need to spread the frame to 130mm if you only need 9 speeds. Just stay with a 7 speed freehub body and run 9 cogs out of a 10 speed cassette.

Thanks for pointing out my error on the Shimano crankset. I just looked and it is a FC-6206. I have edited my original post.

Nice bike but is it perhaps a bit two small (based on the amount of exposed seatpost)? A few cm for my taste. It's of course up to you but just a thought before you invest in a rebuild...

Yes, it is. But my other choice is a Trek 620 that is too large. I recently highlighted the 620 in another thread. I find the Miyata ergonomics comfortable enough the way it is so I am hoping I will be alright. I also have a Trek 400 Elance that does fit me. I have updated it to a nine speed drivetrain and wheelset. But with the shorter chainstays the heels of my size 11 feet catch on the lower edge of the panniers. I should take a look and see if I can move the panniers more to the back.

The bike does look to be on the smallish side so you will want to think about whether this is the right bike to sink money into. That said, you like the bike and your build plans sound solid. It's hard to beat 3 x 9 (or 3 x 8 or even 3 x 7) wide ranging gearing.

I run a 46/36/24 on my 1993 Trek 750 that I have set up similarly to your bike. One advantage of a hybrid like the Trek is that you probably can run a little fatter tire. I'm running 700 x 38c on my bike. I do like trekking bars for a flat bar road bike set up because of the multiple hand positions. I also like flat pedals. The bike has 46/36/24 rings and an 11-28 7 speed cassette. The bike is set at 135 OLD so I could run more gears, but 7 speeds suit me fine and that allowed me to use the original wheels.

Fit is very specific and personal, so whatever works best for you.

With the Elance, you could try an Axiom Streamliner rack. It can either be attached through the QR skewer or bolted onto braze-ons directly (I don't know off hand if the Trek has them--i think some years of the 400 did), and has tabs built in that set the whole thing back about 10cm. the rack is also designed such that the pannier sits back on the rack, if that makes sense, for more clearance. It has a single stay that you put the brake caliper bolt through.

I've had one for over a decade, and it works well. I have had to replace the single stay a couple times--they used to be aluminum, so you couldn't really bend it around too much when moving the rack to a different bike. I just made my own stainless one out of a strip of steel and an L bracket. The website picture looks like steel, though, and it looks like they have improved the design of the tab, so it doesn't twist over time with the weight of the luggage. I have used it on actual tours, too, so it works. Although I wouldn't really want to load it up to its rated 50kg, unless the road is super smooth.

https://www.axiomgear.com/products/r...iner-road-dlx/

I just checked heel clearance with the Carridice (black bag) set all the way back on the rack. If I am somewhat mindful of foot placement on the pedals I think I will be fine. Another idea would be to put the black bags on the front and place the blue Lone Peak bags on the back. One way or another I think it will work. It would save me a lot of work going with the Trek 400. I built up the Trek two years ago so I have two seasons on it. I could not be more pleased with its performance and handling. I have already gone thru the process of widening the rear dropouts and upgrading the drivetrain. I would make some changes to the cockpit as I am not happy with the way I currently have it. This is the last of my bikes that I have converted from drop bars and I really am most comfortable with upright swep back bars. I would use the touring wheelset mentioned in my first post. Those will be built sometime over the next few weeks. Hopefully with your help I will be able to make a decision on which bike to set up for touring. I was leaning toward the Miyata and prior to that the Trek 620 for their ability to accept wider tires. I think I will max out at 28mm if I want fenders. 32mm without. I have been thinking way too much about all this. I once was told that sometimes my mind can be like a bad neighborhood and I shouldn't go in alone. So all your help along the way is much appreciated.

That looks like it fits a lot better. Swept back bars are great, i have Albatrosses and Oxfords on two bikes. I am planning to build up one with Promenade bars next. One often needs a longer stem to keep an equivalent position. You also may want to invest in wheels with more spokes.

FRKL
I have a couple of bikes with Origin8 Citi Classic handlebars. They work for me. One is on the Miyata.They offer a stainless version. One of the nice features of the stainless version is that the opening is large enough to allow the use of barend shifters. And I think you are right. I will need a longer stem. Simple enough.

Planned wheel upgrade is mentioned in my first post.

Those look nice and it is definitely a plus if they can take bar end shifters.