I'm a bored college student who decided to fiddle with bikes, I took apart my busted up Supercycle (department store) mtb and learned the ropes putting the whole things back together down to the last bearing - which took a while to find !

Anyways I've been riding a bit already put about 2700km on the Supercycle which rides very smoothly, maintenance makes the difference between light and day. 2700km just tells you how new I am to all this, although mechanically I've broken down and rebuilt 3 bikes already (2nd one had cottered pin cranks, a nightmare I won't forget! and another reason to go for new tech. Even square tapered cranks scare me, since I broke a crank puller on the miyata, t_t).

Well I had always wanted a road bike from the day I started working on bikes (The supercycle was more of a test of my interest) and after a year of research and searching the overly inflated Toronto's CL I found a miyata 710 for $150. Which I thought was a steal.

I spent all last summer slowly working on it, cost about 150 more to swap out necessities, funny how things like tires, tubes, cables, housing, bar tape, computer, brake pads, rim tape, chain just adds right up! But thats okay the money I saved commuting paid for this project and then some.

I only use the miyata for road rides, mostly 100km rides, its got about 430km on it now and its been a hard battle to find the right fit (legs feel great, upper body and hands not so great). I recently purchased deda215 bars for it (original bars were 40cm outside to outside!!! I needed 44 :O) and look keo pedals with shoes.

And then I came to this point of dumbfoundedness, should I keep upgrading the bike?

I had wanted to buy a quill->ahead adapter and install the deda logo stem that I bought with the 215s, but then I found my self searching for Fulcrum 3s, and SRAM rival group prices, and lighter seats and seatposts, and what Lance Armstrong used on his bikes (thus the Deda Handlebars!). And even bib shorts !

I've been doing my share of homework (I will need many adapters - well just front derailleur clamps and quill to ahead...as far as I know) and number crunching, and even though I really want it, should I bother to keep upgrading it? I want indexed shifting at the hoods.

I like the bike and I like the ride, it makes me want to ride more and go faster but to the more experienced owners, is upgrading a path I might regret? Can I trust this bike to hold up another 5 years? And is there any other adapters I might need aside from front derailler clamp? I know i have to spread the dropouts for larger 130mm sizing, would the english bottom bracket be fine with something like the SRAM GPX BB (or a FSA MegaEXO BB?) Questions, questions, questions, can anyone help me out?

And just about the SRAM Rival, I thought if I do plan to save and buy a new road bike instead (I'd have to take up a part time job next semester - thus the name) I would probably spend the cash and get a Rival equipped bike. I won't cheap out if I'm going to dish out 2500, might as well get what I want and not compromise about it (I've come to hate hidden costs). I do believe that Rival > Ultegra and that DuraAce/Force/Red/Chorus/Record is reserved for more competitive riders.

Looking at the picture I probably need cable stops too! I wonder if they will work on that downtube single braze on mount?

And a picture:

Aside from the bike being C&V, this might actually have been an answer better suited to the Road Forums, although, since you're asking about whether it'll hold up or not, I guess it would just bring it back here. Well, quick search tells me you've got Tripled Butted Cro-mo Manganese tubing, which some people like, and some people hate (some people have said that it has a lifeless feel), I personally, have no experience with it. But, same quick search told me that it was also a more top-tier oriented bike. I can't see you regretting wanting brifters on it, or it being a waste for that bike. You've already put some money into it, and upgraded to point of aside from the brifters, it is a relatively modern bike. Depending on where you get the Rival group, you could get it cheap, or expensive. Depending on your rear dropout spacing, you may not need to coldset the stays. A lot of people have told me that since I've got 126mm spacing on the Panasonic I'm building up that I don't need to cold set, that just a little more effort getting it in and out should be just fine and I, or the components won't notice. You'll need a new hub, though, if you're going to 10-speed, which means either rebuilding your wheel or getting a new one.
Now, when it comes to it lasting. Framesaver, cleaning it regularly, maintenance, and TLC, the bike should last as long as you want it to, unless, heaven forbid, you wreck it.
Have you tried Rival though? Some people like it (I do), other people don't. Before you drop the coin on it, make sure it's what you want. Although, a cheaper option, might be indexed bar-ends, even though I know it's not what you want. Just a suggestion.
-Gene-

From about 54cm on up Miyata road bikes tend to have relatively short top tubes in proportion to the seat tube. My 57cm 512 required a 100mm stem to give the same (quite comfy) seatpost to handlebar distance as my 56cm Moto.
As to upgrades, yeah, sure, absolutely! The Miyata frames are VERY well build, albeit not as light as some even in the day. My '87 512 was updated to early 90's spec: and my own '82 710 is being built up with a mix of stuff from the mid-seventies to made yesterday. I realize you have 'state of the art' comps in mind, but if it's what will keep you on the bike go for it.
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I'm not sure how much it matters to you, but that is the 1986 edition of the 710.

Since it's not my bike it doesn't matter at all.
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...that post wasn't directed at you.

I Beg your pardon......

actually its a 1985 miyata 710 I originally thought it was a 1986 as well, but the decals match the 85s. Plus the person who sold it to me was the original owner and he was sure it was the 85.

I'm still considering the upgrade, I do think that modernizing the bike will make it heavier, the suntour cyclone derailers and shifters, dia compe brakes and levers, and sugino crank is about equivalent weight to the SRAM rival with exception of the brake/shifters.

For now I guess I'll keep it as it is aside from the handlebars, stem and pedals.

The search function isn't really working, is there anyone here that has modernized their road bikes willing to share their experience with me? (and perhaps pictures as well!)