mapleleafs-13 

Here's my most recent project for our website. I picked this up a while ago and it was just waiting to be worked on. It was in virtually mint condition. Looks like it had been ridden a few times then stored away since.

I did the proper greasing, took apart the rear derailleur cause it wasn't working as smoothly as i wished. we redid the wraps and saddle, chain lubed, bb maintenance, thorough clean and wax, and new matching vittoria zaffiro blue tires.


I've seen many similar versions of miele's, they're very solid bicycles.

THIS is what i need HELP with:

1) anyone have any clue with what type of tubing this could be? it's has a 27.2 seat post diameter. I was leaning towards some type of columbus, because this is what i've seen on similar examples, i'm just not sure which type if it is columbus. It does have those pretty nice heart lugs too.

2) i used to have miele catalogues bookmarked, but i dont anymore so if anyone has links to the miele catalogues then please feel free to share.

Thanks in advance, here's the pics!

mapleleafs-13 

also i guess it could be ishwata 022 as well?

mikemowbz 

randyjawa recently posted a link to some Miele catalog material in this thread.

In addition to their use of Ishiwata, I seem to recall having seen several Columbus Cromor Mieles, and have certainly seen (recently had) a Tange 2 Miele Lupa. The Lupa does not share the cutouts in the lugs and other similar details that place this one you have a cut above (at least from what I can guess), nor have the Cromor bikes I can recall (including one other Lupa). They certainly made bikes out of SL also (and probably other Columbus tubesets as well), but I'm no help on the details, certainly not any more than the catalog/brochure Randy posted...

Any evidence of rifling in the fork steerer (or main tubes)?

randyjawa 

I do not recognize the frame set, however; the top of the seat stays remind me of a Gara I ran acorss a few years ago. At least, if my memory serves right, that bike had the squared off seat stays as well.

What kind of drops are on the bike - front and back. The better Miele bicycles, as I understand it, were built in Europe by artisans, the rest were imported generic Asian frame sets. Please keep in mind that statement is based on experience plus some trusted information that was sent to me by a fellow Miele enthusiast.

If the bike has Campy drops, you can be pretty much assured that it is of European origin and the one pictured might well be SLX, if it is European. If the drops are not Campy, then it is likely that the frame set will be Tange Infinity. I suggest that because only one other Miele I have seen, the Doral model and fairly common, had the squared off seat stay tops. The Doral was fitted with Exage components, as is the bike presented by the OP.

I guess I could go on but in the end I would only be guessing. Though a nice enough frame set, it is likely nothing super exotic but is most certainly in great shape.

unworthy1

the one clue that jumps out is the 27.2 seat post. IMLE (in my limited experience) most Tange-tubed frames use a smaller post (mainly 27.0 or 26.8), ditto for Ishiwata 022 (usually 27.0) and Columbus Cromor.
Odd that a frame with internal cable routing, all-chrome fork and nice-looking lugs would be Exage equipped...and I see that the frame has eyelets on the DOs where the fork does not.

mapleleafs-13 

it's a good thing you mentioned the miele Doral Randyjawa! i realized that i had sold one of these a while ago. So i just went into my history and found the pics. and looking at the lugs and drop outs and the way it's equiped i'm 90% sure now that it's a tange infinity.

THANKS RANDY!!

here's the other pics...

mapleleafs-13 

the only thing is, does tange infinity come in 27.2 size seat posts?

mikemowbz 

The 'mainly' and the 'usually' here are important. The Miele Lupa I recently sold was clearly original, and umistakably stickered as a Tange 2 set (which, BTW, also often take a 26.6 seatpost, as do my 1985 Nishiki Prestige and 1981 Apollo Imperial made of that material), but took a 27.2 seatpost. I believe - though I wouldn't be able to prove it, and do harbour some small doubt - that I've also seem Cromor Miele bikes with 27.2 posts that appeared to be those used stock by the company.

Which, I suppose (if, perhaps, Miele was in the habit of reaming tubes to fit 27.2, which might or might not be the explanation for the above), complicates the possible answer to the OP's question, and the follow up:

mikemowbz 

Here's a link to some Tange tubing specs:

https://steelrenaissance.blogspot.ca/2009/07/tange-tubing-specs.html

Can't vouch for source or accuracy, necessarily, but Tange Infinity should be heavy, so the 'weigh it' method should give some indication. The weight difference between Infinity and #2 (let alone something like Prestige), and therefore between Infinity and some of the other tube sets that might be a possibility, appears significant.

unworthy1

looks like a good match except for the top tube cable guides (versus internal on the unmarked frame).

One explanation for the seat post could be that a large firm (like Miele) that were sourcing frames from various builders might want to stick with one size seat post and so ream every frame to take 27.2...

Actually, looking at the chart mike provided^ the "published specs" for all the seat tubes of everything from Tange No. 1 down to Infinity (excluding Prestige, OS and 1000) is for a 28.6 OD tube with 0.9 wall thickness at the unbutted top...so the "correct" unreamed size for all these tubes "should be" 26.8.
I'm using quotes a lot because there's a lot of variables.