Mr. Miyata
11-14-12, 06:20 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Mr. Miyata
This picture was taken around 1990, possibly earlier. That's me on the left, northeast Miyata sales rep John O'Rourke in the middle and Mr. Miyata on the right. The shop I worked at was a top tier Miyata dealer, we had gold, silver and bronze sales award plaques lined up on the wall.
Every 2 years Miyata sent their top dealers to Japan for a tour of the factory, my boss and his wife went 4 or 5 times. They were going to send me on the next trip but Miyata had pulled from the U.S. market by then. Oh well.
Of note in the background is a cutaway team frame, it shows the different wall thicknesses and areas with splined tubing. There's a Bianchi on the end of the top rack which helps to date the photo becasue we didnt sell them untill after I had been there awhile, I started in '84.
This is how I became a knowledge source on Miyata...I worked at a top dealer and received info from the 'source'.
11-14-12, 06:26 AM
#2
Thrifty Bill
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mountains of Western NC
Posts: 23,555
Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more
Liked 1,005 Times
in
646 Posts
Great pic Jim, thanks for sharing!
Yes, some of the great expertise on the list comes from living through that era, active in the bike business. Myself, I was broke back then, so my experience was limited to low end, POS.
Yes, some of the great expertise on the list comes from living through that era, active in the bike business. Myself, I was broke back then, so my experience was limited to low end, POS.
11-14-12, 07:25 AM
#3
自転車整備士
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Denver, Colorado USA
Posts: 885
Bikes: '86 Moots Mountaineer, '94 Salsa Ala Carte, '94 S-Works FSR, 1983 Trek 600 & 620
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Miyata as well, during their 100th Anniversary celebration in 1990. We were also a top Miyata dealer back then, and my boss gave me the chance to take the trip to the factory in Japan.
11-14-12, 08:52 AM
#6
Senior Member
Cool photo, Jim!
Is there a small pony tail on the back of your neck?
Is there a small pony tail on the back of your neck?
__________________
Bikes on Flickr
I prefer email to private messages. You can contact me at justinhughes@me.com
Bikes on Flickr
I prefer email to private messages. You can contact me at justinhughes@me.com
11-14-12, 09:21 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Posts: 1,698
Bikes: 87 Bridgestone 550 (Shocking Electric Metallic Pink)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
MUST be old, not a speck of Carbon Fiber in sight! So, what has been the inflation rate on a NICE mid-level road bike since then? 400%? 500%? Makes $4/gal gas seem almost reasonable! ;-)
11-14-12, 09:34 AM
#9
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,602
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Liked 4,535 Times
in
2,141 Posts
A bike shop with carpeting - welcome to the 1980's. I like it.
-Kurt
-Kurt
__________________
11-14-12, 09:38 AM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
None of our other lines, Schwinn, Bianchi, Gary Fisher, Dave Mouton/Fuso, Serotta or Marinoni offered carbon back then. When I left in '96 there was a documented Major Taylor track bike that I restored in the end spot on the upper rack.
And no pony tail, that's about as long as my hair ever was.
11-14-12, 09:40 AM
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
11-14-12, 09:44 AM
#12
Senior Member
If the cutaway frame used the STB tubeset, then we know the photo is at least a couple of years more recent than 1984.
11-14-12, 09:56 AM
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Someone can probably get all detective on the photo and figure it out, Profile clip-ons on the top rack, white Schwinn ladies MTB down below. I'm sure it was 1990.
11-14-12, 11:22 AM
#14
rain dog
Awesome! I love seeing photos like this. I was alive at this point in time, but unfortunately I was much more interested in teenage mutant ninja turtles than miyatas.
