mjdewitt

Hi,

I just picked up a Miyata 912 and would like to get it running to ride casually with my family. It seems to be in decent original condition with the exception of the tires/tubes, cables and foam grips. The problem that I am having is that there are so many choices or compatibility issues, I'm not sure what to buy? I would be very interested in recommendations of what and where to buy.

I think I have the tools and ability to be able to do my own work and I think it would be fun to boot.

So,

Tires/tubes/liners -- currently 27x1 1/4" black/tan lots of rot. I would love something that looks original and am not sure if gumwall is the same as tan? My air pumps are only capable of handling schrader valves.

Cables -- currently Shimano 600, one derailleur cable missing. I assume cable sets are the way to go, but it is hard to know if the cable ends are compatible with the old type of Shimano.

Bar Foam -- needs to go as it is flaking off. I am not sure if I should replace the foam with new foam or go with bar tape? yes, the foam is original, but I am not a big fan of foam.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this as after going through lots of threads, it isn't clear to me what parts will work well.

Mike

20grit

Your rims are likely presta rims. That will prevent the use of Schrader valves (schrader hole is larger). There are presta to schrader adapters that work-ish. If it's not too much expense for you, I'd go ahead and buy a pump capable of inflating both.

Go with bar tape instead of getting new foam. There are far more options. The tape itself is about personal preference. I have used and like Cinelli cork and Fizik Microtex.

mjdewitt

Thank you 20grit. The tubes are indeed prestas and didn't realize the rims were sized this way -- I assumed it was always a choice. so glad I asked.

daf1009

Tires - Gumwall will look good and original...I think these tend to look more "vintage"...agree with other posters about schrader versus presta...get a pump that handles both...if you can

Cables - if you get derailleur cables, you should be fine with cables...and, you can always ask the guys at the LBS

Bar Foam - NO! Get bar tape...there are a lot of good ones out there...I have used several different ones...and different looks...but, basic bar tape of any brand is usually pretty good.

artclone

Panaracer Pasela tires are a good quality tire and since Miyata was part owned by Panasonic, a good match.

I always recommend riding a new bike a few months before putting too much money into it. It is easy to spend a lot and not be abke to recoup if you decide the frame doesn't fit.

bradtx

mjdewitt, You may also want to check the condition of items with bearings; wheel hubs, head set and bottom bracket. Sheldon Brown's sticky on the maintenance forum, Park Tool's website and youtube are good quick references. You may also want to buy a book on bicycle maintenance, which might be available from your local library.

For cable housing and cables (derailleur and brake cables and housings are different) you can buy from a local bike shop. Bring in the old pieces and they can match housing lengths and cables, this is a good option if you lack the proper tool. You can also buy the presta to Schrader adapter. Rim liner is available in different widths as well as for differing sized rims, buy the right size either online or from the bike shop. Tires and tubes can be bought online or at a shop, but there are probably more tire choices online.

Brad

bikemig 

Mike: this is a really nice bike. The bike came with presta and if the tubes are presto, I'd keep it that way. There are plenty of inexpensive decent quality pumps that fit both; I really like planet bike pumps since small parts are readily available (you can fix them). Gumwall 27 by 1 1/4 tires work; do they fit? That bike came with 700c wheels I think and a wide tire may be a bit of an issue on the frame since it is a racing bike. In any case, Amazon is a pretty good source for everything you need.

I'd replace the foam with some sort of cork tape. I'd replace all the cables and the chain. And I'd overhaul the bike and put in new grease everywhere. Grease isn't like fine wine; it gets worse, not better, with age.

seely

I'll echo what others have said for the most part.

-If the wheels are 27" (surprising on a 912, one of Miyata's top tier bikes -- the ones I've seen are 700c...) the Panaracer Pasela is the go-to choice.
-I'd also recommend getting a good *floor* pump that does both presta/schraeder valves. With high pressure narrow tires, you'll be wanting to top off the pressure at least once or twice a week.
-For bar *tape*, good ol' Cinelli cork feels great and can't be beat.
-For cables and housing, measure out what housing you'll need (or bring the old housing to the shop and have them measure off that) and get some new 5mm brake and shift housing (they are different) and some brake/shift cables. Standard *road* cables will work. Make sure the shop gives you new metal cable housing ends (ferrules) with the housing.

I want to emphasize what others have said in that you have a *very* nice bike there. Miyata was one of the premier Japanese bike builders, and it seems like at any given pricepoint they were able to deliver a lighter, better riding bike than their competition. Here's my freshly rebuilt 610:

mjdewitt

Thank you all. It looks like I have made another mistake about the tire size. The tires are so badly checked that the imprint on them is lost and I haven't found sizing on the rims, just a big red sticker. They are probably 700c wheels after all with presta valves.

Seely, my bike has the rear alloy fender and rack, but no front fender. I would love to find the matching front fender.

I will try and post a picture of it tonight.

Mike

nikku 

Wheels/tire size should be 700c. This is helpful as it gives you a huge variety of options for replacing both tires and wheels. I would also second others' comments about servicing the bottom bracket and hubs.

You can go to https://www.miyatacatalogs.com/ to get more info about your specific bicycle. Also be aware that the 912 was a racing model, which means that it's not really suited for slow, casual riding. I mean, you can do it, but it's somewhat twitchy and fast, and you'll definitely *want* to go fast on it. Also be aware, if it's an early 80's 912, the Shimano rear cluster is the early "uniglide" type, which was the forerunner to the modern cassette freehub. The only way to remove it is with two chainwhips, one to unscrew the small cog, and one to hold the remainder of the cluster to keep it from turning (this is only important if you need to switch out the rear cluster)

Enjoy the ride, 912s are nice!

seely

Racks and fenders on a 912? I am intrigued! My guess is here that someone will either have what you need or be able to point you in the right direction to find it.

mjdewitt

I probably would have just brought the Miyata to my LBS as I like to give local business a chance, but they kinda screwed up with the last (first time experience) vintage bike I asked them to perform a maintenance and tire/tube replacement.

This is my daughter's Univega mixte which was picked up from Goodwill in excellent condition. Given the age of the tires, I wanted to put new tires on it and keep the old ones as they were fine and Univega branded so that the bike could be returned to original condition if ever needed. When I picked up the bike, I got a "sorry, we threw away your tires" and a shrug, and the full $173 bill for tires/tubes and tune-up.

And so, I decided that I would try myself to source what I needed online and do the work myself as I would try to keep the cost down as I was only into the bike $70. But it sounds like I am better off finding another LBS who can source/make? the right parts and recondition the bike back into rideable condition.

(here is the Univega - my wife has a Nishiki mixte which is the next project)



Mike

DiegoFrogs

Sounds like you're enjoying the hobby (or, rather, your addiction is spinning nicely out of control). I recommend, as you said, buying what you need and doing the work yourself.

The rehab should be fairly straightforward. Japanese bikes from this time period are very standardized in terms of the components, and as such there's really no need to fabricate your own parts. Besides, if I needed to do such things, there aren't many shops I would trust to do so, especially if they're as indifferent about listening as you indicate.

My first tool purchase, if I were you, would be a high quality bicycle cable and housing cutter.

Bill Kapaun

You can pick up a Presta/Schraeder adapter for about $2 at your LBS.
I carry one on my key chain.

due ruote 

I'll echo what others are saying - if you have some mechanical aptitude, working on that bike should be pretty straightforward and rewarding. You can use that money for something fun, like dinner at the end of a long ride with the family.

Also, +1 that's a very nice bike. You can see lots of love for Miyatas on this thread.

Oh, and now that you've proven you can post pictures, let's see the 912!

20grit

If you are located near one of us, you can probably pick someone's brain/get help on issues, too.

old's'cool

OUCH!

mjdewitt

Thanks everyone for making me feel welcome here.

It seems that I was 1/2 wrong about the wheels. The front wheel is an Araya 27 x 1 /4." The back wheel is a super champion, made in France with no other markings and I can't find anything readable on the tire which is in awful shape. So I don't know the size of the rear and guess I will have to measure it?

As promised here are some pictures of it:

bikemig 

This is a really good bike that looks to be in pretty decent shape. So the rear is 700c and the front 27 inch? Is the rear a superchampion gentleman or a 58? Both are nice rims. I think you'll find that you can fit a fatter tire without the fenders and that is probably what I would do.

I'd do a full restore on the bike. I'd take it all apart to clean the frame and wax it up. I'd clean up all the parts before installing the again. I'd use all new high quality bearings with good quality grease. I'd replace the chain and the cables and cable housing as well as the foam. Not a hard job but a very worthwhile one on a bike this nice. You'll basically have a "new" old bike when done that will ride just great.

seely

My 610 had 27" Super Champion's on it. Nice rims. They held up great until my landlord drunkenly fell into one (or so I suspect). Anyway, could be 700 or 27. I see no reason not to go 700 all around, though. You'll have a vastly better tire selection for down the road.

If you're looking for a comparable replacement wheelset, I'm going to toot my own horn here and recommend the Velocity Synergy in a 700c. It's an eyeletted box rim that will keep the aesthetic of the Super Champion. They can be rebuilt onto the the original hubs easily, though I'd service the hubs at the same time. Top the wheelset off with some gumwall Panaracer 28c tires and then replace the fenders with something like my SKS fenders (they more or less match the rear on your bike currently) and you've got a fantastic bike.

One of the great things about older bikes is how serviceable they are. It takes a bit of skill, but once you know how to remove, clean, reinstall and adjust bearing interfaces (like the bottom bracket and headset), the original parts can last you near a lifetime. On my Miyata, all the bearings themselves are original -- I just removed the balls, wiped them down in a clean rag with some chain lube (I don't like using solvents) and then reinstalled them into some fresh grease and got the adjustment dialed in.

crank_addict

Sharp looking ride. Bummer about your prior experience and $$$ for a tune and rubber change. Anyhow, the rear fender looks like a W. Germany era ESGE. I only mention it as I picked up a set of identical looking but for shorties NOS at a LBS. Typical but true story.... everything modern and new in that particular store, however I had to snoop in a far corner and here they were, still in the wrapper for $8.00.

mjdewitt

I wonder if 912's were always 700c in size? Since this seems to be a 1979 (H code), I wonder if they may hav started with 27" tires? It also seems that this bike pre-dates the aero style brake handles.

Anyone else got a 1979?

PS the cool thing is that this bike matches my 1979 Seiko A259-5010

tarwheel 

That is a very nice bike and should be a great fixer-upper. Personally, I would invest in some new 700c wheels since the ones on the bike don't match and are probably not original anyway. Wheels make such a huge difference in how a bike rides and new ones should also be more durable. Lots of great options, but you could pick up some Mavic Open Pros or Velocity Synergy/Aerohead in either black or silver for reasonable prices.

The fender looks like an SKS, which are readily available but you might have trouble just finding a front one. IMHO, black and tan look really nice together, so some skinwall/tan tires with natural cork bar tape would look really sharp on that bike. I just happen to have one of my bikes set up with a similar color scheme.

Dfrost 

I've got a '79 912 that I purchased new back then.



Pretty sure that they were 700c wheels (mine have been upgraded several times over the decades). Here's a link to the gallery showing other details of my recent upgrade to this bike.

This is bike will easily take 28-30mm tires. Panaracer Paselas are the usual good quality budget recommendation, but I like better Grand Bois tires for twice the price of Paselas as an improvement over the Rolly-Poly's in the 912 as pictured. This frame deserves good stuff!

i would also highly recommend a brake upgrade. Getting rid of those old "backward" Dia Compe calipers and uncomfortable levers was the first significant and highly worthwhile upgrade I made way back when. Medium reach dual pivot calipers (Tektro would be fine, and they're a great value, often available on Craigslist around here) with more modern levers will really improve the braking and comfort, both of which are important even on relaxed family rides. And if you also switch to Kool Stop salmon pads you'll have braking as good as it can be. The OP also mentioned needing new cables. I was impressed with the Jagwire "Road Racer" cable kit I used in that upgrade. The brake and shift feel is better on this bike than any others in our stable.

The Shimano 600EX (equivalent to Ultegra now) drivetrain on these 912s was fabulous, and those Uniglide cassettes last a very long time. You can flip the cogs over when they're worn!

My upgrade moved to 8-speed Ergopower (Campy made the Sachs shifters) levers, and Seattle area riding at my age goes better with a triple front. I had the rear triangle spread to 130mm several upgrades back.

mjdewitt

David, I am really impressed with what you have done to this bike. I especially like your setup with the integrated brakes and shifters. Interestingly my brakes are all shimano.


Looking at your bike and the bikes of others (thank you Tarheel for the black and tan, and Seely for his 610), it is clear that I have got a lot to learn and need to focus on getting the bike running.


So, step one for me is going to be wheels/tires and cabling.



If I understand things correctly, I should be looking for 700c rims to mount to my hubs?


Given that the existing galvanized spokes are a little rough, should I replace those too?


Parts
700c rim (clincher, not sew-up)
stainless spokes with caps in a length to match the galvanized spokes (or just clean up the original spokes)
700c presta tubes
700cx32mm tires (the grand bois match what is on the bike now and seem to be true black/tan)
Jagwire racing cable set


Tools
Tire levers
spoke wrench
good quality cable/housing cutters
presta air pump


Sound about right?


Mike