What would be a decent price range on a used Miyata 610? A local shop has a blue 57-58 cm one for $225; it looks to be in average condition with the usual chips and a some small rust spots.

$225 is way too much money for an old 10 speed bike. Go to Goodwill and buy one for $25.

New Jamis, Fuji or Novara steel framed bikes can be bought for $700-900, and even when it was new, the Miyata 610 was crap compared to these new bikes.

As a guy who likes to fix and ride old bikes-- let this one go. I've spend hunderds of dollars on old road bikes (one was a Miyata 310) and loved every minute of it. The trick is that you need a damn-near free bike to start with, or you'll end up spending $$$$.

If you're in the NW USA, PM me and I'll try to help you find an old beater bike.

The Miyata 610 was, and still is, a very fine sports touring bike.

I can't comment on the price, but you will have great difficulty finding a very high quality double butted lugged crmo frame that has fittings for canty brakes and will hapilly accept wide touring 700c tyres and wheels (even if it originally came with 27"), and a perfectly fitting rear rack.

This frame would be a better starting point for a tourer than say a LHT.

My own Miyata 610 now has Ultegra 10 speed 12-27 and Dura Ace 10 speed DT shifters but still sports the original and very fine 110mm BCD Sugino crank, albeit with new 50/36/26 chainrings. I use 36 spoke rear 700x28c and 32 spoke 700x28c front wheels/tyres.

And of course a Brooks B17 Narrow, and a Zefal frame pump.

I bought the bike new in 1984 and I haven't spent more than a few hundred dollars in the last 22 years to get it to its current spec.

Btw, if you want more opinions about the Miyata 610, go and visit the Classic & Vintage Sub-Forum.

The 610 was a 15 speed originally, using MTB stype Suntour Mountech derailleurs. This was high quality stuff. Changing to modern 700c wheels and 9 or 10 speed cassette is easy and cheap.

Jamis, Fuji and Novara make nasty ugly welded stuff, that doesn't compare to a quality lugged frame like the 610. You could look at Rivendell for somthing similar in quality to the 610.... but be shocked by the price.

The Miyata 310 was a low end entry level road/commuter bike in the Miyata range, it doesn't compare to the quality Miyata bikes like the 610 and 1000 Grand Tourers, or the 710 roadie.

Btw, I don't think the OP is looking for "an old beater bike", if he is considering a Miyata 610 then he is probably looking for a high quality touring bike that will last a lifetime.

That's a pretty dang sweet bike Miyata 610--- what rims/hubs/tires are you running?

You've upgraded with really changing the basic sport-touring nature of the bike-- that's something missing from many upgrades I've seen. It's really impossible to make a race bike or a tricked out loaded touring bike out of the 80's light-touring bikes. Your bike is one of the good all-arounders that defined the 80's. Now we have really good specialized bikes-- carbon frame racers and super study dedicated touring bikes. Miyata made mid level bikes students and weekend warrors road around in Converse tennis shoes. Most cyclists today take themselves way to seriously.

What's still stock on the bike besides the crankset? Have you had to change out the headset (it was Tange stock I believe)?

Sun rims and Shimano Tiagra hubs, Maxxis Detonator tyres.

Yep, tange headset, still original, as are... bars, forks, seatpost, brakes, rack etc.

The consumables have all changed, i.e. cassette, chain, chainrings.

I use Ultegra front and rear derailleurs - long cage of course, apart from the new wheels this is the biggest change along with the DA indexed 10s DT shifters, which I love.

The original gearing was 14-28 ... now 12-27 and originally 28/46/52 ... now 26/36/50, so apart from twice as many ratios the character of the bike remains the same as it was in 1984.

I have kept all the original bits.

The Miyata 610 compares favourably to any modern specialised touring bike available today, with the added benefit of a nicely made lugged frame.

Hard to beat.

I'd like one.

I posted a awhile back a late 80's Koga Miyata Valley Runner I built up as a loaded touring bike. Many Japanese bikes (Miyata , Panasonic, Fugi's - just to name few) made before the the currency conversion made it cost prohibitive to import them made great bikes for touring. Like Miyata610 states and I agree many are better made than the mid level touring bikes of today. The secret is to find a nice frame and have the patience to build it up to mechanical standards of today - or leave retro as the case maybe.
If you like to search and playing with bike parts as I do you will be rewarded with a touring bike that in many cases can not be match without expending $1,000's of dollars in todauy's dollars.

I used to have a modern Fuji Touring and now I have a Miyata 610. The Miyata frame is a lot nicer. The components are what you'd expect on a good bike from the 80's-- pretty clunky compared to what we have now but quite workable and probably more reliable than modern parts. My bike is set up as some kind of mutant cyclocross with 700x38 tires and it's really cool.

It's a really nice bike but I don't know about paying $225 for it. Not that it isn't comparable to bikes costing more than that, but you can probably find one a lot cheaper. Mine was $40.

Not much time left. And maybe too expensive, according to this crowd.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

and it went for $315 + $50 postage.....

I reckon that's a lot of bike for the price.... now if I could get a Miyata 1000 for that money .... still lookin

That was a very nice 610 - I was tempted, but it was a little to big - well worth the price - I would still need to convert it to 700c. Just think of it in prospective to the new junk you get for $375 to day. Again you can update it alittle and been into it for less than $500.

Thanks for responding!
Brian

Leftthread: Keep scoping the thrift stores, garage sales, & Goodwill--I got both of my '86 610s in mint condition (apparently a couple who bought them new & never rode them) at a 'package' price of $50 for both at Goodwill--with fenders & racks, all original equipment including the original 'radial' tires. The bargains are out there, it's a matter of patience and luck!

I recently bought a built up a 1980 or 1981 Miyata 710. I purchased the frame in good condition, with shifters, headset, and BB for $200. I've put double pivot calipers and an Easton handlebar, cane creek scr-5 brake levers, downtube shifters, 105 FD, acera RD, sugino 46-36-26 touring crankset.

Completely worth it, I love this bike and even though I'm 200 lbs, it's going to last a long time. I like the feel of the steel tubes on the road and how much shock they take up. I run 23c armadillo tires

more pix at : www.lebo.org

i got one(Miyata 1000) for.......drum roll....... 220.00usd It's my everyday commuter. I love it. CRAIGSLIST wached it everyday for about 1 year. He advertised it as a Miyata, I emailed what model, he emailed 1000, I emailed sold. Picked it up the next morning.

My poor Jamis was slammed

The Jamis is a good bike even with the ugly welded stuff (I've gotten good comments about the Aurora)but I would look at the Novara. Has anyone seen the welded stuff on Surly bikes?

The welds on my Surly LHT are very nice, very clean. The Miyata 610 and its lugs still look better than any welded frame I've ever seen, though!

Currently--Surly, Jamis, Fuji as well as most other quality steel frames are made by the same company-- Maxway Cycles in Taiwan.

Of course this sort of thing was true in the 80's as well-- there is very little difference in Fuji, Univega, Lotus, Centurion and Miyata bikes. Plus all the Shwinns and Bianchis made in Japan at the same time.

Miyata had its own manufacturing, it even made its own tubing, the only bicycle company that actually made its own double and triple butted crmo tubesets. I guess it may have made some of the other brands, but most of those listed used other makes of tubing. I'm pretty sure Miyata did make Univega though.

fun thread albiet a little old but i thought i'd drop a line anyway.

i picked up a rust free 610 15 speed for $25 best buy i've ever made!

anyone who doubts the quality has never rode one in good shape. When i brought it to the shop and tuned it up it rode almost fast nice as my buddy's $1800 custom built soma and weighed only 4 lbs more (that soma is cr-mo as well). something to be said for a well built bike.
we'll see how it does w/ some 700c wheels wrapped in panas, carbon fork and seat post, and some new cantilevers (haven't decided which just yet).

it is now my main form of transportation and i'm in love


/hey btw, anyone know who i can ask about looking up this serial number? heh thanks

You got a bargain!

I have a couple of Mayata 710's and they're quality bikes. Ask your question in Classic and Vintage...Tmar is especially knowledgeable about Miyatas.

You should also post a photo of your 610 in this vintage touring bike thread:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/319254-show-us-your-vintage-touring-bikes.html

I just picked up a Miyata 718a in trade for computer services. Beautiful bike that rides like a dream!

Can you photo shoot the new model ? :-)

Here it is;