1991 Miyata Trailrunner alloy
- Thread starter qballtx
- Start date
Hi fellow Miyatian!
Congrats, you are the owner of the best bike in the world! ...but we should not say the later too loud, as I like they still can be had at a bargain
I have three frames using the same construction:
1991 Koga Miyata TerraRunner Carbolite
1990 goldplated Miyata Century celebrating 100 years Miyata bike building
1991 Miyata Team Greg Herbold signature ed
With the similar lugs Miyata created dozens of frame models using several materials for tubing. It is a bit like Lego. For the front there was aluminium and carbon tubing and for the rear there was steel, aluminium and carbon.
Yours has an alloy front and I think a steel rear. I think a steel rear because the stays look more svelte. Furthermore with steel the stays were brazed to the dropouts and with the alloy & carbon the tubing was clued and bolted to the dropout. This I can't see on the pics though. Too unclear.
The combination of alloy front and steel rear was the most economical offering.
The 1990 and 1991 models differed. Making new lugs and other tiny modifications requires substansial money, but Miyata was a big and committed company. For '91: Slimmer dropouts and a reworked, slimmer bracketlug with intergrated chainsuckteeth. Frame now fitting 1.125" headset and 73mm bracket, instead of 1" and 68mm. Furthermore toptube cablerouting and bolted instead of welded seatstaybridge and brakebosses. For the 10,000 this enabled the use of carbon for the stays.
By seeing the toptube cablerouting for example, I conclude yours must be a 1991.
For 1992 there already was the 2nd generation of bonded and bolted Miyatas.
On upgrading: I do not know why, but I sometimes see relatively low end stuff on the Japanese Miyatas. Take into account the frames are actually pretty expensive.
This is a Japanese RidgeRunner:
With Shimano Deore DX it is decent specced. DX or XT (back then there was no XTR) is appropriate.
My TrailRunner Carbolite has black DX and the Century has XT. My Team is still a frameset. The TrailRunner C has a carbon front & steel rear, the Century has a carbon front & alloy rear and the Team is full alloy.
On upgrading to suspension: It is not suspension corrected. I once put a long travel forks in a non corrected frame. Handling did change substantially, though I still like the ride. It is also subject to personal preferences. Expect your bike doesn't like cornering as much as it did with a rigid fork. When opting for suspension you should look out for a forks with threaded, 21.5cm, 1-1/8 steerer.
- Melvin
Congrats, you are the owner of the best bike in the world! ...but we should not say the later too loud, as I like they still can be had at a bargain
I have three frames using the same construction:
1991 Koga Miyata TerraRunner Carbolite
1990 goldplated Miyata Century celebrating 100 years Miyata bike building
1991 Miyata Team Greg Herbold signature ed
With the similar lugs Miyata created dozens of frame models using several materials for tubing. It is a bit like Lego. For the front there was aluminium and carbon tubing and for the rear there was steel, aluminium and carbon.
Yours has an alloy front and I think a steel rear. I think a steel rear because the stays look more svelte. Furthermore with steel the stays were brazed to the dropouts and with the alloy & carbon the tubing was clued and bolted to the dropout. This I can't see on the pics though. Too unclear.
The combination of alloy front and steel rear was the most economical offering.
The 1990 and 1991 models differed. Making new lugs and other tiny modifications requires substansial money, but Miyata was a big and committed company. For '91: Slimmer dropouts and a reworked, slimmer bracketlug with intergrated chainsuckteeth. Frame now fitting 1.125" headset and 73mm bracket, instead of 1" and 68mm. Furthermore toptube cablerouting and bolted instead of welded seatstaybridge and brakebosses. For the 10,000 this enabled the use of carbon for the stays.
By seeing the toptube cablerouting for example, I conclude yours must be a 1991.
For 1992 there already was the 2nd generation of bonded and bolted Miyatas.
On upgrading: I do not know why, but I sometimes see relatively low end stuff on the Japanese Miyatas. Take into account the frames are actually pretty expensive.
This is a Japanese RidgeRunner:
With Shimano Deore DX it is decent specced. DX or XT (back then there was no XTR) is appropriate.
My TrailRunner Carbolite has black DX and the Century has XT. My Team is still a frameset. The TrailRunner C has a carbon front & steel rear, the Century has a carbon front & alloy rear and the Team is full alloy.
On upgrading to suspension: It is not suspension corrected. I once put a long travel forks in a non corrected frame. Handling did change substantially, though I still like the ride. It is also subject to personal preferences. Expect your bike doesn't like cornering as much as it did with a rigid fork. When opting for suspension you should look out for a forks with threaded, 21.5cm, 1-1/8 steerer.
- Melvin
Thanks a bunch Melvin for the usefull info. Sorry about the pics...I know they're most crappy. I'll see if anyone has a better digital cam around for some better pics. I know this is a stupid question, but how exactly do I insert an image into my post that looks more like yours by not using the attachment? I assume it has something to do with the Img and g2Img buttons, but which one do I use to get the pics from my comp.? I hate being the noob!
When I bought this Miyata in Okinawa at the PX for $400, I had no idea what I had bought, other than it looked sweet and was pretty light (31 lbs). Thanks to you, I now know what it is (a 1991, not '95), and that it's a great bike that I should hold onto and upgrade.
Thanks again....and your Miyatas rock!!
Bob
When I bought this Miyata in Okinawa at the PX for $400, I had no idea what I had bought, other than it looked sweet and was pretty light (31 lbs). Thanks to you, I now know what it is (a 1991, not '95), and that it's a great bike that I should hold onto and upgrade.
Thanks again....and your Miyatas rock!!
Bob
Hi Bob,
Yeah, deffo worth an upgrade
This could give you some inspiration:
Neat:
XT & Syncros parts
Christmas tree:
Whole article
I do not know how is the situation is in the US, but if I want DX or XT parts I simply source a neglected, neat DX or XT bike very cheap. Throw away the inferior frame (of course not another Miyata ) and Voila!
old DX & XT = great function
old DX & XT = period correct
old DX & XT = cheap
old DX & XT = way more durable than crappy, modern 9s units
...but you need some skills to swing the parts on
If you want -for example- a particular stem you could source it through eBay or of course overhere on Retrobike. Here you find a timeline.
On weight: My TerraRunner Carbolite is not a bike I immediately associate with lightweight, but I can assure you your bike excells in the sturdiness department The frames with the steel rear are somewhat heavier than the ones with alloy rear triangle.
I have a review of the 1991 Elevation Elevation 5,000. It is like yours, but with the alloy rear. Will post it.
Posting pics: With clicking on my Quote button you can see how I do it. You could use http://photobucket.com/ for uploading.
- Melvin
Yeah, deffo worth an upgrade
This could give you some inspiration:
Neat:
XT & Syncros parts
Christmas tree:
Whole article
I do not know how is the situation is in the US, but if I want DX or XT parts I simply source a neglected, neat DX or XT bike very cheap. Throw away the inferior frame (of course not another Miyata
) and Voila! old DX & XT = great function
old DX & XT = period correct
old DX & XT = cheap
old DX & XT = way more durable than crappy, modern 9s units
...but you need some skills to swing the parts on
If you want -for example- a particular stem you could source it through eBay or of course overhere on Retrobike. Here you find a timeline.
On weight: My TerraRunner Carbolite is not a bike I immediately associate with lightweight, but I can assure you your bike excells in the sturdiness department
The frames with the steel rear are somewhat heavier than the ones with alloy rear triangle.I have a review of the 1991 Elevation Elevation 5,000. It is like yours, but with the alloy rear. Will post it.
Posting pics: With clicking on my Quote button you can see how I do it. You could use http://photobucket.com/ for uploading.
- Melvin
Elev12k":qkl4h2e6 said:Christmas tree:
Elev12k, you just took me back to my school "daze" mate.. I remember opening MBUK on my lap one time in a French class and drooling over Herbold's bike.. I had a Trekker Comp at the time and set about trying to "Herbolise" it as much I could.. I was the only kid at school who had a mountain bike..
Followed the link and got the larger scan; new desktop wallpaper! Thanks!
Cool...thanks for the image info--very helpful. I'm glad I have a durable frame considering the hell I put it through. It has survived some pretty spectacular wrecks with no prob. Actually, it came out with fewer scars than I did.
Except for the thumbshifters (DX), and the hub (Acera X), the rest of the parts are LX. The crankset is upgraded, too, but I can't remember to what. I just know that it was a much better one than stock.
If I were to install a suspension fork, wouldn't the wheelbase (distance between wheels) be reduced by around 3 inches? Sounds like that would make for a really screwy feel in the steering. This must be what you were referring to when you mentioned that my frame is not set up for suspension. Is that few inches something to worry about?
Bob
Except for the thumbshifters (DX), and the hub (Acera X), the rest of the parts are LX. The crankset is upgraded, too, but I can't remember to what. I just know that it was a much better one than stock.
If I were to install a suspension fork, wouldn't the wheelbase (distance between wheels) be reduced by around 3 inches? Sounds like that would make for a really screwy feel in the steering. This must be what you were referring to when you mentioned that my frame is not set up for suspension. Is that few inches something to worry about?
Bob
