Koga Miyata Flyer, audax version

I just registered here after finding this site and forum yesterday. Let me introduce myself by sketching my current rebuild project, a Koga Miyata Flyer.
Koga Miyata audax bikes have been the mainstay of the Dutch middle class semi-racer/audax bikes in the eighties. Back then as a por student my budget was not enough to allow me to buy one. Nowadays, with the advent of all the new shiny bikebits these Koga's are sold quite cheaply. So this winter I found one on www.marktplaats.nl and went to the west of the country to pick it up. The frame has nearly the same measures as my custom made Bioracer, so the first impression was very pleasing. Back home I took the bike to my mothers garden for a photo session.













The bike is in a fairly original condition. Only the rear wheel has been replaced by a Mavic wheel, 501 hub with MA40 rim. Too good to undo this change. Based on the framenumber, this one is build in 1987.
My aim is to adapt this bike to it's new home, at the foot of the Ardennes, trying to stick within 4 years of it's manufacturing date. So I changed the double 42/52 crankset for a Stronglight LX100 triple. Upon mounting I had the first surprise, the right crank has standard thread, the left one French. So I still have to hunt through my discarded parts bin, there should be a matching left crank in it. The freewheel (cheap) has been replaced by a Maillard 7-speed 13-25. Originally I wanted to change the gears for a pair of Ofmega triple derailleurs. But recently I acquired a Shimano 600 long cage rear and early Shimano Deore front derailleur which should arrive here tomorrow. So I stick to Shimano for this bike. The Bleumels mudguards still need some tweaking to allow 700x28c Panaracer Paselas underneath. The brakes I excanged for a pair of Suntour Superbes. The front light is still undecided. I haven't got an early AXA halogen light anymore, so probably I'll temperarily mount a Bisy, untill I find a suitable replacement. The saddle I'll replace by either a Brooks Team Pro or a Lepper Voyager. The stem and bars are replaced by Nitto ones, the original I can't pull out enough. The brakelevers are replaced by Dia Compes which were lingering around in my parts box.
Somewhere this season I'll give the Koga some credentials by taking it around at some shorter audaxes.

Melvin will be around very soon .

Hi Ivo,

Welcome!

I am a Miyata enthousiast in Holland. I started riding them in 1992 and over the years I worked on a collection. My bikes range from 1980 to 1997. It are only mountainbikes and roadbikes, as I am always in a hurry on a bike :roll: Only exception was a TerraLiner Carbolite hybrid bike I owned in the early nineties.

You say your Flyer is from the 1987, but discovered it in the 1986 catalogue. It was the entry level roadbike for that year. Fender, rack, lights etc. are probably an addition by its former owner.

In the US the touring model Miyata 1000 is very popular. They go for big bucks. I am sure that the euro equivalent Koga Miyata RandonneurExtra can be had for less on our Marktplaats, but you will have a hard time finding one I think. The RandonneurExtra must be a great bike with its high quality tubing frame, decent racks and Deerhead/600EX equipment.

Already familiar with the bikeforums.net Classic forum? There are A LOT Miyata enthousiast on there. I certainly recommend visiting them too.

Elev12k":28ls6mmm said:

You say your Flyer is from the 1987, but discovered it in the 1986 catalogue. It was the entry level roadbike for that year. Fender, rack, lights etc. are probably an addition by its former owner.

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The frame itself has rather generous tyre clearance and the light cables are routed through the frame. So I guess that the '87 version could be also delivered as a fast tourer version. I dated it at '87 on the basis of the frame number. The choice of original parts though let me believe that the original design is more dating back to the mid 80-ies.

In the US the touring model Miyata 1000 is very popular. They go for big bucks. I am sure that the euro equivalent Koga Miyata RandonneurExtra can be had for less on our Marktplaats, but you will have a hard time finding one I think. The RandonneurExtra must be a great bike with its high quality tubing frame, decent racks and Deerhead/600EX equipment.

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The older Koga Miyata randonneurs and tourers are still quite ok. But halfway the 90-ies Koga started to design more for a tech-freak public and less for utility. In '93 I bought a Koga Miyata alloy randonneur. It was one of the shorter living frames I posessed. I still have the fairly buckled remanants of it. But I must admit that I chased it halfway through Europe .

I still have a roadrunner, an entry level fast tourer, in the shed which is scheduled for conversion to a touring fixie.

Already familiar with the bikeforums.net Classic forum? There are A LOT Miyata enthousiast on there. I certainly recommend visiting them too.

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Not yet, I'll have a look. Up untill now I've been mainly active at the klasiker section of the tour-magazine.de forum.

During the last 2 weeks I received some extra parts for the Koga. So this morning I built it that far that I can take it out onto the road. A short resume of the changes made today, some as announced, some different.

*Saddle changed now a Brooks Professional Select
*I tried to mount an AXA light still lingering around but the mount doesn't fit with the brake & headset. So I stuck to my plan regarding the Bisy. I hope to find an older Union U70H soon.
*Yesterday I acquired a set of Mavic wheels, 501 hubs and MA40 rims. I directly mounted them. The 7 speed block doesn't have enough space at the rear rack mounts. So I had to revert back to 6 speed.

A week or so ago I allready mounted the brakes (Suntour Superbe), the new bar&stem (Nitto, excellent looks) and pedals (old Shimano ATB). The left crank stays a problem, I was wrong with my assumption that a spare left one would be lingering around in my spares box. So I'll have to find replacement.

Of course I directly wheeled the bike outside for some pics: