1985 Miyata 1000

[dirttorpedo]

Bought a 1985 Miyata 1000 touring bike in near original condition. Probably the only changes are tires, tubes saddle, pedals and brake pads. Even has the horrible 80’s foam grips and a dynamo on the back wheel! Only issue so far is a loose headset. Previous owner said it was a barn find that was "restored" by a local home mechanic and then sold to him. He told me that he used this bike to ride all the way to the Yukon from the greater Vancouver area!

Sheldon Brown described this as possibly the best touring bike from the glory days of bike touring in the 70's and 80's. I suspect some would argue the Trek 720 was better than it. I've removed the decal off the top tube, the dynamo and light, replaced a lost eyebolt on the rear fender and oiled the chain. As you can see the seal on the headset has fallen out. I hope that it was just assembled incorrectly by the fellow who restored it.

Components are a combination of Shimano 600 and Deore deerhead for a 3x5 drivetrain. The rest of the stuff looks to be SR. Wheels are Shimano low flange hubs with Araya rims.

I think I will replace the fenders with some modern ones and I want to get wider bars on it - probably a randonneur style like the OE ones. I'll probably add bar end shifters, change the tires to something a little fatter and lighter with tan sidewalls and likely replace the saddle with a brooks cambium. I may also replace the wheels so that I can go 9 speed in the rear.

 

[non-fixie]

Very nice! If it rides anything like my Koga-Miyata Randonneur you've done well.

I bought mine as a frame set, and the resulting build turned out to be exceptionally comfortable:

 

[moonlite]

Bought a 1985 Miyata 1000 touring bike in near original condition. Probably the only changes are tires, tubes saddle, pedals and brake pads. Even has the horrible 80’s foam grips and a dynamo on the back wheel! Only issue so far is a loose headset. Previous owner said it was a barn find that was "restored" by a local home mechanic and then sold to him. He told me that he used this bike to ride all the way to the Yukon from the greater Vancouver area!

Sheldon Brown described this as possibly the best touring bike from the glory days of bike touring in the 70's and 80's. I suspect some would argue the Trek 720 was better than it. I've removed the decal off the top tube, the dynamo and light, replaced a lost eyebolt on the rear fender and oiled the chain. As you can see the seal on the headset has fallen out. I hope that it was just assembled incorrectly by the fellow who restored it.

Components are a combination of Shimano 600 and Deore deerhead for a 3x5 drivetrain. The rest of the stuff looks to be SR. Wheels are Shimano low flange hubs with Araya rims.

I think I will replace the fenders with some modern ones and I want to get wider bars on it - probably a randonneur style like the OE ones. I'll probably add bar end shifters, change the tires to something a little fatter and lighter with tan sidewalls and likely replace the saddle with a brooks cambium. I may also replace the wheels so that I can go 9 speed in the rear.

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Lovely bike! Sounds like your planned changes are practical and pretty sensitive to the original. The one thing that stands out to me would be that kick-stand . . . Super useful I know but quite ugly and likely a bit heavy? Your bike but would you consider dumping it?

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Both lovely bikes

 

[dirttorpedo]

Very nice! If it rides anything like my Koga-Miyata Randonneur you've done well.

I bought mine as a frame set, and the resulting build turned out to be exceptionally comfortable:

That's lovely. I'm enjoying the ride of mine so far - its pretty spritely for a touring bike.

 

[dirttorpedo]

Lovely bike! Sounds like your planned changes are practical and pretty sensitive to the original. The one thing that stands out to me would be that kick-stand . . . Super useful I know but quite ugly and likely a bit heavy? Your bike but would you consider dumping it?

Yes, I'm contemplating removing the kickstand or replacing it with a dual legged one. I do like the practicality of the kickstand for a loaded bike and I do hope to use this one for some touring this summer hence the reason I haven't pulled it off already.

I've made a few changes to the bike as I received it - I replaced the bar and stem with a Nitto dirt drop stem (8cm) and a set of Soma Portola bars. I had a set of Suntour command shifters on the replacement cockpit bits and left them on and hooked them up to the drivetrain. Its a really fun ride in the hooks and drops, but the hoods position still sucks. I'm thinking I will get some 46cm wide nitto noodles and bar end shifters for the next iteration.

I'd also like to put a 7 speed freewheel on the rear wheel, but I'm getting mixed feedback about the need to swap around spacers and re-dish the back wheel (I think its currently a 5 speed and was a 6 speed from the factory). Alternatively I may just cold set the rear triangle to 130 and put a modern back wheel on the bike.