Just how big is the Miyata Cult?
 

Just was wondering how big the Miyata cult is.
It seems there are a few people who have them and everyone who has one seems to love it to death.
I am new to the cult with my 1980's One Ten and my riding partner has a 710 touring bike.

What else is out there in this forum?

Miyatas are among the finest production bikes ever made...period.

Their cult status is well deserved and I hope to acquire a Miyata 1000 in the not to distant future.

use the Search the forums option up above.. punch-in the name
It's not a cult, not a good way to characterize "it" . I'm no member of ANY cult.
It was one of te first bike manufacturers, among the best out there
So google it as they say, plenty o 'stuff on the net. As I type, there's a post on an antique one..

feel free to nitpick over what to call it, but I like my Miyata and I know I'm not alone.

There's not many manufacturers where the bottom of the line road bike was Cr-Mo Main tubes like the Miyata 110.

I too would very much like a Miyata 1000 or a Team.


The top tubes seem to be on the short side in relation to the Seat tube length, I found that I fit best on a Miyata 1 size bigger than what I normally ride.

NO , your not alone. I have plenty of Miyatas..

I DO like your statement on " many maufacturers" It characterizes Miyata's theme, their whole approach.. VERY few Co.s had such strong representation of CHROMO tubed frames in their line-up. Most others had WAY more Hi-steel models than they had CHROMO in any given year, another exceptional aspect of the Co. & a good observation on your part. They also actually made their own bikes & for others too. On many models they provided their own tubing, made by them as well.

It must not be that big, I've been trying to trade my Triton frame with cro-mo double butted tubes for something else, and haven't had any luck.
"would make a great fixie"

wanna swap for my 110? :lol:

i love my miyata 615!

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BiFKoD8fSzg/So...2/img_0640.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_BiFKoD8fSzg/So...4/img_0640.jpg

I LOVE my miyata 916....awesome frame, even if a bit heavy.

I have been debating buying a NOS Miyata 1000 for 650...thoughts? 53CM.

Cult....cool now i am a cult member ....

I don't know if it is cult or not, but my best/nicest/most high end....etc bike is a Miyata 1400 that i bought new, so I kinda of naturally like them. I don't ride it nearly enough (my other bike is a Nishiki and it gets ridden a lot in the utiliyt role)

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w...d/IMG_0621.jpg

By the time Miyata offered the 916, they'd bolstered the frame internally. I don't see the frames themselves being heavy but it depends on the comparison(s).
As far as NOS 1000 for 650 ? You state your size and of the frame, I'll save the schpiel but would encourage you to consider it. The year might influence the decission of some individuals, not mine. All years had their virtues to some extant or another. as for misvirtues... I don't think so. I see no downside to a 1000 NOS frame. Look at what e-bay's listing for used LeMond frames & others.

I don't know about being a "cult" member, but I really love my Pro Miyata. I would not hesitate to buy another and actively look for them in my size.

I've got two, does that make me a candidate for an intervention?

When I was searching for a vintage tourer, the Miyata 1000 and/or 610 were near the top of my list. About the only thing higher was a Univega Specialissima, which was made by Miyata and basically the same as a 1000 or a 610, but without the name recognition (and therefore about $100-200 cheaper).

But I found the Rob Roy in my sig (single speed cyclocross) for a real good deal and it just happened to fill the niche that the tourer was going into. Also marked my first non-vintage bike (although that model has been discontinued, so it's already something of an antique).

I just got one and I think it's great, probably the smoothest and quietest bike I've ever pedaled and it's old...

http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/MVC-030S.jpg

The 1000 is a 1984 or 85'. The thing making me hesitant is that it has randoneeur (sp?) bars, which I hate. I wouldn't want to replace anything on a bike like this, but I also hate using them.

I wouldn't get caught up about replacing the handlebars. Handlebars, like saddles, are a highly personal matter--if you don't like them, they should definitely get changed out. I don't care how nice and vintage-y and all-original a bike is, if you need to change something out to make it comfortable, you're in the clear.

I consider myself a member of the cult as well. I have a 1988 110 and an 84 710 that unfortunately has a crack from the previous owner by the seat bolt because they rammed a slightly too large post in the seat tube.

I suppose the better question is

Would these bikes still be considered as good if Miyata were producing bikes to this day? What is the nostalgia / legend cache worth? I have only ridden one Miyata, a lower-end 310 I believe, and I liked it. But what I really liked is how protective / informative their owners are of and about them.

If Miyata were producing nothing but crabon and aluminum boring-mobiles like most of the main manufacturers are today, would we still care?

(I have this debate with myself often concerning other C&V things too, kind of the burn out vs. rust adage)

The cult is large, insidious, fairly intelligent, and mostly well-meaning. They tend to travel in small groups, chatting about triple butts and Sugino stuff. Quite often, they are heavily accessorized. They've been known to detour for food and beverages, and are not at all secretive. Some of them know and admit their problem, while others are not cognizant of the situation. Others are in denial. They tend to repair their own, and sometimes speak in code, like "barcon, bb, and 27's."

They really don't seem concerned about "what everyone else is riding," and in the summer, have bugs in their teeth. Some seem to have tolerance for some Specialized riders.

Yeah, they're out there.

I'd just swap 'em out for bars you like, but keep the original stuff. You may want to restore it to it's original state to show it off or sell it. I think the best thing about having a nice bike like that should be riding it, so put on some bars that you like and go to town.

I've only been into this C&V thang for a few months, and in that time 2 of the five bikes I've bought have been Miyatas, my daughter's '87 model 100 mixte and my own '83 210. (Both with the help of the eagle-eyed cb400Bill, who I thank every time I ride.) I'm not a seasoned rider so I have neither the experience in the saddle nor the history of bike ownership to let me judge these bikes against other bikes.

But in my own way I'm kind of a geek, and I have researched and read up on everything I could find about Miyata the company: the catalogs available online, the archives here (esp those T Mar contributed to!), the archives of the BOB mailing list, and so on.

Here are a few things, besides these two bikes themselves, which have impressed me about Miyata:

1. Miyata is not a marketing company that had bikes made to order for the US market, but an actual Japanese bike company (the first, founded in 1892) which produced the bikes, exported them to the US, and sold them under their own name. And they were doing so in the 70s (at least), way before 'Japanese' had any connotation of quality.

2. Like the Japanese car and electronics companies that became so dominant during the 70s and 80s, Miyata continually upgraded, expanded, and improved their line. (I like my 210, but a 110 from just a couple of years later is a 'better' bike.) By the mid 80s they had everything from children's bikes to ATBs to a full out racing bike to a line of three touring bikes. And in each category (from what I can tell) their bikes were competitive with the best (mass produced) bikes available. It's like Toyota and Lexus being able to compete with Chevy, Porsche and Mercedes at the same time.

3. As Japan's largest bike company they had the resources and scale to do things other manufacturers could not: notably to make their own tubing, and to make it to the specific lengths required for different frame sizes. This meant they could offer chro-moly tubing, then double butting, then triple butting, at a price point other makers could not.

4. When the rising yen caused most of the 'Japanese' brands (really US marketing companies) to shift manufacturing to Taiwan, Miyata seems to have simply pulled back from the US market in the early 90s. It may be that Miyata had to undertake other cost cutting measures and for all I know (not being able to read their website) their bikes are made in Chinese factories now. But my impression is that this is not the case, certainly in the case of the Koga Miyata, the only new Miyata you can buy (at great cost) in the US.

5. Miyata's still a viable brand in Japan (www.miyatabike.com) and other markets---apparently they've continued to be sold in Canada all this time. Someone a few years ago on the BOB list noted that Miyata still had an office in Salt Lake City which handled warranty claims; that office's website still exists (www.miyata.com) but is inactive now.

And having written all that...I think I can get a short ride in before dinner!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3427/...80bfe9e235.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2530/...7c6d5358fc.jpg

Sorry for those that took cult as a bad word,
Only meant it in the same way a cult classic film uses the word.

Obviously a popular subject those were some awesome replies!
Love seeing the pics as well.

I love all road bikes but my Miyata One Ten is my love :)
Its rained all week but this weekend I am taking it out on a 3 day tour.
Its pretty much all original parts except the back rim and it has a new seat.

Keep them pics coming.

There are a few more Miyatas for sale here locally wonder what I can find :P

It's all about enthusiasm. Thanks for yours, really. And the large post about Miyata was great.

It's all in fun. We're a jovial bunch, I think, if a little irreverent.
Why, just the other day, I aimed for a cat in the road and missed, hit a squirrel. Dang rodent.

Not a "cult" member but I sure do appreciate Miyata's consistent high standards top to bottom
over the decades. i've owned several - 1000, 912 and now , this has been in queue quite a long
time.

1993 carbon wrapped aluminum tubing.