Ngadbo

I've been discussing this bike in a vintage thread, that started with me asking about a Schwinn Voyageur

It seems pretty cool. But I can't tell what's original. The pics require some detective work

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/bik/d/south-saint-paul-miyata-touring-bike/7099986178.html

The front brakes are all funky and don't fit the wheel. I assume the brakes themselves are not original, but I wonder if they switched to them because the wheel isn't either?

Is the derailleur even original? Is it that one I've seen people worry about? What's going on here? This is an 83 or 84 I think?

Thank you for any clarification you can provide, I'm hot to trot, I want a new bike and this is right in my wheelhouse. Something I can rack up some groceries on, or tear around town a little outside of that.

I have some initial questions in to the seller, about all this general stuff. But input would be helpful for the discussion

My initial thought is that I like it either way, and the front brakes probably just want to return to original.

desconhecido 

I don't know, the bike looks pretty much original when compared to the 83 catalog picture and details, except, of course, for the bars and pedals and maybe freewheel.. Front and rear derailleurs look like the Suntours on the catalog bike. The rear derailleur looks like a Mount Tech -- they are rather distinctive although there might have been other Suntours of similar design. Rack and crankset and seat post and shifters look original. And the saddle looks a lot like the catalog except it's tan instead of black. The front brake is goofy but it looks to me that if the straddle hanger were lowered a bit the arms might come out and the brakes could be properly adjusted. According to the catalog, the bike came with Dia-Compe 960 brakes. Here's some of those brakes. I think the brakes might be original and it looks like the original pads.

If the bike is not too big for you, you should go look at it. You should be able to tell if the front wheel has been replaced with a 700c rim , even tell if the rims are the original Araya rims. Check if those brakes match the D-C 960s. Pop the straddle cable out of the hanger and see if adjustment can give you the proper pad angle.

Personally, I don't think the bike is way over priced though it will require some further investment -- at least replace those brake pads as they're probably rock hard. I think that the DT shifters, you'll get used to them pretty quickly. The Suntour power shifters aren't bad friction shifters.

Ngadbo

Ah weird, that link does look like the front brakes

In every photo of the bike I've looked at before, the brakes looked more like the rear ones.

The rear brakes are surely different than the front ones on this bike, anyways, yes? Do my eyes deceive me?

I'm so confused! But it does seem promising in any case.

I've read some people warn of the mount tech - couldn't recall the name earlier. I don't know how pervasive problems really are with it, though

Thanks for your input.

desconhecido 

Yeah, looks like the Mount Tech had a bad rep. Never knew that before.

Can't tell from the seller's pictures whether the back brake is the same as the front or not. A quick in person inspection will reveal all, I should think.

saddlesores

i'd guess the bike was just pulled out of storage, and the seller
simply didn't bother to adjust the front brakes.

likely someone's ma or pa is selling junior's bike while he's
away at college. can't imagine a tour bike rider selling their
own bike with a one-sentence advertisement.

"Very nice Miyata Lugged Chromoly Steel Touring bike with cantilever brakes."

thumpism 

Brakes front and rear are the same, from what I can tell. I have those on an '80s Nishiki and the front pad(s) on the bike pictured might have been knocked askew. Not a bad price on the bike but, as mentioned above, some parts have been replaced.

cyccommute 

The brakes are stock as is just about everything else except for the bars and brake levers. I had that exact bike and the brakes were one of the first things I changed on mine.

The Mountech worked. I had a number of them as well. The upper jockey wheel was the problem. It was very large and was easily contaminated. This site has a pretty good explanation of the problems. But derailers are easy to replace, especially if you stick with friction. Any number of modern derailers will work.