WGB 

I picked this up on Sunday last and am unsure of model, let alone value. Serial number is J321637 so I believe it's a 1983

Shimano 600 Arabesque components are in very good shape and cleaned up very very well, even the cables were in very good shape. Unfortunately the wheels set was mismatched with rear wheel being Araya and front wheel a Weinmann with a Campagnolo hub. Since Araya are usually very easy to find I will get an Aray front to finish it up. The rear wheel has a uniglide freehub and cassette but haven't taken it off cleaned it and replace the grease and bearings if required and will do the front at the same time. Due to the cold snap I haven't polished the frame and reassembled, only slight clean up.

The bars and stem are the usual Sakae Road Champion combo but the seatpost is something I hadn't seen before.

I have had at least 5 SR Laprade seat posts in my hands, just like the short one, in that last year. Unsure what it is either because there is a grove right through the stamped diameter marking on that seat post and it measures at 26.6mm on the micrometer whereas the smaller one shown which is marked 26.6mm mikes at 26.5mm. Both posts are worn but even then the marking make no sense (its not no nor ever was 27.2mm by any stretch of the imagination tho' possibly price was $3.50)

I kept the photo of the seat and seatpost from the ad as buyer had the bike overhauled a few years back by a bike shop who installed the seat on the post that way....








Presumably F for Front DR cable and B for (Back) Rear DR cable?



believe it's a 1983

Shimano 600 Arabesque components are in very good shape and cleaned up very very well, even the cables were in very good shape. Unfortunately the wheels set was mismatched with rear wheel being Araya and front wheel a Weinmann with a Campagnolo hub. Since Araya are usually very easy to find I will get an Aray front to finish it up. The rear wheel has a uniglide freehub and cassette but haven't taken it off cleaned it and replaced the grease and bearings if required and will do the front at the same time. Due to the cold snap I haven't polished the frame and reassembled, only slight clean up.

The bars and stem are the usual Sakae Road Champion combo but the seatpost is something I hadn't seen before.

I have had at least 5 SR Laprade seat posts in my hands, just like the short one, in that last year. Unsure what it is either because there is a grove right through the stamped diameter marking on that seat post and it measures at 26.6mm on the micrometer whereas the smaller one shown which is marked 26.6mm mikes at 26.5mm. Both posts are worn but even then the marking make no sense (its not no nor ever was 27.2mm by any stretch of the imagination tho' possibly price was $3.50)

I kept the photo of the seat and seatpost as buyer had the bike overhauled a few years back by a bike shop who installed the seat that way....

rgvg

That's a good theory on the F & B stickers, but then they would be on the wrong side, wouldn't they? The B should be on the drive side, if it were true.

WGB 

You're right! I stripped bike down before I saw the stickers and made the assumption. Still confused by that and teh markings on the post...

T-Mar

FYI, it's a 1981 Miyata 912. A 26.6mm post would be correct. I've always assumed the letter stickers on BB shell to be inspection status stickers. A number of different combinations have surfaced. Hopefully, your son enjoys it.

John Sinclair

Re the Seatposts, the one on the Miyata backwards is marked "SR Laprade", and you have another picture with a long and a short.
The longer one is a Model CT-P5, "CUSTOM-P5 (SAKAE LAPRADE)" in the 1982 Sakae Catalog No P-7.
The shorter one is a Model CT-P5E, with "Steel Bracket and Supporter", which is NEW in the 1983 Sakae Catalog No 19.
It is a pity it is scratched, I would like to see a clear photo of all the markings on the stem.

WGB 

John Sinclair I will try to get a better shot using a camera and flip it to you

T-mar I got a Giant Allegre for$50 and son #1 seized it so I got the Miyata. 912 you say? Seems like a nice bike. Might have to switch out the groupset for a rougher set as this set is in really great shape.
PS I think (I hope) I followed your advice correcctly for the bent frame and used a hockey stick. I think it is now almost straight!!!!

WGB 

John Sinclair tried and failed. I am afraid I will just have to buff this post up as I can barely make out "..PAN" and the number 26.? and the letter "M" and the number 81 and camera I am using won't capture those

T-Mar

Sorry WGB, I thought you had told me that the Miyata was going to be for your son.

I'm glad to hear that the Takara frame straightened out. I don't know why everybody recommends using a 2 x 4. They're quite unwieldy. A broken hockey stick shaft is strong. more manageable and consequently more easily modulated. They're the duct tape of frame straightening.

The 'PAN' on the seat post is almost certainly the remnants of 'JAPAN'.

ramzilla

Man, the seatpost and stem are slammed so far down on that thing that I can hardly breathe. Please get that all sorted out. As - is (per the OP image) it's probably worth around $75 - $80 (unless the seat post is stuck). With some elbow elbow grease, cleaned up, new bearings, parts, etc. etc. you could probably ask about $300 for it.

WGB 

Finished product.

I went with Catseye bar tape because I didn't have any other orange but still not sure if the colour works. I tried Cane Creek (144.7) hoods but they just didn't work right so I think I will try Dia Compe.

I didn't have a second Araya rim handy so wondering if replacing the seat with a more modern one and switching to Campagnolo wheel set will negatively affect the value (was thinking $300 Canadian or about $225 US?)

WGB 

Just bumping to see how far off my valuation is...

rgvg

Probably will fit right in with cl asking prices in Vancouver. Dunno about sold prices though.

zukahn1 

The price is about right for more pricey major market. As For details shorten the brake cables by about 2 inch each lower the stem about a inch, turn the bars down to about level. After that if you have some stuff handy change the ugly bar tape and put some ok working pedals on the bike even if there so-so platforms, bikes that look close to stock and ready to ride sell.

WGB 

Well, I shortened the cable housing as suggested, leveled the bars (can't believe I missed that when I rebuilt it back up) and added some Wellgo flat pedals I had. I didn't replace the bar tape as I didn't have any more orange and in fairness to the tape it was NOS Cateye ( I have about ten rolls - so time to earn it's keep).

One of neighbors sons lives about 4 hours away and asked his dad to grab it and hold it for him. Met the dad, and he is into C&V and was quite impressed by how light the frame was. We stood and watched the rain and talked bikes. Nice evening.

Thanks to all for the advice!

zukahn1 

Great that you sold the bike details do matter a lot when selling vintage bikes. As for the bar tape maybe list it here in the for sale section chances are you can get $15 for a set.

WGB 

zukahn1 - I usually just order a few at a time off eBay but had no orange and needed it so gambled that the NOS would look fine. I agree with you though, it's kind of an odd colour.