1981 Miyata “Commuter”, 25”, New In Box
03-02-19, 06:46 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
1981 Miyata “Commuter”, 25”, New In Box
Hi,
I have three of these in unopened boxes. They’re all tall (25”/62cm). Came out of the basement of a bike shop that shut down. Sort of like Miyata’s take on a Dutch style bike. If you have any questions please ask. I can do 600 a piece plus actual shipping. Rare, not very common, you all know that. Own something unique.
I have three of these in unopened boxes. They’re all tall (25”/62cm). Came out of the basement of a bike shop that shut down. Sort of like Miyata’s take on a Dutch style bike. If you have any questions please ask. I can do 600 a piece plus actual shipping. Rare, not very common, you all know that. Own something unique.
Last edited by krems81; 03-02-19 at 06:53 PM.
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03-02-19, 09:13 PM
#2
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too big for me.......but so nice.......I think I am glad because this result in N+1 tooo much
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Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
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03-02-19, 09:40 PM
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Some days I really hate browsing the sales forum... or I lament not being independently wealthy. One of those two.
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03-03-19, 02:10 AM
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That is... very unusual. I don't need one, and I wouldn't ride it if I had one; but that's really cool.
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
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03-03-19, 05:57 AM
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They are pretty cool to see. I wish you good luck selling them,
Last edited by cb400bill; 03-03-19 at 06:35 AM. Reason: No disparaging comments about pricing allowed.
03-03-19, 09:48 AM
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Guys, the Sales forums are not a place for discussion.
If you suspect a business is side stepping the rules please do not post in the thread. Please report the thread and allow the Moderation Staff to deal with it.
If you suspect a business is side stepping the rules please do not post in the thread. Please report the thread and allow the Moderation Staff to deal with it.
03-03-19, 09:48 AM
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OP, carry on.
03-03-19, 10:42 AM
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03-04-19, 10:05 PM
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Wow, that's a cool piece of nerdy bike history. Very euro-style. I wonder what the fork offset is - maybe low/mid trail? I especially like the beautiful curve in the fork rather than the typical dogleg.
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03-04-19, 10:08 PM
#10
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Umm, @hairnet are you seeing this?
03-05-19, 08:51 PM
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Gosh! A commuter bike that will fit me! Woooo-hooooo! How do I order?
03-05-19, 09:38 PM
#13
Tourer
So tempted
These are a little big , but ride-able for me. So tempted. I just recently initiated an ongoing eBay search for Miyata's. Because I am a fan of classic steel touring bikes and I drive a 2008 Miata. So, you know, justification for N+1. However, I am also seriously searching for an even more expensive niche bike, so I think I must pass on these for now.
03-07-19, 03:09 AM
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Hi,
I have three of these in unopened boxes. They’re all tall (25”/62cm). Came out of the basement of a bike shop that shut down. Sort of like Miyata’s take on a Dutch style bike. If you have any questions please ask. I can do 600 a piece plus actual shipping. Rare, not very common, you all know that. Own something unique.
I have three of these in unopened boxes. They’re all tall (25”/62cm). Came out of the basement of a bike shop that shut down. Sort of like Miyata’s take on a Dutch style bike. If you have any questions please ask. I can do 600 a piece plus actual shipping. Rare, not very common, you all know that. Own something unique.
03-08-19, 04:48 PM
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
It’s a bigger box than your average bike because of height and all of the fenders, etc. a preliminary estimate came to $105 prior to additional insurance, 😬. Via bike flights. I can play with ship date and see if it fluctuates, but if you wanted to just go ahead I can limit shipping to 100, so I’ll take on anything over that amount. Making it 700 out of pocket. Let me know what you think!
03-08-19, 06:11 PM
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It’s a bigger box than your average bike because of height and all of the fenders, etc. a preliminary estimate came to $105 prior to additional insurance, 😬. Via bike flights. I can play with ship date and see if it fluctuates, but if you wanted to just go ahead I can limit shipping to 100, so I’ll take on anything over that amount. Making it 700 out of pocket. Let me know what you think!
03-08-19, 06:12 PM
#17
Senior Member
Thread Starter
03-13-20, 07:31 PM
#18
Senior Member
Miyata Commuter Review
There isn't much information on teh interwebz about the old Miyata Commuter, so I'm bumping this old thread. I purchased one of these new/old bikes from Krems a few months ago, and I've put a few miles on it now that the weather is nice. The bike was brand new, but I suspected that the condition might not be absolutely perfect due to the long storage. (40 years) I was wrong. The box had some discoloration on the outside but the machine inside was in excellent condition. I had expected some dry rot on the tires, but none was evident when I cautiously inflated them. I've now ridden for several weeks on these 40 year old tires and tubes, and they seem fine. I did not see any tiny cracks under a magnifying glass.
The bike in the box meant some assembly was required. I started by removing the pedals from their plastic bags. Some roughness was apparent when I rotated the spindle by hand, so I took them apart and installed fresh grease. The original grease had turned to about the consistency of bar soap in spite of the sealed bags. The seat had also been sealed inside a plastic bag; it it remained like new--no cracks or discoloration, soft and comfortable. I proceeded to remove every bearing in the bike for fresh grease. The front wheel hub has loose bearings like the pedals, but the bottom bracket, steering head, and rear hub all had retainer cage bearings. The bottom bracket and rear hub grease was still quite gooey. Perhaps these bearings would have been fine anyway, but I installed fresh grease and dunked the hub guts in oil anyway.
A word of caution about the rear hub. Shimano calls this 3 speed hub a cartridge type, but it has cone bearings. It is important not to disturb the drive (sprocket) side cone and locknut. All adjustment of play can be made with the non drive side cone only. This hub was easy to take apart, and since it was brand new I did not disturb any of the little pawls and springs. Two very small keys retain the hub on the axle, and losing these would have been a disaster, but I found the hub to be simple to service.
What's the Commuter like to ride? Quiet and comfortable. The only sound the bike makes is the soft whisper of tires on pavement whether coasting or pedaling. The first time I shifted, I incorrectly assumed that the hub did not actually change gears since it made no sound at all, but the change in effort confirmed that all 3 speeds work just fine. The front 46 tooth chainring is paired to a 20 tooth rear sprocket and I found the combination just right for moderate terrain. The alloy bars are a comfort/touring style, but actually a bit low for me. I notice some flex in the bars when putting weight on them--otherwise the bike is taut feeling. Compared to my Schwinn Suburban (the Suburbatank) the Commuter feels light and racy. The Commuter top tube is mounted higher than the Suburban's but is shorter. Reach to the bars is also shorter in spite of a long handlebar stem on the Commuter. Although both bikes are about the same size, the Commuter is more than 10 pounds lighter than the Suburbatank.
Brakes are nice alloy DiaCompes with both travel and centering adjusters. They work just fine in spite of the 40 year old brake pads. Rims are 27" alloy, and were true. About every component on the bike is alloy except the frame. The fenders and chainguard are a rather light and delicate looking brushed aluminum. The only plastic parts on the machine that I can think of are inside the shift trigger, and the cable jackets. The overall level of quality and detail of the bicycle impressed me.
The Commuter was only offered for one year and must not have sold well. (Mine was obviously never sold until now) I think the problem with the bike back in 1981 was that it was a bit too nice for its intended purpose. I can't imagine that I shall ever leave this machine in a bike rack to get beaten to death. Most touring riders in 1981 wanted a lot more than just 3 gears, so the Commuter would not have appealed to them much either in spite of the racks and lighting. A lot has changed since 1981, and bicycle trails are everywhere now. I live close to Ohio; a state with several hundred miles of paved trails and moderate terrain. The Commuter is the perfect bike for exploring all of those miles in comfort an style--at least for me. I don't know if Krems has any of these bikes left, but he did back in December.
The bike in the box meant some assembly was required. I started by removing the pedals from their plastic bags. Some roughness was apparent when I rotated the spindle by hand, so I took them apart and installed fresh grease. The original grease had turned to about the consistency of bar soap in spite of the sealed bags. The seat had also been sealed inside a plastic bag; it it remained like new--no cracks or discoloration, soft and comfortable. I proceeded to remove every bearing in the bike for fresh grease. The front wheel hub has loose bearings like the pedals, but the bottom bracket, steering head, and rear hub all had retainer cage bearings. The bottom bracket and rear hub grease was still quite gooey. Perhaps these bearings would have been fine anyway, but I installed fresh grease and dunked the hub guts in oil anyway.
A word of caution about the rear hub. Shimano calls this 3 speed hub a cartridge type, but it has cone bearings. It is important not to disturb the drive (sprocket) side cone and locknut. All adjustment of play can be made with the non drive side cone only. This hub was easy to take apart, and since it was brand new I did not disturb any of the little pawls and springs. Two very small keys retain the hub on the axle, and losing these would have been a disaster, but I found the hub to be simple to service.
What's the Commuter like to ride? Quiet and comfortable. The only sound the bike makes is the soft whisper of tires on pavement whether coasting or pedaling. The first time I shifted, I incorrectly assumed that the hub did not actually change gears since it made no sound at all, but the change in effort confirmed that all 3 speeds work just fine. The front 46 tooth chainring is paired to a 20 tooth rear sprocket and I found the combination just right for moderate terrain. The alloy bars are a comfort/touring style, but actually a bit low for me. I notice some flex in the bars when putting weight on them--otherwise the bike is taut feeling. Compared to my Schwinn Suburban (the Suburbatank) the Commuter feels light and racy. The Commuter top tube is mounted higher than the Suburban's but is shorter. Reach to the bars is also shorter in spite of a long handlebar stem on the Commuter. Although both bikes are about the same size, the Commuter is more than 10 pounds lighter than the Suburbatank.
Brakes are nice alloy DiaCompes with both travel and centering adjusters. They work just fine in spite of the 40 year old brake pads. Rims are 27" alloy, and were true. About every component on the bike is alloy except the frame. The fenders and chainguard are a rather light and delicate looking brushed aluminum. The only plastic parts on the machine that I can think of are inside the shift trigger, and the cable jackets. The overall level of quality and detail of the bicycle impressed me.
The Commuter was only offered for one year and must not have sold well. (Mine was obviously never sold until now) I think the problem with the bike back in 1981 was that it was a bit too nice for its intended purpose. I can't imagine that I shall ever leave this machine in a bike rack to get beaten to death. Most touring riders in 1981 wanted a lot more than just 3 gears, so the Commuter would not have appealed to them much either in spite of the racks and lighting. A lot has changed since 1981, and bicycle trails are everywhere now. I live close to Ohio; a state with several hundred miles of paved trails and moderate terrain. The Commuter is the perfect bike for exploring all of those miles in comfort an style--at least for me. I don't know if Krems has any of these bikes left, but he did back in December.
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03-13-20, 08:32 PM
#19
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Great write up, thanks!
03-15-20, 08:39 PM
#20
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Still longing for one...
Gosh, I inquired a year ago about buying one, figured they went like hotcakes. If krems hss any left, I'm still psyched to get one.! A Japanese Dutch bike... now, THAT'S unique!
Boston
March, 2020
Boston
March, 2020
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04-01-20, 10:29 AM
#21
Senior Member
Thread Starter
There isn't much information on teh interwebz about the old Miyata Commuter, so I'm bumping this old thread. I purchased one of these new/old bikes from Krems a few months ago, and I've put a few miles on it now that the weather is nice. The bike was brand new, but I suspected that the condition might not be absolutely perfect due to the long storage. (40 years) I was wrong. The box had some discoloration on the outside but the machine inside was in excellent condition. I had expected some dry rot on the tires, but none was evident when I cautiously inflated them. I've now ridden for several weeks on these 40 year old tires and tubes, and they seem fine. I did not see any tiny cracks under a magnifying glass.
The bike in the box meant some assembly was required. I started by removing the pedals from their plastic bags. Some roughness was apparent when I rotated the spindle by hand, so I took them apart and installed fresh grease. The original grease had turned to about the consistency of bar soap in spite of the sealed bags. The seat had also been sealed inside a plastic bag; it it remained like new--no cracks or discoloration, soft and comfortable. I proceeded to remove every bearing in the bike for fresh grease. The front wheel hub has loose bearings like the pedals, but the bottom bracket, steering head, and rear hub all had retainer cage bearings. The bottom bracket and rear hub grease was still quite gooey. Perhaps these bearings would have been fine anyway, but I installed fresh grease and dunked the hub guts in oil anyway.
A word of caution about the rear hub. Shimano calls this 3 speed hub a cartridge type, but it has cone bearings. It is important not to disturb the drive (sprocket) side cone and locknut. All adjustment of play can be made with the non drive side cone only. This hub was easy to take apart, and since it was brand new I did not disturb any of the little pawls and springs. Two very small keys retain the hub on the axle, and losing these would have been a disaster, but I found the hub to be simple to service.
What's the Commuter like to ride? Quiet and comfortable. The only sound the bike makes is the soft whisper of tires on pavement whether coasting or pedaling. The first time I shifted, I incorrectly assumed that the hub did not actually change gears since it made no sound at all, but the change in effort confirmed that all 3 speeds work just fine. The front 46 tooth chainring is paired to a 20 tooth rear sprocket and I found the combination just right for moderate terrain. The alloy bars are a comfort/touring style, but actually a bit low for me. I notice some flex in the bars when putting weight on them--otherwise the bike is taut feeling. Compared to my Schwinn Suburban (the Suburbatank) the Commuter feels light and racy. The Commuter top tube is mounted higher than the Suburban's but is shorter. Reach to the bars is also shorter in spite of a long handlebar stem on the Commuter. Although both bikes are about the same size, the Commuter is more than 10 pounds lighter than the Suburbatank.
Brakes are nice alloy DiaCompes with both travel and centering adjusters. They work just fine in spite of the 40 year old brake pads. Rims are 27" alloy, and were true. About every component on the bike is alloy except the frame. The fenders and chainguard are a rather light and delicate looking brushed aluminum. The only plastic parts on the machine that I can think of are inside the shift trigger, and the cable jackets. The overall level of quality and detail of the bicycle impressed me.
The Commuter was only offered for one year and must not have sold well. (Mine was obviously never sold until now) I think the problem with the bike back in 1981 was that it was a bit too nice for its intended purpose. I can't imagine that I shall ever leave this machine in a bike rack to get beaten to death. Most touring riders in 1981 wanted a lot more than just 3 gears, so the Commuter would not have appealed to them much either in spite of the racks and lighting. A lot has changed since 1981, and bicycle trails are everywhere now. I live close to Ohio; a state with several hundred miles of paved trails and moderate terrain. The Commuter is the perfect bike for exploring all of those miles in comfort an style--at least for me. I don't know if Krems has any of these bikes left, but he did back in December.
The bike in the box meant some assembly was required. I started by removing the pedals from their plastic bags. Some roughness was apparent when I rotated the spindle by hand, so I took them apart and installed fresh grease. The original grease had turned to about the consistency of bar soap in spite of the sealed bags. The seat had also been sealed inside a plastic bag; it it remained like new--no cracks or discoloration, soft and comfortable. I proceeded to remove every bearing in the bike for fresh grease. The front wheel hub has loose bearings like the pedals, but the bottom bracket, steering head, and rear hub all had retainer cage bearings. The bottom bracket and rear hub grease was still quite gooey. Perhaps these bearings would have been fine anyway, but I installed fresh grease and dunked the hub guts in oil anyway.
A word of caution about the rear hub. Shimano calls this 3 speed hub a cartridge type, but it has cone bearings. It is important not to disturb the drive (sprocket) side cone and locknut. All adjustment of play can be made with the non drive side cone only. This hub was easy to take apart, and since it was brand new I did not disturb any of the little pawls and springs. Two very small keys retain the hub on the axle, and losing these would have been a disaster, but I found the hub to be simple to service.
What's the Commuter like to ride? Quiet and comfortable. The only sound the bike makes is the soft whisper of tires on pavement whether coasting or pedaling. The first time I shifted, I incorrectly assumed that the hub did not actually change gears since it made no sound at all, but the change in effort confirmed that all 3 speeds work just fine. The front 46 tooth chainring is paired to a 20 tooth rear sprocket and I found the combination just right for moderate terrain. The alloy bars are a comfort/touring style, but actually a bit low for me. I notice some flex in the bars when putting weight on them--otherwise the bike is taut feeling. Compared to my Schwinn Suburban (the Suburbatank) the Commuter feels light and racy. The Commuter top tube is mounted higher than the Suburban's but is shorter. Reach to the bars is also shorter in spite of a long handlebar stem on the Commuter. Although both bikes are about the same size, the Commuter is more than 10 pounds lighter than the Suburbatank.
Brakes are nice alloy DiaCompes with both travel and centering adjusters. They work just fine in spite of the 40 year old brake pads. Rims are 27" alloy, and were true. About every component on the bike is alloy except the frame. The fenders and chainguard are a rather light and delicate looking brushed aluminum. The only plastic parts on the machine that I can think of are inside the shift trigger, and the cable jackets. The overall level of quality and detail of the bicycle impressed me.
The Commuter was only offered for one year and must not have sold well. (Mine was obviously never sold until now) I think the problem with the bike back in 1981 was that it was a bit too nice for its intended purpose. I can't imagine that I shall ever leave this machine in a bike rack to get beaten to death. Most touring riders in 1981 wanted a lot more than just 3 gears, so the Commuter would not have appealed to them much either in spite of the racks and lighting. A lot has changed since 1981, and bicycle trails are everywhere now. I live close to Ohio; a state with several hundred miles of paved trails and moderate terrain. The Commuter is the perfect bike for exploring all of those miles in comfort an style--at least for me. I don't know if Krems has any of these bikes left, but he did back in December.
04-02-20, 09:22 AM
#22
Senior Member
Commuter fit
I failed to mention the fit. I'm 6' 4". My inseam for blue jeans is 34" and 35" for dress pants. I have the seat post on the Commuter almost all the way up. The image shows the 25" Commuter in front of the 24" Suburban. The Suburban is a bit too small even with the seat all the way up.
08-06-20, 01:50 PM
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Judging by the recent comments this seems very unlikely, but are any of these lovely bikes still available? Unfortunately, I can’t PM you as I have not posted enough to the forums yet.
Thank you!
Thank you!
