I’d like to buy a bike and learn how to fix/build it myself. I’m very new to biking but already love it. This is selling for around $80 and wondering if it’s good value to invest in but on a budget. Thanks
by allen5789939
I’d like to buy a bike and learn how to fix/build it myself. I’m very new to biking but already love it. This is selling for around $80 and wondering if it’s good value to invest in but on a budget. Thanks
by allen5789939
22 Comments
Not a bad price but you have to be fairly tall to ride this frame
Very nice find — I’d absolutely take it at that price. You’re probably looking at an additional $75-100 to get it roadworthy (tires, tubes, brake pads at minimum) but it’s a classic and you have a lot of room to tinker (and learn!). Welcome to the world of vintage bike obsessives.
You’ll probably need tires, but they always need tires.
I mean always try and talk them down, lol, but I’d pay that, and put another $120 into it.
If it fits, then it’s a good buy. Maybe offer $50 and see where that gets you. Also plan to spend an additional 50-100$ to fix it up.
Looks about a 58cm frame. So you should be tall.
Its triple butted, meaning it has a third more butts than double butted. Buy it
This is a decent bike and a good one to learn a bit of wrenching on. It will be reliable and fun. The devil is in the details, starting with the tires. Are they rideable? Also, it might be a bit too big for you.
Thank you everyone for your feedback, absolutely love the bike (and the price). I know it is 100% too big, but I plan to try it out first and seeing if I can make it work. And not sure where they are measuring form but in the ad it says 23” size. My current bike is 55”
It’s too big! Keep looking. There will be lots of others more suitably sized.
Absolutely; that’s a sick bike
Have you found out which model/ year? There are catalogs at https://www.ragandbone.ca/Miyata/miyata_selector.html
It’s a great bike. I have an ‘89 that I rode on Monday.
Bikes from that era were designed to have a level top tube and were not very forgiving to riding one that’s too big for you. There is no crotch clearance to spare, unlike more modern frames.
This definitely a bit nicer than you need for learning to wrench.
Absolutely run and grab this. If it comes close to almost fitting you- it’s a keeper, especially after you find a cockpit that makes it work for you.
A bike that’s legitimately shitty is essential for teaching your haptic sense the feeling of tightening a fastener/nut too far into stripping threads. Grab a few free bikes to disassemble & reassemble and ride hard into failure, then move on to the wildly underpriced Miyata.
Nice bike, great price, too big 😢
Are you a giant? That looks like a big ass frame.
If so, go for it.
If you have someone tall, 6′-0″ at least and 6′-2″ even better that is trying to trade a good bike your size to you, than it’s a good deal. If not, no.
There are a lot more frames on the market in your size, it’s actually easier to find a medium than a large. If you’re looking to refurb and keep, keep looking.
If you throw some swept back bars on it, climbing up on to a tall bike like that is so fun. I’m 5’9″ and love riding big bikes. For 80 bucks it might be worth a try.
If you’re seven feet
Miyata gang
WAY Too big. I’m 5’-8”. If you slammed the seat all the way down, I wonder if I could reach the pedals. Like shoes, fit is everything. Transmission is gone and needs replaced. So no. Don’t buy it.
Cool Miyata. I love the brand. They make nice bikes.
Yes
If you’re quite tall, that’s a great bike. Miyata touring bikes have a strong following (I have an ‘88 615 myself).
i know my comment will be too low and maybe you wont see it but here are some facts for review…
the good…
* that IS a holy grail touring bike and you can learn your first awesome lesson from this. many of these old vintage steel bikes are wonderful but many of them were made more as “racing” style frames and back at that time, those racing style frames were designed to only accommodate narrow tires. thats not a good thing as it turns out. touring frames though, were designed to accommodate much wider tires. that, in combination with some other things, has made touring frames very desirable in todays market.
* this bike seems to be in very good to great condition from the few photos i can see. thats the next lesson. value seems to be low in general and so its good to wait for one thats in nicer condition like this one. i fix up old shitty paint rusty ones but thats because im bored.
* miyata is a very underrated bike. also, univega which was made by miyata. you can also search for those and end up with a magic nice bike for very little money.
* this bike is way underpriced. you can find these types of deals here and there. i actually dont like to take advantage of people that might be ignorant and check that they know or dont know whats going on.
the bad
* THIS IS A 62CM BIKE. IT IS 100% NOT A 23″ MODEL. YOU WILL NOT FIT THIS BIKE NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. sorry. ive been there. ive had to pass on the best, shiniest, wonderful paint job, 100% campy group set, dream machine because it wasnt my size. you just have to wait for the right one to come along. and keep learning form the process.
best of luck to you!
Thank you everyone for your input I decided it wasn’t for me. Very unfortunate as I was super excited when I found it. Hopefully something closer to my size will come!