# The Miyata Elevation that was...and wasn't



## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

I'll keep the story short.
I found a Miyata Elevation 12000 on Craigslist....all stock, carbon full suspension with the blue lugs...sweet, the guy was going to sell it to me for $500. Great deal, I'll come pick it and pay cash asap! Pretty much a done deal....but the guy takes the bike to the store to get a few odds and ends...it get's stolen! Unbelievable...frickin' unbelievable. A big loss of a pretty rare bike (unless you buy it off a homeless guy in San Fran).

Sooo...as luck would have it, I picked up some parts from our friend eBay. As standard procedure, I asked the guy if he had other vintage stuff lying around. He replied with a list of odds and ends...the last one being the full carbon USDM Miyata Elevation 10000 frame and matching fork. $75 bones. Sold. I should see it in about a week.

I was really bummed that I missed out on the Koga's that were up on eBay not too long ago....but I guess this makes up for it!


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## Elevation12000 (Jun 16, 2004)

What a horror story! If my Elevation12,000(if I owned one) got stolen I certainly would be, let's say, disappointed, very disappointed in the person who stole it. Consider this as an understatement. Bikes like H-Ball rode are still the ultimate for me. I am almost considering travelling to San Fransisco to search for that homeless guy. 

Nevertheless a Elevation10,000 is also a very nice frameset. I have some pics of the 10,000 laying arround and I will post them. Good luck with restoring!

BTW weird that the 10,000 had only a steel fork. In Holland the top Koga's came with glued alloy boxfork. Are you sure it is a 10,000? Does it have carbon front and rear triangle? The graphics also look quite similar to those on the Elevation 7,000 I posted a few weeks ago (the MBA test).

Melvin


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Elevation12 said:


> BTW weird that the 10,000 had only a steel fork. In Holland the top Koga's came with glued alloy boxfork. Are you sure it is a 10,000? Does it have carbon front and rear triangle? The graphics also look quite similar to those on the Elevation 7,000 I posted a few weeks ago (the MBA test).
> 
> Melvin


That is kind of strange...the paint and look of that 7000 makes it seem like this is not a 10000....but I've got some more pics I'll post in a bit of the rest of the frame...it's full carbon for sure. I thought it would have had the blue lugs...

Anyone have any leads on NOS Miyata decals?

And yeah...it's a cryin' shame about the 12000. It's the second one I've ever seen for sale in 4-5 years. It had all LX parts on it for some reason and a junky fork....but the frame was in fantastic shape. Very sad.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

A few other pics...


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## Elevation12000 (Jun 16, 2004)

Rumpfy,

So unlike the Elevation7,000 the rear is out of Carbolite. This makes it more likely it is indeed a 10,000. Nevertheless it still surprises me that the 10,000 featured a stealfork and not the bonded alloy one.









Bonded alloy fork

Here I found some minor details about some Miyata models. Clear is that the information is partially incorrect. Miyata already left the USA in 2001 right? I also doubt the seatangel of 71. Nevertheless what you also can read is that the 5,000 and 8,000 already had the alloy 'Fat Max' fork. Maybe in another year? Could be the case. I can tell you in Holland already in '92 and '93 all the 'high end' Koga Miyata's came with the alloy fork.

About the age of your bike: I bet it is a '92. In '91 there still was the first generation bonded Miyata's. Yours is the second. In Holland '92 was the only year that the Carbolite mountainframes featured a small Carbolite headtube bonded to alloy lugs. Does your bike has that tube? Can't see it on the pics. The '93 models had a much longer headtube (in Europe). The '94 SkyCarbolite had a Carbolite rear, but not the Carbolite headtube. The '95 SkyCarbolite had a ti rear. In '96 those bikes were replaced by a alloy bike with 2 downtubes, gussets all over and a kind of Yeti rear end. I don't think that was a Miyata frame. Also the BB suggest it is an earlier model of course.









Frame that replaced the 2nd generation bonded Miyata frames; the '97 RidgeRunner.

I want to point out that I am not sure on model and age, cause as I am from Holland I am not really into Miyata's. That's also the reason why I started the 'Koga Miyata - Miyata connection' thread - I want to know a lot more about them.

In my previous post I promised some pics I have. I digged very deep in my pile of magazines and I found quite a lot. Unfortunately at the moment I don´t have a scanner by hand, but I think by the end of the week I can have them online.

Melvin


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

That's great info Mel! More than I know for sure...
There is a chance that it's a 7000 by looking at the MBAction review and the paint on mine. Although I would think the full carbon decal and the guy just looking at the frame, would be able to tell if it's full carbon. Chain stays look carbon (in another pic I have)...

I'll have a better idea when it comes in.

Perhaps a Herbold replica build or a full M900 XTR build...not sure yet.


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## Elevation12000 (Jun 16, 2004)

Yes, on the pics it is very easy to see that your bike has Carbolite seatstays. No doubt about that. In the MBAtest can be read the 7,000 had alloy seatstays. So that makes the 'your bike is probably a 7,000 thesis' less likely.

I would go for the H-Ball configuration, but that is only my personal preference. I have already seen a picture of the partially finished '93 TrailRunnerCarbolite of MTNwing - very promising! I am really looking forward to see that bike when it is finished.

Most of the pictures I will post are from H-Balls Elly10. The paintscheme on that bike is comparable, but differers from yours. Also a purple gloss can be seen. Like on my SkyRunner. The Elly10 pics could also be helpfull for inspiration. Expect some pics of softtail Elevation10,000's too.

Melvin


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Elevation12 said:


> Yes, on the pics it is very easy to see that your bike has Carbolite seatstays. No doubt about that. In the MBAtest can be read the 7,000 had alloy seatstays. So that makes the 'your bike is probably a 7,000 thesis' less likely.
> 
> I would go for the H-Ball configuration, but that is only my personal preference. I have already seen a picture of the partially finished '93 TrailRunnerCarbolite of MTNwing - very promising! I am really looking forward to see that bike when it is finished.
> 
> ...


Well thats good to hear onthe 7k/10k issue!

Bring on the pics Mel!
The only bike he's on close to mine is the cover of the ATB mag (in that thread).

I'm partial to the Herbold replica too as he's right up there with Tomac as far as I'm concerned. I also don't have any problems having the bike painted to match as well...the hard part would be finding decals. If I can get enough high detailed pics from my old MBA's, I'll go HBR (Herbold Replica)....I've got a T-disc in wait.

I've only seen the partial from mtnwing as well...he's been very quiet lately.


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## Elevation12000 (Jun 16, 2004)

Rumpfy,

I scanned the pics - see bellow. I found quite a lot Miyata Elevation 10,000 pics. Probably that has also to do with the fact that one the most flamboyant riders  is always on them. Miyata should Greg Herbold be very gratefull - H-Ball counted for a lot of exposure.


















































































All pics in this post are found in the German mountainbikemagazine ´BIKE´. Most came from the april ´94 issue, so it is likely that the featured model is a ´93 or ´94. Notice the softtail setup ! As far as I know this never went into production.

To be continued...


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## Elevation12000 (Jun 16, 2004)

more pics.....









Speeed!!!


















One with ´Fat Max´ fork.

H-Ball not only rode Elevation 10,000 and Elevation 12,000 models:








Miyata Elevation 5,000 - Alloy front- and reartriangle

Melvin


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Right on!
Mel, thanks for taking the time to scan the photos...they're a huge, huge help!

I won't be able to make it match perfect, but I should be alot of fun! Much easier when you don't have to have all your anodized parts matching!

I enjoy Miyata/Herbold stuff anyway. Not a lot of it on the net for some reason...


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## Elevation12000 (Jun 16, 2004)

In the ´H-Balls shed´ post I recently posted in the Koga Miyata - Miyata connection thread can be discovered few more 10,000´s. As you can see there excist multiple variations in the paintscheme.


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## mtmrizwan (Apr 19, 2021)

Hi guys...I'm new to this forum. Why I cannot see any pictures uploaded by other members?
Please help. 
And also I own a Miyata. I could not find which year, which model is it. Can you help in this regard any guys? Main frame is carbon fiber wrap on aluminum. Frame pictures are as below:


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

Welcome. Most likely not visible because this is nearly a 20 year old thread (check the date). 

The whole internet has changed since, as has this website itself (system and software wise).

The players, may not be involved anymore, but keep an eye out, someone may pop in with info for you. 

Cool looking bike, build that thing up and post pics of it getting dirty, bikes l=just love getting dirty...


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