# 90's Koga Miyata



## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

Here's my recently built mid-90s NOS Koga Miyata Forerunner lugged steel, triple butted frame that I recently got from ebay. It has various modern parts like SRAM 9.0sl shifters, 7.0 9 speed cassette, MC-572 LX cranks, Avid V-brakes, Geax Sturdy 2.1 tires. I did a 17 mile backroads ride with it yesterday on New Years day and I really love it.


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

OK, I attached the picture from my hard drive but it didn't post. What did I miss here? Here's the url from uploading it to mtbr.com: https://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/kogamiyataFR1_2_03compr.jpg


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

I've talked to that guy a few times. He's very helpful.
As I understand it, he's unloading all the remaining Miyatas after the company went belly up. Mostly NOS stuff and a really good deal.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

That sounds about right.
Did you get the black and 'paint dab' Elevation frame as well? Heavy frames, they better be straight!

I asked him if he had any old Ridge Runner Teams...I want to go Herbold Replica.


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

Rumpfy said:


> I've talked to that guy a few times. He's very helpful.
> As I understand it, he's unloading all the remaining Miyatas after the company went belly up. Mostly NOS stuff and a really good deal.


Yeah, his ebay username is "eencore", I recommend him highly. I've now bought 3 NOS Miyata frames from him on ebay, all right around $50-60 each too. The other 2 are bonded aluminum frames that I really like. The one that I've built up rides amazingly steel-like. All are actually quite modern with 135mm rear axle spacing. The really nice thing about the old Miyatas is that they are very well crafted and straight frames.

Miyata USA used to be headquartered in SLC, like eencore's shop is. Someone must have bought a large quantity from them after they went under. Interestingly, Dutch-Japanese company Koga-Miyata now has a new US distributor as of recently. http://www.kogausa.com/


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

Rumpfy said:


> That sounds about right.
> Did you get the black and 'paint dab' Elevation frame as well? Heavy frames, they better be straight!
> 
> I asked him if he had any old Ridge Runner Teams...I want to go Herbold Replica.


Well this particular steel bike isn't a super-lightweight for sure. I'd guess somewhere around 5 to 5.25 lbs. A lot lighter than my Surly Instigator frame anyway. It was originally sold as a 26" wheeled touring bike I think. It has pump pegs, long chainstays and grounding lugs for the light system etc., in addition to the lugged construction. The aluminum ones aren't as heavy. I never weighed the first one but I'd guess it's around 4 to 4.25 lbs. and the Elevation 5000 I have is weighed at 4 lbs. 10 oz. and it has a lot beefier "lugs" that the tubes are glued into than the first one.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

*Miyata RidgeRunner Team*

Ive got one. I'll try and post a pic later. Its in pretty good shape.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

*Greg Herbold Signature Team bike*

I also have what looks to be a 1991 Miyata Team. its got Herbolds signature on the top tube. Its lugged aluminum. No welds anywhere. Pretty cool frame. Great feeling bike.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

You've got mail. I'm quite curious!



Fillet-brazed said:


> I also have what looks to be a 1991 Miyata Team. its got Herbolds signature on the top tube. Its lugged aluminum. No welds anywhere. Pretty cool frame. Great feeling bike.


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

*Titanium Miyata on ebay*

There's a nice looking titanium Miyata on ebay right now. Opening bid is a little unrealistic though.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ndexURL=4&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

That ti Miyata's is back on ebay with a starting price of $299: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3656099271&category=7297

There's also a load of NOS Miyata frames there now too: http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...=MIYATA&ht=1&category2=7294&combine=y&from=R9


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## alfaman (Jan 22, 2004)

*prologue*

Hello guys

I am looking at those NOS miyata prologue on ebay.
any thoughts? thanks for reading.

joe



tl1 said:


> That ti Miyata's is back on ebay with a starting price of $299: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3656099271&category=7297
> 
> There's also a load of NOS Miyata frames there now too: http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...=MIYATA&ht=1&category2=7294&combine=y&from=R9


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

alfaman said:


> Hello guys
> 
> I am looking at those NOS miyata prologue on ebay.
> any thoughts? thanks for reading.
> ...


I'm not familiar with that particular frame but you'll have no worries with that seller: I've bought three NOS Miyatas from him. In general though, all of those Miyatas are Japanese made and very high quality. You'll of course pay a slight weight penalty over an aluminum frame but it'll ride great.


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## erkan (Jan 18, 2004)

Is Koga/Miyata the same company as Miyata?
I remember checking out old German bike mags and the Koga/Miyatas they had looked nothing like the carbon/alu, alu/alu, steel, tripplebutted steel, Miyata frames that are so common here in Sweden.

Anyway.. Ive always wanted a carbon/alu bonded Miyata frame. If I can find the one that was goldplated (I think, some parts of the frame was gold something) I would probably ask the guy on the street if he wanted to sell his 10 year old bike for 500 kronor.. about 60 bucks.


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

erkan said:


> Is Koga/Miyata the same company as Miyata?
> I remember checking out old German bike mags and the Koga/Miyatas they had looked nothing like the carbon/alu, alu/alu, steel, tripplebutted steel, Miyata frames that are so common here in Sweden.
> 
> Anyway.. Ive always wanted a carbon/alu bonded Miyata frame. If I can find the one that was goldplated (I think, some parts of the frame was gold something) I would probably ask the guy on the street if he wanted to sell his 10 year old bike for 500 kronor.. about 60 bucks.


As I understand it Miyata made and exported high quality, Japanese made frames until the value of the yen made that unprofitable. They then folded up shop in the USA around the mid-nineties. Koga-Miyata is a Dutch/Japanese venture, Koga being the Dutch part. It looks like most of their bikes are now built in Taiwan/China.

Those old splined tubing, triple butted, lugged, steel frames are a thing of the past it looks like, though they still make some lugged steel road frames. The glued carbon, titanium and aluminum ones that you mentioned (and that I love too) are no longer made.
Check out this older carbon one though: https://www.dli.ch/Hobbies/Bikes/Travelbike/#general%20Information

I'm still trying to figure this crank out that's on it: https://www.dli.ch/Hobbies/Bikes/Travelbike/MVC-236F.JPG

https://www.koga.com/
https://www.kogausa.com/


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

tl1 said:


> As I understand it Miyata made and exported high quality, Japanese made frames until the value of the yen made that unprofitable. They then folded up shop in the USA around the mid-nineties. Koga-Miyata is a Dutch/Japanese venture, Koga being the Dutch part. It looks like most of their bikes are now built in Taiwan/China.
> 
> Those old splined tubing, triple butted, lugged, steel frames are a thing of the past it looks like, though they still make some lugged steel road frames. The glued carbon, titanium and aluminum ones that you mentioned (and that I love too) are no longer made.
> Check out this older carbon one though: https://www.dli.ch/Hobbies/Bikes/Travelbike/#general%20Information
> ...


Good lord! 
That crank _can't_ be a good idea.


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## mtnwing (Jan 13, 2004)

*a good idea . . .*



Rumpfy said:


> Good lord!
> That crank _can't_ be a good idea.


and the clothes . . . retro perhaps? a good idea I'm not entirely sure.

Disco 80's meets cycling spandex fashion - - - head on.

The bike sure is cool though.


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## erkan (Jan 18, 2004)

tl1 said:


> As I understand it Miyata made and exported high quality, Japanese made frames until the value of the yen made that unprofitable. They then folded up shop in the USA around the mid-nineties. Koga-Miyata is a Dutch/Japanese venture, Koga being the Dutch part. It looks like most of their bikes are now built in Taiwan/China.
> 
> Those old splined tubing, triple butted, lugged, steel frames are a thing of the past it looks like, though they still make some lugged steel road frames. The glued carbon, titanium and aluminum ones that you mentioned (and that I love too) are no longer made.


Thanks for the info!

I had a splined tubed Miyata once, it was the same bike that Herbold won the DH worlds something on. The blue/white one but with a one inch steerer. Though I dont have it anymore I did like the lugs. Lugs on a mountainbike really looks great!


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## erkan (Jan 18, 2004)

tl1 said:


> Check out this older carbon one though: http://www.dli.ch/Hobbies/Bikes/Travelbike/#general%20Information


Hmm no doubt about it, Koga Miyata is the same as Miyata 
That frame look awesome in size 17/18 and in classic Herbold 93 style with Answer/Ringle stuff.


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## KogaValleyRunner (Jan 15, 2014)

Thinking of a repaint of my 1990 Valley Runner. Still stock gray. This has been a great bike. Tough and versatile. I could switch to 650B or even 700C. But I like fat 26" for now.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

KogaValleyRunner said:


> Thinking of a repaint of my 1990 Valley Runner. Still stock gray. This has been a great bike. Tough and versatile. I could switch to 650B or even 700C. But I like fat 26" for now.


That looks really nice. Levers kinda high for you? Is the paint that bad? Looks good from far, far away. Great vintage boom box as well.


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## KogaValleyRunner (Jan 15, 2014)

girlonbike said:


> That looks really nice. Levers kinda high for you? Is the paint that bad? Looks good from far, far away. Great vintage boom box as well.


Thanks. Ive had this bike for over 10 years, and I guess I'm just bored with the paint. Thinking of a powder blue. Bars and stem are new. Mounted them high, and will lower them once I the temperature allows a little riding. I just stumbled across the pictures of that Valley Runner in the Gulf racing colors. Very cool, but a little too modern for my build. In the end, the bike is a great ride, and I just want to get out and peel off the miles!


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