Spankyfart
Marin Fan
Neko
Specialized Fan
Oops, I forgot you live in the Netherlands! I’d be called a dwarf if I went there. I’m 5’9” in freedom units.
Miyata manufactured the frames for Koga from 1974 up to 1996. In the early/mid 90s frame production in Japan became very expensive and other frame production locations gained momentum (Taiwan). Models like the 1997 Survivor of 1997 Explosion (twin down tube frame) are made by Hodaka, even though they were still offered as Koga-Miyata. I do not know what is the case with nowadays Kogas. Koga dropped the 'Miyata' name from the downtube long ago. The post 1995 frames are fine, but imo not as interesting as the Japanese frames.
In the early 90s you could buy Koga-Miyata in Europe (mainly Netherlands, Germany and a couple other markets). For as far as I know Scandanivia got the Miyata US models. Miyata in the US had a wider line up. Koga only carried upper midrange and very expensive models. Greg Herbold raced Miyata US models, what adds some coolness. For the home market and several Asian destinations there was anotherMiyata range.
PhillB
GT Fan
I love the lines and design of your Miyata and you have done a great job in modernising it a bit, but retaining it's character.
I see you have entered it in BOTM. Great! Never worry about your bike being good enough... (it certainly is!) the fun is in taking part and seeing the other entries... I've entered loads of times and never got remotely close to winning
It does seem that the more exotic bikes seem to win lately, but there are also a lot of us who like and enjoy the more prosaic classics!!
I see you have entered it in BOTM. Great! Never worry about your bike being good enough... (it certainly is!) the fun is in taking part and seeing the other entries... I've entered loads of times and never got remotely close to winning
It does seem that the more exotic bikes seem to win lately, but there are also a lot of us who like and enjoy the more prosaic classics!!
Neko
Specialized Fan
I’d sell my soul for a JDM Miyata. Or a JDM Miata. Japan always got the cool, zany extras for the domestic market that their export models didn’t have. I bought a Japanese-only (China-made sadly) Casio keyboard for change at a local thrift store recently, and it’s pearly white, all the labels are in Japanese, the keys glow pink when pressed and it gives off an aura of being not of this country. The instruction manual PDF only exists in Japanese, replete with distinctly Japanese instructional drawings. How and why it made it to California is beyond me.
I am fascinated about Japan’s retro MTB scene. They seem to get everything NOS, I have heard they adore the French touring scene (good choice) and the MTB stuff is wacky too — Yoshi Konno’s early 80’s creations, Kowa suspension, the Kuwahara Gaap… it’s so surreal that you have to love it.
Neko
Specialized Fan
Struck gold today. I walked into the shop I volunteer at and in the “strip” pile, there was a horribly mutilated Giant ATX 780 frame with the correct set of 28-38-48 black XT rings. The outer is a bit more faded and scratched, but they look stellar. I also grabbed a rusty Trek Elance 400 in desperate need of a paint job from the same pile. What they can’t profitably build (remember: this is a nonprofit), I will gladly rescue. Right place, right time. The Giant was obviously owned by a homeless person — the stem has a three inch dent in the bottom, there was white spray paint, the seat collar got the Cannibal Corpse treatment, etc. At least it’s one less Giant to roam the earth.
