Why Miyata Pro team bikes?

Miyata Bikes - "Steel is Real"

Where the Love of Vintage Began…

As an avid cyclist of multiple disciplines and a passion for cycling history, let’s be totally transparent- a love of all things cycling makes me tick. In 2018, I stumbled upon an ad for a second-hand Miyata, Seven Ten, 1984. I always appreciated vintage, “steel is real,” bicycles and thought this may be the opportunity to delve into this “world of vintage bikes, parts, and history.” The restoration of the Miyata became the initial bicycle project to clean, learn, and restore history that was 34 years old. Little did I realize then, it would create a wave of enthusiasm for the restorating and riding of vintage bicycles —spreading to close friends and cycling buddies!

History of Eisuke Miyata was a bower and engineer from Tokyo. For work, he made parts for rickshaws, which are two or three-wheeled passenger carts. His son, Eitarō, was an apprentice in a munitions facility and earned his degree as a mechanical engineer from Kyoto University.

In 1874, Eisuke moved his family to Shiba. A few years later, in 1881, he opened Miyata Manufacturing in Kyōbashi, Tokyo. The business produced guns for the Imperial Japanese Army — which included the Murata rifle — and knives for the Navy.

One day in 1889, a foreigner asked Miyata to repair his bicycle. The factory easily repaired the bike, and from then on continued to repair bikes as a side business.

The next year, in 1890, Miyata opened a new factory in Kikukawa and renamed the company Miyata Gun Works. His son, Eitarō, used rifle barrels from the factory and his knowledge as a mechanical engineer to manufacture the first Miyata prototype bicycle.

In 1892, the crown prince of Japan, Yoshihito, requested that Miyata build him a bicycle. The request boosted their success, but they were still forced to halt production and focus on manufacturing guns during the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894.

In 1900, Japan changed its laws and allowed foreign rifles to be imported. This flooded the market with cheap imports and their gun manufacturing business took a hit. Eisuke died on June 6 of the same year, and Eitarō stopped gun production to focus solely on their Asahi and Pāson bicycle brands.

Official Catalog of 1984 - Click in here:

High-End and Competition Miyata Bike Models

• Miyata 5xx: In the “Semi-Pro” group, this bike had a more aggressive geometry.

• Miyata 6xx: A quality model, this bike was one step below the 1000 and had lower-level components and slightly different frame geometry.
  

• Miyata 7xx: Also in the “Semi-Pro” group, early models had Suntour parts, which included an odd 3-wheel derailleur.
  

• Miyata 9xx: This high-end road bike was from the “Semi-Pro” group and had Shimano 600 components.
  

• Miyata 1000: A touring bike with splined, triple-butted Chromo tubing, the 1000 was marketed in the U.S in the late 19070s and North American until 1993.

• Miyata 1400: This high-end road bike was sold as a 1989 model with Shimano 600 components and CrMo triple-butted construction.

• Miyata Pro/Team/1200: These high-end models came race-ready.
  

• Miyata Cross: These models were top-of-the-line and included the Quickcross, Sportcross, Alumicross, and Triplecross. Introduced in the late 1980s, the Alumicross came with standard-sized aluminum main tubes bonded to steel lugs and a Chromo fork. The seat and chainstays were steel, and the seat post binder bolt held the seat stays to the seat post lug. The Sport, Quick, and Triplecross were triple-butted.