Miyata 512 ( first bike)

I know it's a four year old thread - but here goes anyways.

I have a 1990 (I believe, or 1989) Miyata 512. I have never had any problems. I have not been the world's biggest bike user - but over the years, I have put on many, many miles in many, many places - and the bike is still in great shape. People in the shops where I have had the bike serviced generally speak highly of the frame. I have had it modernized a little - brake-mounted shifters, new wheels - but the frame and everything else are original and still going strong - 17/18 years later.

I agree with you completely. I have a Miyata 512 also and have owned it for 20+ years now and it has been rock solid of a performer. Although I have not done any intergraded shifter upgrades, I have upgraded the wheels and pedals and really enjoy riding it.

Update: In case anyone has an old Miyata 512. My 1989 (or1990) Miyata 512 gave up the ghost a few months ago. I discovered a risk of imminent catastrophic failure of the frame. The weak spot is the oblong holes along the top tube through which the cables run. Rust - and a resultant crack - developed at each end of both holes. The rust and crack were obscured from view by the plastic guides that fit in the holes and through which the cable passed. I discovered the cracks when cleaning one day - when the bike was about 26 or 27 years old. The cracks were starting to run around the circumference of the tube - and would eventually have cracked the frame in half. One of the cracks (I believe) must have recently become longer when I went over a railroad crossing and had a flat. It was a few days later that I noticed the crack starting to emerge from under the plastic guide. Further investigation showed similar cracks starting at both ends of both holes. Lucky I caught it before it became a problem.

Something to look for, anyways, if you have one or are tempted to buy an old one used.

I currently have two Miyatas, one is a 88 712 which I bought used about 20 years ago in a garage sale for I think if I recall correctly was $40 and it's in great shape with no rust; I also have a 87 Team I bought new which is also in great shape with no rust; I also had a 512 (can't recall the year, 84?) that I bought for $20 and fixed it up after putting in about $80 in parts and gave it to a friend, it too had no rust issues. Neither of those bikes have or had any issues with cracks. All of those earlier 512's had the splined triple butted tubing up until 88, in 89 they used a lower quality frame in the 512 probably due to competition and sales were low because MTBs were the new king of sales.

Rust? Cracks? Unpossible! Steel is real!