Quote Originally Posted by Dogmama View Post
Wow, maybe my bike fits this category?? It's Reynolds 531 & lugged. Of course, its rider is vintage too...
Post a picture so I can drool.

Quote Originally Posted by kaian View Post
Okay...great! I have some interested people. Sometimes I get ignored on cyclingforums.com.

It's a Miyata 710. It needs some TLC for sure. The rear cogs and derailleur were gunked up, some surface rust on the chain (nothing major). The frame itself has some scratches and a few rust spots. The tires will need to be replaced and the brakes need something! Adjustment - maybe new pads.

It's pretty close to fitting. The measurements are a little different from my Trek, but really close. Standover is fine. The top tube is a tad long (maybe 1/2 longer than my trek, but the stem is shorter than on my Trek). I moved the seat up (is was back far) and that helped. Riding it is comfy, but reaching the brakes is tricky. The brakes are kind of far down and since many people don't ride on the hoods on the older bikes, they can be hard to get to.

The tires had barely enough air in them and despite the gunk on the parts, I could not believe how nice this bike shifted. It was like butter! The ride was really smooth, too.

I guess I was looking for a vintage steel bike just for variety. I have a Trek 1500 which is great, but I thought steel might be nice for...maybe some medium to long rides. I figured if I could find something cheap and not have to put much money in it, I could have a neat vintage ride.

The guy was asking $95, but I thought of offering him less because of the tires and such.

Thoughts? Advice? Thank you!
A quick search on Miyata 710 looks like its a very nice frame. Not 531, but quite nice nonetheless. How many cogs and chainrings? Where are the shifters located (downtube?)? The 5 and 6 speed freewheels are now hard, but not impossible, to get. Definitely start with a new chain. What kind of crankset? Derailleurs? Brakes? 27 inch or 700c wheels? You shouldn't have any major problem with replacement parts. The brake levers can probably be moved so you can reach them easier.