Univega Specialissima

Spoiler: this is a bit of rant.

Well, you've heard of Miyata and of the famed 1000 in particular. But since mere mortals turn to stone upon glimpsing such untold splendor (or so the internet would have you believe), you dare not even dream of owning one. Instead, you dream of the Specialissima. Or at least, you would if you'd heard of it. The Specialissima is a top-shelf sport-touring bike, made by the venerable experts at Miyata. What's that? Apples to oranges, you say? Touché. The Miyata 1000 is known as an all-out touring bike (long wheelbase, braze-ons up the wahzoo, etc, etc.), whereas I'm talking about a sport-tourer. Except that in 1981, the 1000 was a sport-tourer too by any reasonable standard. In fact, as nearly as I can tell, the geometry, tubing, and construction of the Specialissima and those of the 1000 of that year were identical. (The only difference between the two is that the former was designed for centerpull brakes and the latter for cantilevers.) And yet one hardly hears anything about the '81 Specialissima. But this point is only academic. The real point is twofold: 

1) that there's no compelling reason to fixate on models that have been heralded as "grail-bikes" by the powers-that-be. If fact, there are a host of reasons not to do so, not the least of which is that there are unsung comparable models out there available at a fraction of the cost.

2) that we shouldn't allow ourselves to think of sport-tourers as "compromise bikes." To my mind, it's a compromise to buy a bike that's only good at one thing. Versatility is what should be prized, at least for most folks' purposes. And versatility is what sport-tourers have in spades. Yes, lots of folks made sport-touring bikes back in the day, but few made them really well. Anyone who knows vintage bikes will tell you that Miyata was among those few, and the Specialissima is a testament to that statement.

Whew! Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I can get down to the nitty gritty about this bike. This 1981 model features the excellent-quality materials and craftsmanship for which Miyata was renowned: Tange Champion tubing, elegant long-point lugs with hand-painted diamond cutouts, chromoly fork blades, and Suntour GS forged dropouts. The fork crown and seatstay bridge are designed for recessed brake nuts (the standard today but a rarity in the early '80s). There is clearance for at least 35mm tires and brazed-on mounts for fenders, a rear rack, and a water bottle cage.

I've modified and updated this Specialissima with a Nitto cockpit designed for comfort and simplicity. Gone are the overly narrow drop bars, replaced with cloth-wrapped moustaches; likewise for the non-aero brake levers, replaced with an aero pair that provides higher mechanical advantage and smoother action. I've also converted the triple crankset into a compact double (47-34; sealed BB unit) that keeps the versatility of the original setup while reducing q-factor and weight. The period-correct saddle has been reupholstered in suede. Tires are brand new Panaracer Paselas in the extra-sturdy Tourguard version.

Since the original shoes for these centerpull brakes had extra-skinny posts, ordinary replacements like these Kool-Stops wouldn't fit the original hardware. So I stole some hardware from a set of dead cantilever brakes in my bin (the "eye-bolt" holding the brake shoe post and the knurled wedge washer behind it, useful for achieving proper toe-in without bending the caliper arms). This setup isn't quite as refined as the original, but braking power is greatly improved and it seemed a better route than sanding the posts down on the new brake shoes, which would have taken forever and a day.

 Although I've hated on Suntour barcon shifters in the past, I was finally able to set up a pair with a reasonable amount of resistance and relatively even action. I'm still not in love with them, but I have newfound respect for them.

This SR crankset has an unusual BCD (bolt circle diameter): 86mm. It's the same one used on the slightly more well-known Stronglight 99 cranks, and more importantly, it allows one to fit anything from a 28T chainring up to a 54T one all on the same bolt circle! The bad news is that 86bcd rings are pretty rare, so you have to pay a pretty penny for replacements and you may not find the exact size you want. Currently, I'm running a 47-34 setup, which I like a lot.

Here's a saddle I stole from another Univega and reupholstered, using some suede from an old thrift store jacket. Turned out pretty well, I think, and the color complements the frame nicely.

Since taking these photos, I've had a chance to take the bike on a few test rides and I'm impressed. She's more sprightly and handles more responsively than I'd expected. I really love the feel of the moustache bars as well.