South Salem Cycleworks Museum:
Owner Michael Wolfe’s 62cm Miyata Titanium Team Bike

Owner Michael Wolfe’s 62cm Miyata Titanium Team Bike

• 62cm center to center seat tube, 57.5cm top tube, 18.5cm head tube
• 41cm chainstays, 100cm wheelbase.
• 1991 model

Side view of the Miyata Ti.

Despite its notoriety as a failed system, my Zap has performed flawlessly, other than my falling off my rollers one winter and cracking the outer shell of the derailleur! It still worked, but aesthetically had to be replaced.

I think it’s on its second battery. I rode all day in the rain during STP ’96 with no complaints on ZAP. The two bleeding welts on my butt cheeks, created by the constant spray from the rear wheel on my chamois, well, that’s a different matter! I think Zap was quicker and more predictable than Mektronic, though the computer display offered a lot of information with Mektronic.

Click on this link to learn about famed racer Chris Boardman's experience with Mavic Zap.

Here I am enjoying the road on the Miyata.

The bond from the downtube to the headtube released a decade ago. A talented employee attempted to epoxy it back, but after two tries, pop rivets were used the third time. I ceased using the bike for extensive climbing, and descending, after that! The bonded Ti frame is flexy, and initially, I disliked the chain moving to the inner ring under uphill sprints, but for endurance rides, it was a very comfortable ride.

Here's the joint failure we repaired.

And the pop-rivet repair.

I rode it on Columbia Gorge challenge centuries, with 7-10,000’ elevation gains, and descents. I was chasing Dan Belden on his Cannondale on one curvy descent, and the front wheel skipped sideways three times in rapid succession. Dan had more “momentum” and I let him go!

Seatstay decal states “Full Titanium Frame”. In subsequent years, the stays were not painted!

Bike specs:

• 100% Commercially pure titanium frame with bonded aluminum lugs.
• APA aluminum fork
• Campagnolo Super Record 2-bolt fluted 25.8 seatpost
• San Marcos Rolls Ti rail saddle
• Louis Garneau Mini seatbag
• Zefal HPX4 frame pump
• Specialized cages with alloy bolts
• Avocet 50 cyclometer
• Modolo X-Tenos 8-bend 44cm bar
• Modolo X-Tenos 13cm stem
• Mavic ZAP shifter and rear derailleur
• Mavic 821 front shifter and 862 B/O front derailleur
• Mavic 451 brake levers and calipers – rear pads are now Koolstop holders/pads.
• Mavic 631 “Starfish” 175/39/53 crankset
• Mavic 610 titanium bottom bracket
• Mavic 305 headset
• Mavic 571/2 32h hubs
• Mavic Open S.U.P. ceramic rims
• DT Revolution 15/17/15 spokes, 1x twist front, 2x nondrive, 3x driveside rear.
• DT alloy nipples
• Rox Ultra Light rimstrips
• Michelin Airstop butyl tubes
• Continental Gran Sport 700x23 folders
• Time Titan Magnesium pedals
• Dura Ace 8s 13-23 cassette
• Sachs chain
• As equipped, 22.5lbs.

Detail pictures of the Miyata:

First, another full side-view of the bicycle.

Here it is at the Buena Vista House Bed & Breakfast in Independence Oregon.

Front view of the bike

From behind

The cockpit from behind

Head tube close-up, showing the Mavic front derailleur shift lever.

The other side of the head/down tube, showing the Mavic 821 front shift lever and the excess wire cover.

Decal on the seat stay says it all.

Here are the backs of the seat stays.

The forks

The APA Aluminum fork decal.

The Mavic cranksets drive side as well as the Mavic 862 front derailleur.

The left crank arm mounted to the Mavic Titanium bottom bracket.

One of the Time Titan Magnesium pedals

Back of one of the Time Titan Magnesium pedals

The Dura-Ace 13-23 8-speed cassette sprockets.

Here's the Mavic Zap rear derailleur that will move the chain across those Dura-Ace sprockets.

The rear hub's non-drive side

The MAvic 571 front hub and the DT Revolution 1-cross spoking.

The left Mavic 451 brake lever.

The left brake lever, showing the second Mavic Zap shifter.

The Avcocet 50 Altimeter cyclo computer and a set of Zap shifters on the tops of the bars.

The Zap battery cap.

The Mavic 451 front brake caliper

The rear Mavic 451 brake caliper with its Koolstop holds and pads.

The Modolo X-Tenos stem and 8-bend X-Tenos bars.

Back of the Rolls Titanium-railed saddle

Holding up that Rolls saddle it this Campagnolo Super Record 2-bolt seat post.

Top tube close-up showing the Zefal HPX pump.

The bike was built with Mavic cable housing.

The Mavic Equipment decal on the chainstay.

The wheels are built with Mavic Open S.U.P. rims