Koga-Miyata FullPro Fieldwork-mobile

I'm currently doing my PhD, which means I end up spending a lot of time thinking about bikes and biking. While definitely a form of procrastination, I also think of it as part self-preservation. Years of doing mostly self-directed work is hard, and writing critically on technology and urban development is quite depressing these days. Riding is one of those things that keeps me sane enough to keep at it with the research, even when frustrated. So as long as I end up riding more, I usually give myself a pass when I come up with some excuse to build another bike.

Now I'm about to spend two months in London doing fieldwork, and of course started considering the bike-situation before sorting out housing or my work schedule. However, I've had some bad experiences flying with bikes recently, and just don't really want to go through another nervous unpacking upon arrival (it is also surprisingly expensive to bring a bike from Oslo to London). Plus, none of the bikes that I currently have would really work for what I saw myself needing in London anyway, as the bike needs to double as mode of transportation for getting around (to and from interviews, to events), and as therapeutic device for fast laps around the park and longer rides in the weekends (excuses excuses). So ideally, it should be a bike that is decently fast and reliably, but also unassuming enough that I feel like I can lock it up outside from time to time without worrying too much about someone immediately carrying it off.

Long story short, I somehow came up with a plausible enough narrative to justify getting myself another (temporary?) bike. Started browsing a bit in the classifieds section, and pretty quickly stumbled upon this which at first didn't look very exciting. But as I scrolled through the photos I got hooked on the paint job which is really pretty amazing. So kind of checks the box of unassuming at a distance, yet is actually a bit of a gem. A quick exchange with HerrJ later, I had myself the beginnings of a new project:

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didn't look very exciting

Lies!! It's a FullPro, right!?!

It is. I'm deeply jealous. My FM-2 Gents Racer and I are going for a quiet cry in the corner.

Looking forward to seeing this built up though!

Exciting bike, just me being ignorant.

Frame is being shipped straight to London, and I’m not arriving until next week. So have used the last week to assemble and order a motley crew of parts to the London address where I’m staying for the first week (poor friend did not know what they were getting into when offering me a place to stay). I really had planned to keep this budget project, bringing some random things I have in the basement and buying some additional bits and pieces here. But I feel this plan of fell apart a bit already with the acquisition of the frame, which looks a fair bit nicer than what I originally had in mind. In order to pretend like I’m still somewhat sticking with the original plan, I’m bringing a worn random Selle saddle I had lying around, which will hopefully help with making the bike look at least a bit ratty.

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Pretty quickly had the idea that I would build it up as a 1x10, thinking that there are no proper climbs in south England, and making it mechanically just a bit simpler. Because of how dark the frame is I was thinking I would go with mostly black components. Found these for cheap on the Norwegian version of gumtree (which is were I aquire almost all of bike stuff). Norway is strange place in that everything is really expensive (£10 pints etc), yet newness seems to wear off quickly. So often you can find lightly used (or as in this case only unpacked) things at bargain prices.

Only downside to these was that I had to order a praxis bb, as the one included does not fit the frame. Apparently you need a special M30 bb tool as well to assemble the whole thing. Anyone know of someone/someplace that might have one in London?

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One more thing that I’m bringing from Norway in order to keep costs down: wheels borrowed from my rando bike (a neo-retro Nishiki Continental). Currently have Panaracer Pasels 28s on them, interesting to see if they’ll fit...

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oooh subbed. This'll be good. Nicer saddle, better lock... lol. That nice crank and beeatching wheels, that won't throw Johnny Criminal off the scent...

As I already said, this project sort of was a failure from the start in that the frame is way too nice to be clad with shit parts. Arrived in London yesterday, and some stuff has already trickled in through the mail.

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Last bits in place thanks to @JoeC @fizzy.bleach and @marky_marksafc

Now just waiting for the frame and looking out for a cheap bike that I will actually dare to lock up outside.

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Rad!

Black seatpost?

That was the original plan, but couldn't find a cheap 26.8 one that was decent looking. So possible upgrade as soon as I get my hands on one!

Nice to meet you Aron ;)

Hope the brakes work out.

Good to meet you fella

BBB Skyscraper BSP-20 is cheap yet decent, if you're ok with a straight (no setback) post.

Frame arrived!

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Black 26.8 seat post sorted via forum. Now just a painful wait for Praxis bb-tool to arrive, hopefully will be resolved by next weekend. I'm sure it'll be raining sidewise by then.

Subbed. Looks promising!

One more thing came in the mail:

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Picked this up today but was a bit too tired and hungry to focus a camera. Proper photos to come once I've set the bike up properly.

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Looks fantastic. That paintjob is incredible, Koga Miyata made some awesome bikes.

Thx! LFGSS parts-build :-)

Yeah, agree. It is a bit strange though, because at least as far I have seen, this is pretty different from the other paint jobs they offered over the years.

Noooooo! stop it. That's gorgeous. New saddle methunks... Bikes for me, as I found out with my psychologist, hark back to a happier time in my life where I was good at something, and in control and could escape, all in one little neat package. So I get where people come from with projects entirely. Things arriving bit by bit probably also appeal to the dopamine junkie in me.

Took it out for a first ride this morning. Best steel frame I've had up to this point is a Moser Ax Leader, and I would say the K-M is on the same level. Trusted it immediately on the descents, and generally found it really inspiring to ride. Hadn't ridden in over 3 weeks, but feel surprisingly good after 100k (I doubt this had been the case had I been on my krabon).

My gents racer (also fm1 tubing, and rides beautifully) is a way more 90s look - bright blue/pink/purple fades. But I used to own a more tourer type KM that was a similar colourway to yours, but without that wicked scale effect.