1990s ‘cross/hybrid bikes are still very relevant for today’s riders. This week’s Readers’ Rides comes from Tilman from Tesuque Bikes, who shares a recent build of a 1991 Miyata Alumicross for a friend. The Alumicross was very similar to modern gravel touring bikes. Let’s check it out…
1989 Miyata Alumicross review from Bicycle Guide via Bike Forums – We’re surprised Bruce Gordon didn’t send Tioga a cease and desist!
For the last few years, I’ve been collecting frames and components to build unique bikes for people, bikes they’ll truly value as personal expressions of who they are and how they ride. Still, every build somehow ends up needing something I don’t have, and this one was no exception.
When my friend Sheldon Auge, a strong rider, Albuquerque local, and regular presence in the bike community here, asked me to help him put together a build for a family member, it was back to hunting for the perfect frame. Fortunately, knowing the right folks and what’s in their parts bins speeds up this process.
At its core is a 1991 Miyata AlumiCross frame set I sourced from local mechanic John Kitzinger. The AlumiCross was part of Miyata’s early foray into multi-terrain versatility, modeled after European cyclocross bikes of the era.
It has a bonded aluminum APA front triangle (aluminum-pressurized-adhesive bonded; a process worth reading up on: Miyata 1989 Catalog), paired with CR-MO rear stays, offering a lighter ride, while still preserving the feel and compliance of steel, that should “fulfill the urge to test the rigors of off-road or the challenges of the road,” as Miyata put it in 1991.
As for the other components: the crankset and chainring came from Shane Goeckner, another local shredder. I picked up the rear derailleur and bottom bracket from Two Wheel Drive, one of Albuquerque’s best shops, run by highly experienced mechanics and all-around great guys. The cassette, cabling, and straddle carriers were generously provided by Esperanza Bicycle Safety Center, whose support helped bring the final pieces together.
The seat post and pieced together headset came with the frame and stayed on, a nod to the original beater configuration I bought it in. The rest came from my personal collection.
The name, “The Will of XBiking” has a double meaning. On one hand, it speaks to the continuity and persistence of XBiking itself, a place-based form of cycling, rooted in knowledge, adventure, and connection to land. It’s one of the most beautiful expressions of riding, and one that will keep evolving for years to come.
At the same time, the name plays off the cyclical nature of bike trends, with younger riders like myself rediscovering things like cross frames, rim brakes, and fenders… and the way that seasoned builders jokingly predict what newcomers will “stumble onto” next. It’s part joke, part truth, part reflection on how every generation finds its own way to what works, even if someone else found it first.
Sometimes both sides miss the mark: newcomers may overlook the value of established knowledge, while seasoned riders can be quick to dismiss curiosity. The point isn’t to gatekeep or resist learning; rather, it’s to celebrate the process and joy of building bikes that feel just right.
Build Spec:
- 1991 Miyata AlumiCross
- 3T Forma Drop Bars
- SR Custom Quill Stem
- 1″ Threaded Dura-Ace upper/Ritchey Lower Headset
- SRAM NX 1x Crank
- SRAM DUB Bottom Bracket
- Wolf Tooth Drop-Stop 38T Chainring
- Microshift Advent X Rear Derailleur
- Microshift Sword Brifters
- SunRace 11-42T 10spd Cassette
- Shimano STX Cantilever Brakes
- Shimano Deore Hubs
- Unmarked Alloy Rims
- Panaracer GravelKing SK 700x38c
- Selle Italia Turbo Saddle
- Sakae CR Seatpost
- Shimano PD-A530 Pedals
We’d like to thank all of you who submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared here at The Radavist. The response has been incredible, and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!
