failing like never before

I got a 1989 Miyata Alumicross earlier this summer and have managed to put a few hundred miles on it so far. We bought it from the previous owner for $200 who apparently had the bike sitting in storage for almost the past two decades, so its in surprisngly good condition despite its age. Almost all of the components on the bike are original, except for the saddle, bar tape, and toe clips (all of which I replaced myself).

Here's a description of the bike:

• 58cm, weighing approx. 24 lbs.
• Aluminum main tubes, APA-bonded 3-lug construction
• Suntour XCD-6000 deraileurs
• Suntour Accushift Bar Con shifters (front shifter is friction, rear is index/friction)
• Suntour cantilever brakes
• Suntour XCD-6000 CW-XD00 cycloid triple crankset (48, 38, 28)
• CrMo fork
• Wolber GTx 700C rims
• IRC cross-country 35mm tires
• Suntour 6-speed freewheel (13, 15, 17, 20, 24, 28)
• Sansin sealed hub
• air-bottle basement (braze-on for CO2 cartridge)
• Interior back-brake cable thru top tube
• Steel pedals with strapless toe clips
• SR Sakae custom Modolo patent (Anatomic bend) handlebars

The Alumicross was apparently Miyata's top "cross" bike at the time of its production. I'm not quite sure if Miyata designed the Alumicross with cyclocross specifically in mind, or if its just a hybrid type bike. Nevertheless, its a good ride, and is light and speedy despite its thicker tires and heavier then normal frame, while still being well suited for cyclocross rides. Its also a good bike for riding around town and doing some recreational riding, and I suspect that it would do quite well at loaded touring since it seems to have all the threaded holes for attaching additional racks and panniers. The low gear gearing and wide gear ratios makes the Alumicross great for long, steep hill climbs while carrying lots of additional weight, but they also mean that the Alumicross is ill suited for high-speed road races.