Recent Univega Competizione find
 

This is one of those ebay finds that you don't expect, that make you a little nervous, and about which you ultimately have no regrets. I've had three Univegas -- first a 54cm that was too small, and then a 58cm, which was too big. At 56cm, this one is perfect. It arrived missing only the stem and handlebars, which the seller had parted out separately (neato Nitto aero bits, which I am happy not to have), and covered in a protective layer of grime. After some degreasing with rubbing alcohol, some new grease, and a coat of wax, it shined up beautifully. Had a busy weekend...

Some details:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b178ca1d67.jpg
Seller's pic

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f7f9a99354.jpg
Tange Ritzy alloy headset

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...16830d06ab.jpg
Sunshine Pro-Am hubs

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4b404c2152.jpg
Original tires (dried and cracked)

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f0d89fae47.jpg
Serial starts with J -- 1982?

More details
 

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c3649a4ed8.jpg
Suntour Pro dropouts

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...db7ff217cb.jpg
Shimano fork ends

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...573a38f298.jpg
Tange fork, with some illustrative grime

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5932a26d25.jpg
Badly pitted spindle -- this is a goner (but the cups are in great shape)

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6465b38171.jpg
Araya rims

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...69b694aa19.jpg
Frame all clean

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b9b12911a0.jpg
All cleaned up and roadworthy, but not yet final. Low mileage drivetrain moved over from my previous Univega, including Suntour 14-32 freewheel and Sakae CX triple (vs. the Aerox crankset that came mounted). Brooks saddle, temporary bars, Superbe levers. Wheels are Mavic clinchers laced to Sunshine Gyromaster.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b5f0d76866.jpg
It came with a short cage Cyclone MKII, but I added a GT version I recently overhauled and had in the parts bin. Matching front derailleur was in great shape, just needed cleaning. Also came with the "good" Laprade seat post, with the alloy mounting bits at the top.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...58311930b2.jpg
Original AGC 300 brakes are in excellent shape, but I will likely replace them with a set of Superbe brakes I have that match the levers I mounted.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f4a4946f8e.jpg
And what really sealed the deal -- the hat and vintage gloves fit!

I remember discussing this bicycle in the Appraisals & Inquiries forum. It's slightly older than originally suggested, with the serial number and steering tube code both indicating a 1982 model manufactured in very late 1981. Did you check the rear derailleur code to verify if it is OEM?

I love these Univegas. They don't get enough respect.

That would certainly increase my confidence level for the Cyclone derailleurs being OEM.

Thanks, I'm thrilled!

This one has taken me a long time. I wanted to make it a brifter bike, but I couldn’t get past some issues with the front shifting — the cable stop wasn’t immobile, the housing fought with the ferrules, the position felt a smidge too stretched out. I gave up and came back to friction, and I couldn’t be more happy. Here is the current build:

- Suntour Cyclone GT rd and fd
- Shimano bar end pods with Suntour friction shifters
- 7-speed Sunrace freewheel 13-28
- Sakae CX triple with 50-34-30 (compact + extra climbing capacity, and didn’t want to swap out the triple that I already had on it)
- 105 brake calipers
- Tektro RL341 short reach aero levers
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fd327b2f9.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6341be877.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7cb016984.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7780988b5.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a9a1b7a4f.jpeg

I had a cable stop from before, the one from a kind Aussie soul who machined them as custom pieces, but I couldn’t figure out a satisfying way to shim it to immobilize it. So, I followed a thread here to jury rig a spare Symmetric base to mount a couple of standard stops.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...44aa39608.jpeg

And still haven’t figured out the right place to put this sticker, since these shifters came from the box...

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...89c09153f.jpeg

Great looking bike and fine job making all of this work right.

Those comps are high quality frames. Digging the blue colour. I had an 83 Sportour and thought it was super, yours has icing!

High quality for sure. Could be raced if you threw on some sew ups. These were from the top tier of Univega. The price was a bit lower than the Superstrada because it wasn't Dura Ace. I preferred the Suntour and Gran Compe stuff myself.

The electric blue color was a trend at the time. Everyone was ripping off Gios, who started it.

I have what I believe is a 1984 Univega Gran Premio (does not have under BB cable routing) which was next in line down from the Competizone. It was marketed as a "club bike", whatever that means, maybe slightly more relaxed angles. It has that same blue color.

Fine riding machine, I would take this thing anywhere. And since it's pre-'85, it has decent tire clearance, likely room for 32's, since (oversized) GP4000II's in 28 mm fit with room to spare.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...642726a096.jpg

The 58cm frame I mention in my original post was a Gran Premio from 1986. I loved it, but it was too big. I was lucky when this one popped up on the ‘bay. Nice GP!

From the 1984 catalog, I'm sure you've seen these, they're a hoot.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1258fa4470.png
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f20cc813e8.png

I love these catalogs -- they look like the Takara catalog peoples' happier, more successful relatives.

hello! @noobinsf

so, what bars did you wind up using? how'd you manage the suntour levers on the shimano pods and were they original symmetric levers? lastly, where's that thread you mention converting the symmetric shifter base to cable stops?

thanks!

Let's see...

1) Bars are Nitto B115 in 42cm width, which I had from another build, and I used the SR 80mm stem that came stock on a Univega Viva Touring that I sold long ago as a frame.

2) The shift levers are standard Suntour fare -- I just had to forego using the standard lever stop spacer because the square of the spacer was obstructed by a tab on the Shimano pod's square boss. I know that's kind of a fuzzy description, so I will try to take some pics later and post to better explain.

3) Here is the thread I followed for the "custom" Symmetric cable stop: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-shifters.html

Hope this helps!

ha! figured those had to be nitto's given the bend profile

yeah, that is a tad fuzzy. ;) anything you'd care to share on how to would be appreciated

and, thanks for the link. i'm on it!

btw, have i mentioned how lovely that blue is? :p

Thanks for the compliments!

I could not use this spacer:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2287566e13.jpg

...because the pods have this tab, visible on the lower pod. There is a half-moon tab at the top of the square, which should be visible in this pic. I suppose I could file the tab off, but I chose to leave it as is, and the shifters work fine without the spacer/stop. If you get the bar end pods from Rivendell, they will not have this tab. I happened to get these randomly in a parts lot.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ff4b8154c5.jpg

yer welcome for the compliments!

i do have some friction dt shifters that have that spacer you show, but one of the top mount shifter bases i have (on my super letour) has the stop integrated on the base vs having the spacer. i think i will use that base to fashion into a cable stop as you've done. thanks for that link!

fyi, there's a set of pods on ebay right now with the flat spacer like what rivendell sells for using friction levers....if you should be needing another set

thanks for taking the time and pics!