Originally Posted by
Zestiquant
Why does it seem that each Univega model had a ton of different variations? When I was looking into my Viva Sport I saw people with hi-ten frames to double butted chromoly to triple butted chromoly.
Also that setup sounds pretty cool. All you people keeping your Univega's somewhat vintage may just sway me the same way...
Univegas were contract-built at Ben Lawee's direction. (check out the Univega appreciation thread)
Univega model specs changed every year because the actual manufacturer of the frames changed their own specs every year. During the '80s, when Univega frames were made by Miyata, their own bike models changed with the advent of better tubing sets, so likewise, the framesets that Miyata made for Univega 'upgraded' as well. First CrMo, the butted CrMo, then triple-butted CrMo. Forks went from Hi-ten to Mangalite, to CrMo. My '84 Uni Viva Sport was specced out almost exactly the same as a Miyata 710 of the same year -- same frame tubing, same fork tubing, wheel hubs, etc - EXCEPT for wheel size. The Viva Sport held on to 27", whereas the Miyata 710 got 700c.
Sometimes features were introduced mid-year, like the mid-fork rack braze-on for the front rack on my '84 Uni Gran Tourismo (equivalent corresponding to the same year Miyata 610). Right on the Univega catalog,
https://univegacatalogs.wordpress.com/ , there is fine print that states 'Specifications are subject to change'