Jicafold

So I was at the local Goodwill and saw this Univega out of the corner of my eye. while looking for audio equipment. I thought it may have been garbage but upon closer inspection it looked like it had decent components. I bought it for $29. I was going to part it out but not too sure. Information seems a bit spare on what this thing is worth as a whole. I gave it a bath but haven't really cleaned anything,. All original except tires, seat, and grips. I prefer road bikes. Any ideas what it is worth?

curbtender

Jewel. If you were going to keep a vintage mb, this would be a nice showpiece.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l#post20978035

sunnyone

That is the best bike I have ever seen from Goodwill, in person or online. And I’m amazed you got it at that price. It seems a shame to part it out, only to have the person who buys the frame have to laboriously try to reassemble all the parts to rebuild it. If you don’t desperately need to maximize your return, and the bike doesn't appeal to you, why not sell it to someone who would
really love a great bike like that.

Fahrenheit531 

That is beyond cool. Don't tear it apart, just sell it as-is if you don't want it.

wrk101

I love mine. Put a set of Fat Franks on mine just for the heck of it.



1983 Univega Alpina Ultima by wrk101, on Flickr

Jicafold

I'm not desperate to sell off the parts. I would sell it whole to an appreciative buyer, after I go through it all and rebuild and inspect the hubs and bottom bracket, new cables, clean and polish stuff, etc. I'm more of a road bike guy, but I can certainly appreciate this bike.

wrk101

I usually put a low value on 1980s MTBs, but the Ultima is pretty special. Nitto anodized bull moose handlebars, full Champion cromoly frame, Sunshine cartridge bearing wheels, Suntour Superbe Tech RD, adjustable set back seat post, etc. Its really one of the best of the consumer brand MTBs from Japan for that era. Yours has some condition issues, don't know if the paint is faded that badly or did it come in different colors. There is a Univega catalog for 1983 out there on the web.

Jicafold

There are some other photos of some grey ones online. There is no fading and remarkably few scratches. That white mark along the seat stay came right off with some polish.

Jicafold

So I can't remove the bottom bracket. Curiously it has a lockring on both sides. I don't have a tool for this, nor did the local shop. It has 8 indentations and so does an ISIS tool, but not sure that would work. Any ideas?

wrk101

Early Suntour cartridge bottom bracket. You have to get a little creative, like a pin spanner wrench or similar. Even a cheapo screwdriver used as a punch can work. As I recall, I've always had success with the pin spanner.

Suntour made a tool for this job, but its been out of production for almost 30 years. You need a rigid pin spanner, like the one found on a Park Tool BB tool HCW-4.

Jicafold

I have a set of pin spanners like used to remove other non fixed cups. No dice. It's seized. I sprayed penetrant in there for a few days, but I may need to do it for a month. Last resort, vice grips or the vise.

wrk101

Then use a chisel or cheap screwdriver as a punch to get it started.

curbtender

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Jicafold

Like I said in #11 , I already tried a pin wrench. I have 3 of them. There is not enough purchase in the cup surface with them to allow you to use any force. It just slips out.

brightsideofit 

Did you ever get that bottom bracket off? If so, how?

wrk101

I have removed dozens, using the methods I suggested above. Remember threading direction on drive side is reversed.

brightsideofit 

I’ll give it a shot. Thanks.

curbtender

I use a bar clamp on the tool if it s slipping out.

panzerwagon 

​​​​
I actually purchased this frame from OP some years back, complete with still-stuck bottom bracket.


These are the magic tools I used. An excellent pair of vice grips and a random piece of metal from my garage to give leverage. You can see the deep tooth marks left by the vice grip teeth on the cup.

panzerwagon 

Current status:

Frenzen

what is that light stand? I have the same light but it came with a cheap stand for the bar.

panzerwagon 

It’s something I cobbled together from the Cygolite GoPro Adapter (https://www.modernbike.com/cygolite-...mpatible-mount) and the Busch + Müller Mounting Bracket for Front Lights - 475D (https://www.bike24.com/p225375.html)