thook

that's a big'o frame! love the colors

what year is it?

Cycle Tourist

Good question. The serial number is M8C25546. The M indicates 84 but I think the Grand Touring name came later so I really don't know. I'm getting parts together. Some days I think of putting brifters on it but lately I see it with Suntour barcons and a 6 speed 14-32 freewheel. The only 7 speed freewheels I see with a big ring have a bunch of close ratio gears and a lone big 34t. I don't really see that as a good touring set up. Anyway, the parts should all be here in the next week. I'll be sure to post the pictures.

Lemond1985

Got an '84 Gran Premio a few months back. These were I believe the third model from the top of the line, just below Univega's race bikes, these were marketed as "club bikes", and mine is certainly capable of that role. Takes 28 mm tires easily, as well as a triple. These frames are durable, comfortable and capable. The frame, that is. I have replaced all of the stock components other than the headset and seat post. I like old frames, but don't have the patience to deal with most old componentry, YMMV.

thook

'84 does seem early for the unicrown

ah, the megarange freewheel. i have one of those i intend to get rid of as soon as i can. i don't have a tool for it, so i'll either need to get one or just go to a shop. you know, ird has some new wide range 7spd freewheels. they're not cheap, but they're also touted to be much improved over the first design. i've read about atleast two BF members already getting them. i don't think they're ramped, though, like hyperglide wheels

Cougrrcj

For the Miyata-built Univegas, you'd be correct with M=1984, but after ~1986/7 production moved to Taiwan, so look at those builders -- especially since yours has the later uni-crown fork. - Giant began with a G, and yours starts with an M, so that looks to be, according to T-mar's Asian serial numbering guide ( https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ber-guide.html )- a Merida-built example.

I hope I'm right in this guess...



.

Cycle Tourist

It did have a made in Taiwan sticker on the head tube so '88 I'm guessing now. M for Merida, 8 for '88. Anyway I'm happy with the frame and it's looking more and more like a six freewheel with the 14-32t and friction bar ends. This is beginning to look a lot like my first touring bike, a early '80's Grand Tourismo. It had straight gauge tubing and very few braze-ons, center pull brakes and very limited low gear. Many clamps and modifications produced my first US circumnavigation on my favorite road touring bike. With the tall frame, the straight gauge tubing was the right choice for my 200lb frame and 50lbs of gear. I figured the weight penalty of the tubeset could be easily be countered by drinking half a water bottle or taking a healthy pee.🤣😂

Goofball

The red and the black 🎸

thook

oh my! that is sharp specialissima?

Goofball

Yes, 1984, tried to maintain a raw steel finish but it was a losing battle, may try a clear powdercoat someday, but for now it's rustoleum

Lemond1985

I've powdercoated two frames in "clear". Both of them suffered the same fate, namely, they look great for a couple of months. But small cracks in the powdercoating form in areas of flex, like the bottom bracket and head tube. Moisture enters the cracks, and rust forms. Once rust is formed under the powdercoating, it quickly (in a matter of weeks) spreads to the rest of the frame.

Apparently the problem is that, clear finishes lack the rust protection which is provided by sealers and primers, so their lifespan us very limited, maybe a year of normal use.

I have had OK luck with this stuff, on my steel Cannondale fork:

https://www.amazon.com/U-S-Chemical-.../dp/B0043B7UQY



I've been really careful about not getting the fork wet, and it's held up fine for a year or so with no sign of rust. The frames that rusted were often deliberately left outside in the rain as a form of "torture testing", so if that any rust that was gonna happen, I would see right away. And see it, I did.

This stuff is pretty good too, more economical that the 2k Glamour spray, since it's liquid instead or aerosol. I tried it before, but probably thinned it out too much, plan to try it again soon, and lay it down very thick so that metal is well-sealed.

https://www.kbs-coatings.com/DiamondFinish-Clear.html

What I have found is that clear coatings require a lot of babying, and while they will never be as durable as regular paint and primer, you can make them work if you're fastidious enough about protecting them from water and rain.

brandenjs

I’ve put many miles on this Specialissima. I wasn’t sure about the mustache bars, but have gotten pretty comfortable on them. This is from a trip down the C & O Canal to see the Cherry Blossoms in DC this year.

Goofball

A fine looking specialissima, I've owned maybe 4 or 5 bikes but none rode as nice as my specialissima just wish it had an easier to spell name

Goofball

My last attempt at a clear finish was with lacquer, using an adhesion promoter first, did ok except where my flabby thighs wore it off on the top tube, first rainy ride and it showed rust the next day. Bare steel and Seattle is not a good idea

Lemond1985

But the natural look of a polished steel frame is so awesome! Too bad it's only temporary.

I'm about ready to throw in the towel after so many failed attempts. My next (untried) idea is to find a shade of silver-gray paint the looks like bare steel, and use that. Then get some gold paint to make fake brazing at the lug joints. Then finally a clear coat over that. I suspect that this probably is the way to go vs. fighting all the rust issues.

Goofball

It's a sickness 😲

Cycle Tourist

The after picture:

Oldsledz

Here are my Univegas Supra Sport and a Via Carisma
Supra sport


Via Carisma

Gashepherd

I picked this 1996 Univega Superstrada a couple of weeks ago, I watched it in the classifieds for a couple of months, it started at $200 when it reached $100 I went to check it out. I'm a little confused about the component group it's mostly original but my research shows that the Superstrada is #2 in Univega's lineup but, the original shimano RSX group is near shimano's lower end, why didn't they go with something a bit better?
By the way the bike rides very well, apparently the brifters gave out at some point and were replaced with a garbage set of brake levers and separate shifters (also garbage) I'm trying to decide whether to go back with the original brifters or just upgrade to shimano tri-color levers and shifters.

Seijun

My very first Univega! A Nuovo Sport with a chromo frame, ??? fork, Suntour V-GT Luxe derailleurs, and ??? brakes. By the serial number, this is a 1981 model, correct? Also, is the frame made by Miyata, and why does everyone always ask that?

It isn't in the most amazing shape, but I won't complain for $60 and it being a 51cm frame. I am short.

Cougrrcj

How 'bout a pic of the whole bike? Drive side is preferable!

Univega frames were made in Japan by Miyata until about '88 or so, when production of lesser models shifted to Taiwan.

T-Mar

While the serial number indicates that the frame was manufactured in 1981, it is high enough to almost certainly be a 1982 model. Most manufacturers, including Miyata, stated building the new models for the upcoming calendar year around September, This allowed manufacturers to build up stock, compensate for the time lags involved in trans-oceanic shipping and distribution and still have the new models in stores for the lucrative Christmas season.

Miyata was arguably the best of the Japanese mass volume manufacturers during the 1980s. Some would argue they were the best in the world. Regardless, the consensus is that were one of the best. Consequently, owning a Miyata built Univega is somewhat of a status symbol in the cycling fraternity.

Edit: The brakeset is the the ubiquitous Dia-Compe centre-pull and appears to be the 610 version. There were numerous clones of these and the Dia-Compe themselves were clones of Weinmann that were built under license.

Given the level of bicycle, hi-tensile fork and stays are likely. You can increase your confidence in the fork material by removing the fork and checking the steering tube. Most CrMo forks are stamped as such.

Seijun

Here is the whole bike. Tomorrow I am going out to look for some handlebars that don't suck. I bought this to serve as my "light weight" commuter. My other ride is a Kona that has slowly turned into a utility bike.

Seijun

I tried to remove the fork but got stopped at this point. Does this require a special tool?

PugRider

Not really. There was a notched headset wrench for it, similar to a bottom bracket tool. But you can finagle it, using a Channel-lock or get it started with a light tap counter clockwise with a hole punch. Then the washer underneath comes off, and then the big one just unscrews, it shouldn't be on there tight at all. Not a fan of those headsets, but when you get it back together it should be a set-it-and-forget-it sort of thing.

ryansu

Had a headset like that on my Nishiki Cresta GT and it was a PIA to remove, I finally gave in and took it to the LBS and they used the tighten the bottom nut to give the spacer some room trick, I did not reinstall that headset.