Odd braze ons found on vintage MTB frames
12-10-21, 05:29 PM
#1
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Odd braze ons found on vintage MTB frames
Hi all,
I recently picked up this sad but cool Univega Alpina Uno that I will be rehabbing. It has an odd pair of braze ons that I've found on other vintage MTBS, no luck googling their purpose.
You'll see a single threaded boss above the seat tube bottle cage bosses, and one solitary threaded boss hole under the top tube. My curious brain needs to know, what were these used for? Thanks!!
ALSO if anyone has an alpina fork in the same finish with mid fork eyelets for a rack I will buy it!
I recently picked up this sad but cool Univega Alpina Uno that I will be rehabbing. It has an odd pair of braze ons that I've found on other vintage MTBS, no luck googling their purpose.
You'll see a single threaded boss above the seat tube bottle cage bosses, and one solitary threaded boss hole under the top tube. My curious brain needs to know, what were these used for? Thanks!!
ALSO if anyone has an alpina fork in the same finish with mid fork eyelets for a rack I will buy it!
12-10-21, 05:36 PM
#2
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I think they were for a padded shoulder strap for portaging.
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12-10-21, 05:57 PM
#3
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BINGO. Now that I had some clue, I googled more and you're 100% spot on.
This leads me to wonder, what was the impetus for a portage strap? Why were 80s MTB'ers finding a need to carry their bikes like that frequently enough to warrant a braze on?
This leads me to wonder, what was the impetus for a portage strap? Why were 80s MTB'ers finding a need to carry their bikes like that frequently enough to warrant a braze on?
12-10-21, 06:18 PM
#4
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there's a 3rd bolt above the seat tube water bottle mount and that's the attach point for the bottom of the portage pad.
this was the old days when they were following the cyclo cross model for portaging
/markp
this was the old days when they were following the cyclo cross model for portaging
/markp
12-10-21, 06:26 PM
#5
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In those days, trails weren't designed for bikes, and bikes weren't designed for rough terrain, so portaging was a bit more common. That said, it was probably mostly a marketing thing.
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12-10-21, 07:31 PM
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12-11-21, 08:37 AM
#7
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Interesting. My girlfriend, now wife, had an early 90’s Alpina but I don’t remember that. My ‘88 GT had two sets of bottle cage bosses on the down tube. I don’t remember hiking my bike up inclines much though I’m sure I did. I did send my bike on “ghost rides” all the time. Launch it down the incline and then follow, sliding on my feet and butt.
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12-11-21, 05:14 PM
#8
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I thought the tandem bottle braze-ons on this '83 Bianchi Grizzly were a bit strange. Plenty of room for them on these mile-long tubes.
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12-12-21, 07:27 PM
#9
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Cool frame. I had an unknown chrome atb frame with tandem bottle mounts like that. It also had the portage braze ons. Funny how some fads came and went so quickly, I guess.
12-13-21, 03:20 AM
#10
Strong Walker
Sometimes, manufacturers used MTB frames also as a base for traveller bikes. Some of these had mounts for the remote control of a bottom bracket mounted dynamo
