russdog63

I started a thread hoping to find info on my Univega frame. There were a lot of people looking but not a lot of responses and not a lot of info outside of Sheldon Brown. It seems like Univega info is very hard to come by. However, I think there is a lot of interest. Quite often people start threads asking about their Univega. A lot of people in this forum own Univegas and really like them. I am one of them. I am hoping this thread could be a thread to come up with a comprehensive info about Univega. This info could be pulled from onhand knowledge, information from old bicycle mags from the 70s and 80s, old bike shop owners and employees etc...

I know that there is a lot of knowledge out there in this forum. Thanks!!!!!!!

Kinetikx

T-mar is the man who knows best from what I've read. I just won a Univega frame from ebay earlier this week and I'll be posting my own thread about it once it arrives.

From my understanding Miyata made some (most?) Univega frames. As far as Italvega goes- I have no clue.

spry

Don,t dispair,I lot of us collect and ride Univega,s.The problem seems to be with the elite collectors that Univega,s are not built by Univega.They are a collection of Japan frames and components brought in and assembled and banded here.
You could be like me trying to eek some interest in a Detel bycycle thread:O

CV-6 

I believe ItalVega were made by Torpado. Same distributor arranged for importing of both ItalVega and UniVega. When the source for ItalVega ended, he went to a Japanese frame and UniVega was born.

spry

I did own a 72ChevyVega and that thing was junk!

Skip Magnuson

Italvegas were built in the Torpado factory and some have a workshop decal showing "Torresini." A California bicycle importer, Ben Olken's Lawee Co., had the bikes built and assembled in Italy and importated - several came to California. Italvegas were produced from 1970 or 71 until the mid-1970s. In the mid/late 1970s production was shifted to Japan and the name was changed to Univega and, I believe, still imported by Lawee. I bought my Italvega (s/n 3007) in 1971 in San Jose, CA. Because of my interest in Italvegas, I have been collecting serial numbers in an attempt to get an idea of year of mfd., model, color, etc. I now have 28 s/n numbers and maybe can help with year-of-mfd.

John E

Skip's post is consistent with my understanding, but folks, myself included, still wonder which Japanese factory built the Univega frames.

rhenning

Skip I have Italavega Super Speciale Columbus Tubing bike. The bike is full Campy Record equiped and the same color as my 04 Nissan truck. Nissan calls it champaign but I would call it beige. If you would tell me where the serial number is located I would be happy to dig the bike out and send you the number. Roger

CV-6 

Hey Skip...here's a pic you will like.

-=(8)=-

I think(?) I read on BF somewhere that someone very high up in the
Bikes Direct organization had something to do with Univega ?

TheOtherGuy

Hey; I like that one too... Looks like my size.

russdog63

cv-6, even from the blurry pic, that looks like a serious road racing bike. Very nice!!! I like it!!!! It looks to be decked out with Campy Record. The frame looks nice and very worthy of it. I have a Univega frame of similar very high quality decked out with Dura Ace. Tell us more about your frame. Anything you know would love to be heard!!!!! Thanks.

CV-6 

It's not blurry so much as it is a scan from a 35mm negative. ItalVega Superlight. If you go to Lynn's Addiction in my sig and check the LeJeune folder, you will see another pic (later) and can view both larger. It was (and still is) owned by a friend of mine, but it by now has seen better days. This pic is from shortly after he bought it. Drillium all over, Fiamme yellow label rims. Columbus tubing, of course. I'd like to buy it from him as he does not ride it, but I have my doubts he will sell.

jacksbike

The picture of the white Italvega appears to be the exact same bike that I own. I always wondered about the "Torressini" gold signature on the top tube. I always wondered who made the bike and I see that it was from the Torpado factory in Italy. Interesting info from everyone.

jjvw

If you haven't seen it yet, here is an old thread of mine with some Italvega info.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ht=italvega+id

This is my first good frame and is set up as a fixed gear. It's still an ongoing project. I'll post new pics of it next week.

rhenning

Skip I finally found the serial number off my Italavega. Not sure what year it is but the number is *410737*. Heres a couple of pictures of the bike. Roger

Skip Magnuson

Roger,
Thanks for the s/n. Your's is the highest number I have in my list (31 s/n so far). The *30xxxx* are mostly SuperSpeciale from 1973-74 (I have 4 such s/n). The *40xxxx* appear to be 1974-76 and 2 are SuperSpeciale and one a Super Light. Does your's have cutout on the BB? Thanks for the pictures.
Skip

vinnydelnegro

do the italvegas have italian threads?

jjvw

Mine sure does.

rhenning

Italian bottom bracket with a cutout on the bottom. Still has the Campy record plastic liner in it so its not exactly open to the world. All the lugs have diamond shaped cut outs in them also. Mine has Super Speciale decals on it. Full Campy Record with close ratio gearing. Corncob rear freewheel and 48/52 front chainrings. I shouldn't probably admit this but I bought the bike at a swap meet as you see it to be a parts bike for my 1974 Paramount. Best part of the whole deal is I paid $25 for it as the pictures show and the women who had it threw in a couple of extra deraileurs and brake hoods in the deal. She said people had walked by it all morning and didn't seem to be interested in a road bike. Interesting how times have changed in the last 8 years. After I got it home and looked it over I realized it was not a bike to part out. Roger

Katzenjammer

Apropos Univega, I was told by a LBS owner that if I was looking for a Miyata I could buy a Univega as they were all made by Miyata. Take that fwiw.

unworthy1

Yep, at least in the early years of JP production, Univega=Miyata...some frames were almost identical between the makes. But later it changed, I've seen some weird bonded AL/steel frames that looked very "Raleigh Technium", and don't know who built those. Still later Univega production moved to Taiwan, IIRC.

SpokesInMyPoop

i think sheldon brown has some info bout this...

spry

What is Univegas,"Magnalite" frame material?

"Roll of Quarters".............Hey,that was Mae West,s famous line.