bigwoo

I don't even need to say it; POST YOUR PICTURES FOLKS!
We already know that many of the Japanese Univega's and ITALVEGA'S were very nice and are often of very good quality, even to this day.

Please add anything you know about Univega's history, quality, hierarchy, how to date them, or anything else I'm forgetting

This is sadly all that I really know about Ben Lawee, but I'll bet some of you can really expand on it:
https://www.allbusiness.com/retail-tr...4135027-1.html


I'll start: This is my favorite Univega because it's so smooth and it RIPS down the road on a nice day. It's a Viva Sport:
https://

https://

bigwoo

D'OHH!

Mod's, can you please add a "p" to the word "apreciation" in the title? I'm an idiot

Lamplight

Ok I already posted mine once today, but I want this thread to keep moving because Univegas are cool.


Might as well post the before shot:

Blue Order

For anybody who's interested, what looks to be a Univega Competizione is currently available on eBay. If only it were in my size...

balindamood

Looks like it may be 7200-series DA. Nice.

dcfreiboth

Lamplight, planning on doing some cycletouring? Perhaps a brevet of two? I am hoping to do some on my Neuvo Sport some day.

bigwoo

Here is the list that forum member Bogester worked hard on compiling. Please add any model name that you come across if it is not on the list

From Bogester:
"..maxima uno!!....awesome...up to 55!" 55 models is pretty darn impressive!

Activa
Activa Action
Activa Country
Activa Sport
Activa Trail
Alpina
Alpina Country
Alpina Pro
Alpina Team
Alpina Uno
ArrowPace
Arrow Speed
Boralyn
competzione
Custom Maxima
Custom Ten
gran premio
gran rally
Gran Record
gran sprint
gran sprint - S
Gran Tech
Gran Touring
Gran Turismo
Ground Force
Ital Sport
Land Rover 12
maxima sport
Maxima Uno
Modo Volare
MODO VIVERE
Nuovo Sport
NuovoTech 450
Nuovo Ten
Pathfinder
R7.2
Range Rover - ES
Rover
rover sport
rover STI
Safari Ten
Speciallisima
Sportour
Superstrada
super special
SupraSport
Tandem Sport
Tri-Star
Ultraleggera
Via Carisma
Via Montega
Viva Activa 300
Viva Sport
Viva Touring
Vivatech

bigwoo

Here's an (early 80's T-Mar??) Sportour with Tange Champion and Shimano Arabesque... Nice commuter

https://

https://

https://

Lamplight

You read my mind! I have a handelbar bag in the works, though. The Nigel Smythe bag is nice and very well made, but it's not very convenient. Plus, here lately I find that it doesn't have quite enough capacity for the things I'm carrying. So hopefully I'll get to do some longer rides on it in 2008, but it is difficult when you only have 5 days of vacation time and on the weekends you're too tired to ride much.

raverson

'81 Sportour. Came with 600 Arabesque but left with Suntour ARX. Otherwise original besides tires and tape. 64cm x 57cm so the bike was too tall, but fit like a glove in reach.

BlankCrows

Here's a Gran Sprint model my brother found for $35 somewhere and is keeping at my place. Triple butted tubing. It's got diamond shaped cutouts on the lugs and the edges of the lugs are filed nicely. The pearl-ish sky blue paint on it looks sharp.

ticwanos

BlankCrows beat me to it, but I recently acquired an almost identical Gran Sprint to his brother's bike (see earlier posting in "Catch of the Day"). I have been loving this ride. Yes, I need to give the bike a good scrub and polish, but life has been hectic lately. Nevertheless, here are some detail pics to add to the portrait. The lugs caught my eye instantly.



The black stem and seat post have to go! It is so wrong with the sky blue. After seeing BlankCrows' bike, I can see what it is supposed to look like.

Lamplight

Love all these light blue Univegas! It's just a nice color in general.

fishsoup12

I'm so excited to have found you people! I just bought a Univega Gran Turismo today. I'm sorry I can't show photos at the moment but they wouldn't be very impressive anyway... this bike needs some work or at least a good cleaning. Anyway, I'm brand new to cycling and will have questions... I hope some of you will be able to help me out. Is anyone here from L.A.?

fishsoup12

Where might I find the serial number on this bike?

fishsoup12

Actually, here is the actual bike that I just purchased...

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/bik/522704821.html

I'm very excited to fix it up...
I apologize... I'm rambling because I'm excited....

BlankCrows

Ticwanos, PM me if you want to know of any particular components that you may be looking for. The tubing sticker is different on the one I've got, and I think it says the forks are chromoly (I'm not with it tonight--I'll check that tomorrow).

ticwanos

BlankCrows--PM sent. Thanks.

bigwoo

Fishsoup12,
A couple of the guys are AWSOME at dating bikes, so if you can get it they may be able to pin it down for you.
Tip the bike over/upside down so it is resting on its seat and handlebars and look and the bottom bracket.
I'm guessing that you'll find something that looks like this:
https://

FlatTop

That looks a great deal like the Gran Turismo my buddy found for me a couple of weeks ago. I'm gathering the bits to put it back in good order. Is yours triple chainring with five rear cogs? I thought this an odd combo for what I'm guessing is an early '80s bike. Mine is serial number 1809744, with a "K" sticker.

The bike seems reasonably light and I like the geometry...can't wait to ride it.

Lamplight

Looks like a good one! I'm a little surprised it doesn't have barend shifters though. I'm switching mine to downtube shifters soon.

Antipodes

I once had a Univega freestyle BMX when I was about 12 years old. If my memory serves me correctly, it was around 1987 or 1988 that I got it. The frame was light blue and most of the components, including the rims, were white.
Can anyone shed any light on the Univega BMX line from this era? Keep in mind that this was in Australia...if that makes a difference...

Mooninbloom

I've got a Viva Sport I know nothing about, other then the fact that I ****ing love this thing.

I guess T-Mar is the expert? That's what I've got from reading these threads.
I need help!

The serial is OE29425.

It's bright red, down tube shifters, Suntour Cyclone components, Made in Japan, Tripple Butted Chromoly, "Signature" crank....

Does anyone know anything about this bike?

Thanks so much!

Squeazel

Here's my pride and joy :





1984 Univega Gran Turismo built by Miyata (almost identical to the Miyata 610 of the time).

Cold-set the frame to 135 mm, built up a couple of A719 rims on MTB hubs with double-butted spokes, added bar-end shifters, Brooks Professional seat, SKS fenders, Kool-stop pads, 12-32 7-speed cassette with a Deore RD. The Avenir front bag came with the bike and adds a nice oldy fashind look. It was almost NOS when I got it- the original grease on the chain was still clear! A dustrag was all the cleaning it needed. I kept the old wheels, shifters, etc. just in case, but it *really* rides smooth and slick the way it is. It's my commuter and will be my touring bike this summer for a couple of self-supported jaunts I have planned.

I may change the seatpost back to silver.

T-Mar

Definitely a 1986, Miyata built model. Based on the limited description, it appears to fall somewhere in the range of the Miyata 310 and 710, which makes it a lower mid-range model and around $375-$400 US. I do have specs for a 1985 Univaga Gran Sprint with triple butted CrMo, Signature crank and Cyclone derailleurs for $359 US. This appears to be your model's predecessor and corroborates the price range, given a slight price increase for 1986.