Reminder about intro - Univega
02-02-21, 04:00 AM
#1
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Reminder about intro - Univega
Hello again, I am not tech savvy. New to all this stuff, I was reminded about intro.
so here it goes.
I am 52 of age and enjoy biking, been riding since I can remember. I ride with my kids. I want to ride with my new grandchild in one of those kid trailer. I saw this Univega and had to have it. Traded with a go-cart...The look of this bike caught my eye. Just something different.
I signed up to see what I have maybe others can tell me the history...I love history and having something historical with me excited me.
This is all for now.
Thanks for reading .
so here it goes.
I am 52 of age and enjoy biking, been riding since I can remember. I ride with my kids. I want to ride with my new grandchild in one of those kid trailer. I saw this Univega and had to have it. Traded with a go-cart...The look of this bike caught my eye. Just something different.
I signed up to see what I have maybe others can tell me the history...I love history and having something historical with me excited me.
This is all for now.
Thanks for reading .
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02-02-21, 05:08 AM
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Welcome!
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02-02-21, 05:11 AM
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Pic assist
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02-02-21, 05:13 AM
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02-02-21, 07:42 AM
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Welcome! I'm a big fan of the blue to white fade paint scheme on the Univega.
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02-02-21, 08:05 AM
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In my experience, there's no such thing as a bad Univega. Always well-thought out and well-spec'ed, even at the lower end. Easy to work on, they will take almost any modern upgrade. Slightly underrated out there, but your bike appears to be in great shape, which is half the battle, really. Just google around and search here a basic refresher on repacking wheel, headset, and bottom bracket bearings, maybe just replace the chain and cables and brake pads for good measure, and that bike will serve you well for another few decades.
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02-02-21, 09:57 AM
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Other than that, learn how to repack the bearings and lube up the chain. Lots of info online or ask questions here. And then maybe some dual pivot brakes. You can find them pretty cheap used, but new ones are that bad either. They are a lot stronger and will be nice when pulling a trailer. You don't need them if you are a flatlander, but it would be really nice if you have hills in your area.
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02-02-21, 11:23 AM
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I've had several Univegas and still have two. They're great bikes, well built and easy to work on. Like others have said, once you have some maintenance basics down, you can really do anything with the frame, since it will take modern upgrades easily, or you can keep it vintage to maintain its original feel. In fact, I'm teaching my kids to ride their bikes, and my "pursuit" bike is a Univega.
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02-02-21, 12:19 PM
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Univegas are beautiful bikes. I am sure yours was made in Japan, where the best bikes of the era were all made IMO. Even into the 90s Univega made great affordable steel bikes that would rival much more expensive competitors.
A shop I worked at in the early 2000s had a chromoly 'step through' MTB from univega on the floor that was lighter than most of the modern aluminum bikes around it.
A shop I worked at in the early 2000s had a chromoly 'step through' MTB from univega on the floor that was lighter than most of the modern aluminum bikes around it.
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02-02-21, 12:38 PM
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Univegas are great. Re-pack the grease in the headset, bottom bracket and wheel hubs, fix the brake cable routing, throw away the kickstand, add new handlebar wrap (something a little thinner with some class), replace tires/tubes, clean and polish if you care to. And you're off!
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02-02-21, 12:49 PM
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Keep the dual leg kickstand!
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02-02-21, 02:29 PM
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That kickstand will be very handy with a trailer attached. Let’s you focus on getting kid in/out of trailer safely without worrying about the bike or a place to lean it.
Once the kids are riding by themselves, then maybe it will be time to remove it so they’re easier to chase!
Once the kids are riding by themselves, then maybe it will be time to remove it so they’re easier to chase!
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02-02-21, 02:33 PM
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Univegas are great. Re-pack the grease in the headset, bottom bracket and wheel hubs, fix the brake cable routing, throw away the kickstand, add new handlebar wrap (something a little thinner with some class), replace tires/tubes, clean and polish if you care to. And you're off!
However, if (when?) you conclude that N = 1 is simply not sufficient, and that a dedicated trailer-pulling bike would allow this Univega to roam freer and faster, be prepared to move that kickstand over!
Last edited by niliraga; 02-02-21 at 08:26 PM.
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02-02-21, 02:34 PM
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to be fair, a dual-leg kickstand is probably going to be worth its weight in gold when you need to tend to a grandchild in a trailer. Esp since it looks to be one with plastic bumpers built into the clamp that confirm to (and avoid crimping) the chainstays.
However, if (when?) you conclude that N = 1 is simply not sufficient, and that a dedicated trailer-pulling bike would allow this Univega to roam freer and faster, be prepared to move that kickstand over!
However, if (when?) you conclude that N = 1 is simply not sufficient, and that a dedicated trailer-pulling bike would allow this Univega to roam freer and faster, be prepared to move that kickstand over!
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02-02-21, 03:17 PM
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That kickstand will be very handy with a trailer attached. Let’s you focus on getting kid in/out of trailer safely without worrying about the bike or a place to lean it.
Once the kids are riding by themselves, then maybe it will be time to remove it so they’re easier to chase!
Once the kids are riding by themselves, then maybe it will be time to remove it so they’re easier to chase!
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02-02-21, 03:40 PM
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QUOTE=Mr. 66;21906187]Your Univega looks real nice.
Nice pickup, congratulations Grandpa![/QUOTE]
Nice pickup, congratulations Grandpa![/QUOTE]
02-02-21, 03:41 PM
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02-02-21, 06:56 PM
#22
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Thank You
Thank you very much to all with your comments and suggestions....I do appreciate that...also for making me laugh at some personal opinions...
it feels like FAMILY HERE.....
it feels like FAMILY HERE.....
02-03-21, 09:12 AM
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Welcome to the Bike Forums.
Been teaching my grand kids to ride for a long time now. What a great way to spend time with the wee ones. And, I now have two great grand kids, both a bit too young to ride but decided to start them early...
Big brother...
Big brother getting bigger...
Big brother getting bigger (you should see him today - he needs to start riding again)...
My son's first son ( I was gonna teach him how to ride this year but isolation prevented much contact)...
Same for my youngest grand daughter, who comes to visit us each summer. Not this year, pandemic and its challenges spoiled her visit...
Found at the dump (the Fisher-Price trike), this great grand son is a budding soon to be rider - I hope...
Been teaching my grand kids to ride for a long time now. What a great way to spend time with the wee ones. And, I now have two great grand kids, both a bit too young to ride but decided to start them early...
Big brother...
Big brother getting bigger...
Big brother getting bigger (you should see him today - he needs to start riding again)...
My son's first son ( I was gonna teach him how to ride this year but isolation prevented much contact)...
Same for my youngest grand daughter, who comes to visit us each summer. Not this year, pandemic and its challenges spoiled her visit...
Found at the dump (the Fisher-Price trike), this great grand son is a budding soon to be rider - I hope...
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"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
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02-03-21, 06:56 PM
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@rafatoy68 - for any maintenance/mechanical work it needs (e.g. fix that bar tape), there will be multiple youtube videos on the subject.
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