Classic & Vintage - Univega Viva Sport/Saddle Fit?

Recent CL pickup.

I'm pretty sure this is from the late 70s. I threw a different set of wheels on it to use a their newer freewheel and tires, and I also threw a new chain on it (although I have the original set with Univega 100psi tires). It rides awesome. A little on the heavy side, but still a sweet ride. Not light and nimble, but apparently sturdy and ready for touring.

The Brooks Saddle is from a LBS. I don't think I have it set up right, because I did approximately 25 miles on Saturday and it hurt to use the plumbing for the next day or so. I think I have to tilt it forward a bit? I thought it was set up parallel to the ground, but on closer inspection it might need to tilt one more notch forward. I also might need to raise the stem.

The serial number is K984450. T-Mar?

Componentry:
AR Front Derailer
ARX Rear Derailer
Suntour clamp-on downtube shifters and cablestops
MKS Pedals
SR Custom 170mm cranks
SR Stem
SR Road Champoin Handlebars
Drilled Dia-Compe levers
Dia-Compe Side-Pull brakes
Araya 27x1-1/4 rims (before I swapped them out)
Univega 100psi tires (before I swapped them out)
Selle Italia Touring Saddle (before I swapped it out)

Bump.

I'm not a Brooks disciple, but I understand those that are recommend you tilt the nose down a little off vertical for best comfort.

Give it a try. Can't hurt........ any worse. :D

I believe your Viva Sport is a 1983 model. I had an '84 last month and it had 'G' and 'D' labels on the underside of the Bottom bracket. Also, the ARx derailleurs peg it as an early '80s model. They're darned nice bikes; largely underrated. Mine only weighed 25 pounds, and in my frame of reference anyway, that's pretty light.

A good way to tell what year the bike is, is to look at the 2 alpha characters on the back of Suntour Components. e.x. an FC would make this bike built around March of 1989. This would probably only be true if they are original equipment. In my dealings of bikes, this dating scheme is true about 99% of the time. Here's a link to components and date matching. Hope this helps.

http://www.vintage-trek.com/component_dates.htm#suntour

Bring the bars up at least an inch, or possibly just a tad more. As for the saddle, bring the nose down just a hair short of a quarter inch. Should take care of the problem.

Take care,

-Kurt

A good way to tell what year the bike is, is to look at the 2 alpha characters on the back of Suntour Components. e.x. an FC would make this bike built around March of 1989. This would probably only be true if they are original equipment. In my dealings of bikes, this dating scheme is true about 99% of the time. Here's a link to components and date matching. Hope this helps.

http://www.vintage-trek.com/component_dates.htm#suntour
Thanks Mhendricks,
I was able to date my "Detel Legend2000" as 1983.

Bring the bars up at least an inch, or possibly just a tad more. As for the saddle, bring the nose down just a hair short of a quarter inch. Should take care of the problem.

Take care,

-Kurt

I agree. You have your seat pretty high, and your bars look like they are all the way down with a long stem, which forces you to stretch way out.

Thanks, everyone. I'll make the adjustments and re-try. I'll try dating it, too.

I hope T-Mar spots this thread as I'd like to know the manufacturer. My understanding is that Univega was a rebadge brand for a couple of Japanese makers.

Here I go hijacking my own thread:

Spry, I have a Detel Legend2000, too. From what I was able to find out, they were in business in Green Bay for about 7 months before they went out of business. So they're rare, but not necessarily nice (at least my impression of the components on the Legend2000 I came across was that it was low-end).

Mine had bolt-on steel wheels, a 27" in back and a 26" in front. Crazy bend to the front fork. Low-end crank and chainrings (riveted together). Weinmann suicide levers. But the calipers were good, black, Weinmanns. Does yours have the crazy-extended front fork? Did it have a 26" front wheel?

I stripped it for the Ishiwata frame for a single-speed project.

I broke off the braze-ons, bomb-canned it, and put on a "normal" fork from an old Schwinn World Sport. I put on aluminum wheels (solid rear axle), and I just need a crank. I didn't think anyone else had even heard of Detel. I can post pics if you want.

Thanks again, everyone.