Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - Univega Supra Sport

Hi all -

I am picking up a Univega Supra Sport tomorrow for $50. I haven't seen it yet and didn't get much in the way of detail from the seller but was wondering if anybody had any general info about these bikes and if it is worth the money. I can't seem to find much about this bike online.

All he said was that it is in great shape, a 12 speed and he thinks it is mid 80's.

http://images.craigslist.org/3ke3p03la5O95Q45Sb9ab1d5d2dac58911d86.jpg

I dont know much about them but I can tell you that in Tampa market its a $150-175 bike in ready to ride condition. Maybe more.

I had one earlier this year. It is a decent Univega, towards the low end of their product line. Swaged crankset, Suntour AR components, alloy rims, straight wall cromoly tubing. About $160 around here, probably $200 in the Boston market ready to ride.

Mine was a 1982, same color as yours, looked identical (except smaller frame size).

150 to 175 seems generous to me or shall I say TOP asking price for that bike. '82 - '84 would most likely be straight guage. If by chance you spotted a sticker stating overwise, to me anyway, it would make it more favorable going head to head to other bikes, in which case, it would be easier to justify anything over 150. Anyway to get it for 50 is just fine. I know what the bike is and know its counterparts, the buying public mostly won't.

150 to 175 seems generous to me or shall I say TOP asking price for that bike. '82 - '84 would most likely be straight gauge. If by chance you spotted a sticker stating overwise, to me anyway, it would make it more favorable going head to head to other bikes, in which case, it would be easier to justify anything over 150. Anyway to get it for 50 is just fine. I know what the bike is and know its counterparts, the buying public mostly won't.

Guess your market is different than mine. Any vintage lugged cromoly frame road bike, with DT shifters and alloy rims, in clean ready to ride condition, is going to bring $150 to $175 mark (full market value). Better components and frame material brings it into the $200 to $225 range. Over that, it needs to be something special. Touring bikes bring more.


+1 I believe that bike is straight gauge frame tubing.

My market's no different, I said 150 ??? You said 160, now it's 150 to 175.
No special features, no better materials. If it was full CHRMLY, not just 3 main, I would personally advise a buyer to choose such over st-gauge, plain stays.
You're creating the disagreement here.
If it was a 310 platform or an 85 210, ..a better bike. It's a "Univega" as you said '82 to '84.
Anyway, he's getting it for fifty and as matter of course wil get what the buyer wishes to pay. He doesn't even state if it has 700 wheels so let's not split hairs here. Besides I've seen y'all here shoot-down such bikes when young dudes want to buy them for more than 150.

I am sure it will have 27 inch wheels as long as it is stock.

+1 $50 for this bike in Boston is a smokin hot deal as long as it does not have any major defects.

Picked up the bike today. For $50 I am very pleased. All it will need is a good wipe down and some bar tape.

Stats:
Chromo main triangle (anybody know tube manufacturer or quality?)
Stem and Bars: AR
Crank: Sugino
Hubs: Sunshine
Rims: Araya 27"
FD: Suntour AR
RD: Suntour Accushift 4050 EDGE (doesn't look stock.. think this is an upgrade or downgrade?)
Tires: Conti Top Touring 2000 (still have the nubbies on them)
Brakes: Dia Compe 500 side pulls
Vetta Computer

Paint and decals are beautiful

Can only do cell phone pics in the living room for now so I'll spare you until I can snap some decent pics in the daylight

Picked up the bike today. For $50 I am very pleased. All it will need is a good wipe down and some bar tape.

Stats:
Chromo main triangle (anybody know tube manufacturer or quality?)


Got late into this thread, but I really really like vintage Univegas (and it is a sleeper brand and nothing beats its as a value for rideability per dollar (or euro or?).

The tubes in your bike are probably double-butted Tange tubes specified by Lawee. There should be a Lawee design sticker someplace on your bike. That is 'Tange Prestige' in most of their other applications steel and right there with 531 Reynolds. Those are some sweet frames with fairly aggressive geometry. Your bike is probably made a few years after Lawee broke up with the Columbus contract and change the name from Italvega to Univega, but these puppies are the real thing... They are not prestigious as far as race award winners or the like, but an excellent frameset and great assembly that gives you trouble free riding in some really nasty conditions. (e.g. I finished 6 MN ironman century rides in blizzard conditions with a Univega cross bike with a frame like yours -loose that seat, btw- while riders in their tubulars with Columbus SPX frames and Campy components and beautifully sculptured lugs and pantographed everything and clover leaves were on the ditch; back in the day when they were all contemporary).

You got a good bike. Make sure it is well maintained (loose that seat, if I haven't said that before :) ) and you are all good to go. You might want to upgrade the components, eventually, but that's up to you and what you want to do