Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - Univega Gran Turismo

I have a couple of questions on a Univega Gran Turismo. First, baseed on the serial number
F212282, can anyone tell me what year it was manufactured? I would guess 1982 based on the last 2 digits. Also, it was made in Japan and I was wondering if Miyata made the frame.
Additional info on the sticker reads: High Tension 1024 Complete Frame Butted Steel Tubing. Any input would be appreciated. Many thanks.

One big help is to post some good pics if you can.

That one is quite a bit older than 1982. The year is in the letter code up front. Do a search on Univega serial numbers, there is a thread on it. By 1982, the build spec was quite a bit better.


F= 1977. You can verify by checking a few component date codes.


The high ten steel frame is a major drawback value wise. Later models had quite a bit better frame.

The only thing Univega made were brochures. Miyata made the frame back then. Lots of good bike brands were just marketing companies: Lotus, Univega, and many others. And even companies that made bikes, outsourced quite a bit of their manufacturing. For example, I have four Panasonic built Schwinns right now.

Univega was more than a marketing company. The bikes made for them (by Miyata and later other manufacturers) were made to their specs, fitted with the components specified, and painted the colors specified by Univega.

It's not like they just bought off-the-shelf bikes and slapped their own label on them. That makes 'em sound like a department store POS.

He's right though - the fact that it's made of high-tensile steel instead of Cro-Moly is a huge hit in the value of the bike. It'll probably ride nicely, but it'll be heavier than a Cro-Mo equivalent.

I love my rebranded bikes and would not compare any of them to department store junk. I certainly paid too much for them if they are of that quality... Right now I have two Univega MTBs, including a really nice Alpina Pro, four Panasonic built Schwinns, a Centurion made by someone else (I don't know who made it), and three Lotus bikes.