Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - Did I pay too much

I have a Univega viva sport and i would very much like to know more about it.

lugged steel Lawee design - triple butted Japanese road bike, 58cm
- 700 c wheels with quick releases.
bottom bracket has PE69815 and another 59 stamped vertically

Front and rear brakes are suntour slr with shimano pads
brake levers are shimano
rear derailleur is a suntour cyclone 7000
front derailleur suntour 5000
suntour index shifters
handlebars are GT sakae signature
handle bar stem says custom
mks pedals
univega cotterless crank
front hub says se sansin 5345
rear hub says suzue sealed tech

Cost 100186437186438186439

I have a Univega viva sport and i would very much like to know more about it.

lugged steel Lawee design - triple butted Japanese road bike, 58cm
- 700 c wheels with quick releases.
bottom bracket has PE69815 and another 59 stamped vertically

Front and rear brakes are suntour slr with shimano pads
brake levers are shimano
rear derailleur is a suntour cyclone 7000
front derailleur suntour 5000
suntour index shifters
handlebars are GT sakae signature
handle bar stem says custom
mks pedals
univega cotterless crank
front hub says se sansin 5345
rear hub says suzue sealed tech

Cost 100186437186438186439

How does she fit?

looks like a great deal to me, how does it fit and ride?

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=186439&d=1295249142

PS to alot of these cheapskates $100 was way too much. they will say you should have only paid $50 in confederate money for it LOL

Bike needs just a little TLC (tires, cables, bearings and grease), so $100 to $125 as it sits. Paint is good, so with a little effort, it would be worth $175 to $200.

Looks like a good deal to me too. FYI, it's a 1987, Miyata manufactured model. Based on the frame and components this would have been in the $500 US range during it's day. It appears to be in good condition. My only concern is the first generation AccuShift components, which did not index well and are hard to obtain. Of course, in a pinch you can always switch to the friction option.

My univega is about 1 inch too big for me but still very comfortable. Its in very good condition and rides perfect.

$100 is a fair price for a bike that needs reconditioing. In Tampa its worth $175 in ride ready condition.

For a Keeper, $100 is a good price. I wouldn't mind finding that bike in one of my weekend searches. Good luck with it.

$100 was way too much. You should have only paid $50 in confederate money for it ;)

$100 is at the top end of the price range, but if it's in decent shape, and it looks like it is, then $100 would be a go for me. Heck I've seen fair condition Schwinn Varsity's go for more then that where I live (Fort Wayne), and I wouldn't touch one of those! There's one of those Viva's on E-bay trying to get a bid started at $99 and yours looks to be in better shape.

If you bought it to ride; you did well. If you bought it to flip; you didn't. Either way I would've bought it as its all fun and games to me. Every bike I have is for sale at some point. I ride my money out of them first.

I think $100 is a steal for that bike, the frame looks super clean, it's a triple butted larger frame to top it all off.
I do see miss matched rims, but that's not too big a deal, and tires are almost always on the list on any used bike. I'd have jumped on it because it's in my size range. I've got a lesser model Univega now but it's a tad small for me, and not near as clean as yours.

The way I look at the value of a bike is the sum of it's parts. In other words, as a last resort to sell it, can you get your money out of it's parts. By the look of it, the frame alone would far exceed the $100 you paid. Then add in all the Suntour equipment and the wheels, even if they don't match.
I'm not saying I go around looking to spend top dollar on any bike, but I certainly would never sell that for only a $100, even if it didn't fit me.

You made a good deal. By the way, when you say an inch too tall, are you meaning the standover, or once you are on it is the reach also too long of a stretch. Never been on a Univega, but depending on the top tube length, It could actually be the "right" size for you even though the standover might be up in your unmentionables. Make sure you ride it lots before deciding it is too tall. You might end up selling it and regretting it later. I like the bike, I'm a Miyata fan and if they make it, it is a keeper.

You made a good deal. By the way, when you say an inch too tall, are you meaning the standover, or once you are on it is the reach also too long of a stretch. Never been on a Univega, but depending on the top tube length, It could actually be the "right" size for you even though the standover might be up in your unmentionables. Make sure you ride it lots before deciding it is too tall. You might end up selling it and regretting it later. I like the bike, I'm a Miyata fan and if they make it, it is a keeper.

I'm a Miyata fan myself, I have two of them a 87 Miyata Team I bought new and a 88 712 I bought used, their great bikes.

I notice Tugadude you have a 85 Schwinn Le Tour Luxe, I bought an 85 about 3 months ago that was in mint condition bought new in 85 from a guy who rode it about 250 miles in 3 weeks and hurt his back at home so he put a blanket over it and stored it. It has all the original stuff except the tires he replaced about 5 years ago when he thought his back was good enough, but 5 miles into a ride the back started killing him so back in storage with the blanket covering it. Anyway, I've read some bad reports about the Suntour Mountech rear derailleur and wondering if you can shed some light on this stuff. One of my other bikes has a Suntour Superbe Tech derailleur (bought new by me in 84 for a new 84 Trek 660 it's still on) that got bad reports, but after 160,000 miles it still works great! So what's your experience with the Mountech? Thanks.

$100 was way too much. You should have only paid $50 in confederate money for it ;)


Have you checked prices on original Confederate bills lately? lol

Have you checked prices on original Confederate bills lately? lol

^ I just did and that was a surprise!

- All kidding aside though, I agree with those who said that the OP did well.

With 700c wheels, ss spokes, Cyclone DR, nice shiny paint, and that wonderful Univega CrMo frame, I think you have a very solid $200 bike there, if you just do the bearings and cables.
Also note that just having indexed shifting tends to make it more salable too.


...... even though the standover might be up in your unmentionables. Make sure you ride it lots before deciding it is too tall. You might end up selling it and regretting it later. ...

+1

Many newbies end up buying bikes that are too small. So RIDE IT, then decide.

.... Anyway, I've read some bad reports about the Suntour Mountech rear derailleur and wondering if you can shed some light on this stuff. ... So what's your experience with the Mountech? Thanks.

A little off-topic here:
The Mountech was an ultra-smooth shifting high capacity DR, but t had a few problems as you probably have noted already. They are described in Disraeli Gears. (http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/SunTour_MounTech_derailleur_%284900%29.html)

I have them on a couple bikes - and I am still waiting for them to implode.
My bikes though are not subject to grimy chains, or dusty conditions.
YMMV.

$100 was way too much. You should have only paid $50 in confederate money for it ;)

Paid for it? The bastard should have given it to you, and tossed you twenty bucks for the hauling! :D

A little off-topic here:
The Mountech was an ultra-smooth shifting high capacity DR, but t had a few problems as you probably have noted already. They are described in Disraeli Gears. (http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/SunTour_MounTech_derailleur_%284900%29.html)

I have them on a couple bikes - and I am still waiting for them to implode.
My bikes though are not subject to grimy chains, or dusty conditions.
YMMV.

That's what I was wondering. I keep my stuff clean so maybe that's why my "problem plagued" Superbe Tech has lasted 160,000 plus miles. But when touring keeping stuff really clean may be a problem, that's why I was wondering if I should be worried about the Mountech. But it sounds like you've used them for awhile without any ill effects.

That's what I was wondering. I keep my stuff clean so maybe that's why my "problem plagued" Superbe Tech has lasted 160,000 plus miles. But when touring keeping stuff really clean may be a problem, that's why I was wondering if I should be worried about the Mountech. But it sounds like you've used them for awhile without any ill effects.

Rekmeyata, I absolutely love my Schwinn Letour Luxe. What a nice bike! Triple up front and 5 speed handles any hills I care to throw at it and the weight of the bike is approx. 25 lbs. including rack. The Columbux Tenax tubing is sweet. My bike is the bright blue, it was also offered in a brownish/maroon I believe. I took the Suntour Mountech RD off because it didn't work properly. While it hadn't "exploded" like some reports that I've heard, the upper jockey wheel was toast. Can't even say that it had anything to do with the RD itself, but it really needed to be replaced. I replaced it with a modern RD and intend to do some credit card tours on it this year. Glad you like yours.

Thanks for all the replies:
The stand over is whats a little too tall for me.
the reach to the bars are great along with the reach to the crank.
My bike rides just like my schwinn letour well almost as nice.. I was a total dum ass and sold it to a kid that lost his driving privileges and needed to get around town... I just wish i had never sold it now!

I was a total dum ass and sold it to a kid that lost his driving privileges and needed to get around town... I just wish i had never sold it now!

Call him up.....I guarantee that bike will permanently hit the garage as soon as he get his license back.......hell he might GIVE it to you.....

Rekmeyata, I absolutely love my Schwinn Letour Luxe. What a nice bike! Triple up front and 5 speed handles any hills I care to throw at it and the weight of the bike is approx. 25 lbs. including rack. The Columbux Tenax tubing is sweet. My bike is the bright blue, it was also offered in a brownish/maroon I believe. I took the Suntour Mountech RD off because it didn't work properly. While it hadn't "exploded" like some reports that I've heard, the upper jockey wheel was toast. Can't even say that it had anything to do with the RD itself, but it really needed to be replaced. I replaced it with a modern RD and intend to do some credit card tours on it this year. Glad you like yours.

Like mine? I just bought it 3 months ago (actually I just remembered I bought it in the middle of November, so not quite 3 months) and due to snow and cold I haven't had a chance to ride it!!! LOL But it fits fine so I know I'll probably like it. The funny thing is that bike has the original Advocet saddle, the same saddle I use to race on years ago, I loved that saddle and had 3 or 4 of them, and when I tried to replace the last one I had they had changed the design and the newer one rode like a brick, and that started a 12 or 13 saddle search over 12 or 13 years trying to find one I liked. But I'm going to take that saddle off buy another B17 for it, and save the saddle for who knows what.

I'm going to make sure the derailleur (and bike of course) stays clean and lubed real well like I do with the Superbe Tech and see how long it will work.

EDIT; I forgot to mention one thing, I will convert the Schwinn from down tube shifters to bar end shifters which are easier to operate with a fully loaded touring bike. But of course I'll keep the down tube shifters in case I ever want to convert it back.

Maybe someone can tell me if this is true; I thought I remembered, or heard that you could have bar end shifters AND down tube shifters at the same time? Not sure how that could work since the one would interfere with the other. But Robert Beckman Designs makes a Sakkit touring bike with a backup shifting system, a primary and a secondary (http://robertbeckmandesigns.com/bikeframes.html) not sure how's he doing this.

Call him up.....I guarantee that bike will permanently hit the garage as soon as he get his license back.......hell he might GIVE it to you.....

I agree it is certainly worth a try, unless he somehow got the cycling bug

Thanks for all the replies:
The stand over is whats a little too tall for me.
the reach to the bars are great along with the reach to the crank.
My bike rides just like my schwinn letour well almost as nice.. I was a total dum ass and sold it to a kid that lost his driving privileges and needed to get around town... I just wish i had never sold it now!

Remember, you rarely stand over the bike, except getting on it and maybe at lights, stop signs, etc.

More important is how it feels when you are riding it. The top tube length is the acid test, at least for me. Reach is everything. I don't care if I have to tippy toe when standing over it. What I care about is how my arms, neck and back feel when I'm pedaling. Not trying to start arguments here, but I just think it is worth thinking about. The sometimes repeated adage of "find a bike that you can stand over with 1-1/2" to 2" of clearance doesn't work for my personal geometry at all. I am a long torso dude and it seems you might be as well.

I don't mind the having to tip-tow over the top tube all that much and with the weather here in Washington always raining and rather wet i have not gotten as much riding as I would like. I don't see it being a deal breaker and me having to sell my bike. On the other hand i have had a little bit smaller bike and I know that I really loved it. my neck never hurt nor did my wrists.

I cant wait for a dry day. 18 straight days of rain

yroc