wrk101

Sorry, it really doesn't work that way. Almost every brand made some doggy bikes, some good bikes, and some great bikes. A better bet is to learn what makes a bike good to great, and then don't worry about the particular brand. Its all about what the frame is made out of, the grade of components, and the overall condition. Search is your friend, component grades and tubing types have been discussed hundreds of times.

My last "great bike" find was a Quintana Roo. I can tell you, Quintana Roo was a brand I knew zero about. But I did know that nine speed Dura Ace is pretty good/excellent stuff, and a Merlin built Titanium frame is really good as well. And the price was very attractive. So I was in my car driving two minutes after seeing that ad. So now I own a Quintana Roo.

You do not need old catalogs. I would do more studying before starting the search. With some education, you will be able to quickly tell if a bike is good or not, and if the price is a deal.

As far as your question comparing a Univega versus a Bianchi, some Univegas were better, some were worse. Again, its all about tubing, component grade, and condition. And of course, the bike needs to be your size, unless you are going into the bike rehab business.