Johnicycle

Hey y'all,
I've got this Univega Viva Sport that I've been riding. The bike is in pretty good shape. I need a new rare wheel and it could use a good tuning. I've been thinking about purchasing a new bicycle, but after reading somesof the threads here, I'm not sure if I'd be better off investing money into the Univega instead, or buying new. Anyone have experience with these bikes? Thoughts?

I'm not able to upload photos yet, apparently I need ten posts before I can do that.

Colnago Mixte

Is is something like this one? I believe this is 1986 catalog. They were always a middle range model, but if it fits you and you like riding it, it ought to be worth some new tires and cables, that's well under $100.

Johnicycle

Yes, it looks pretty identical to that one, except it's gray. I tried uploading a photo, but apparently I can't until I have posted here 10 times.

I bought new tires for it last year, so they're still relatively new. My rear rim warped on me my last ride out. I think it was the original and just had enough and through in the towel lol.

I do like the bicycle, but I was wondering if there's any advantage to purchasing a new bike; would it "feel" any different? Would it ride better?

I apologise if these questions sound stupid, but I havent enough experience on different bikes to know if these questions make any sense.

Thank you for your advice!

Johnicycle

There we go...

Colnago Mixte

Heck yeah I would definitely restore that bike back to good mechanical order, it looks practically new.

That's a nice one. Do you know what the frame tubing is?

May be a little tall for you though, if that's where you are running your seat height.

Cougrrcj

Univegas of that era used frames made by Miyata, so all you need to do is look at T-Mar's excellent post Asian Serial Number Guide to determine the year. Frame and fork material were improved throughout the years.

As you can see by my signature line, I have two Univegas and one Miyata. Great riding bikes! I bought a new wheelset for my Viva Sport from Velomine Sun M13 27 inch silver rims 5,6,7 speed freewheel hubs wheelset Sun M13 27 inch polished silver rims freewheel hubs wheelset 36h [640329] - $105.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage for ~$110 that feature sealed bearing hubs, stainless spokes, and narrow polished Sun M13II rims.

A properly tensioned wheelset makes all the difference in the world to a bike's 'feel'. With those new wheels, and some other component changes, I have my Viva Sport down to 24.1 pounds - even with heavy Panaracer Pasela TG tires! It 'rides' very similar to my Miyata 710 that weighs less...

Colnago Mixte

I have a very similar 1986 Univega Gran Rally I stripped down to bare metal that is currently at the powdercoaters. Definitely worth saving.

randyjawa 

Depending on what new bicycle you choose, you can bet your boots that it will be easier to use. Handlebar mounted indexed shifting, as opposed to friction or even indexed down tube shifters. Brakes of today are greatly superior, in function, than yesteryear. As for ride quality or would you enjoy the ride, that I cannot comment on.

As for me, I have owned, built up and ridden both vintage road bicycles, mountain bicycles and even a roadster, or two. I opt for the vintage road bicycle ride quality every time. However, when it comes to the bike that is easiest to use - for me, and best to ride - for me, my newer Cyclops is the winner, by far, and it is fitted with mostly new school, easy to use stuff...


I also upgraded this early eighties Bianchi, installing indexed bar end shifters, appropriate derailleurs, eight speed chain, and aero light pull levers. This was a relatively inexpensive upgrade, except for the wheel set, which set me back close to three hundred dollars, and I built the wheels myself...


In the OP's case, I would keep the Univega as original as possible, until a later date, and then get a new bike to ride. Any decision to keep the new one and sell the old one, or visa versa, can be addressed when the need arises.

And that is how N+1 starts:-(

jamesdak 

I'm with the others, it looks great. Sort it out and start using it!

John E

There is absolutely nothing wrong with non-indexed shifting. If you don't like reaching toward the downtube, barcons offer a superb alternative.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the brakes on older bikes. Aerodynamic cable routing does increase your leverage / braking force by about 10 to 15 percent, but the real difference is in modern cable housings and pads, both of which are cheaply and easily retrofitted to older bikes. (Been there ... done that numerous times.)

Johnicycle

I had been riding it quite often until the rear wheel called it quits on me a few weeks ago. I reached 37 mph going down a hill, I don't if that had anything to do with it, or if it was just coincidence that it crapped out.

I'm 6' 2", I feel it's a good size for me; I feel comfortable on it.

I don't know much about the bike (I don't know what the frame tubing is), as it was given to me by my neighbor where I used to live. But reading some of these responses, I'm intrigued, and I want to learn more about the bike.

Johnicycle

Very cool. I'd love to see it when it's completed!

Johnicycle

Thanks for the input, guys. I appreciate it. I think you all have got me convinced to toss a few bucks into it the Univega.

Colnago Mixte

Will post pics when it's finished. I'm having it done in "clear" so you can see all the brazing and burn marks and stuff.

Some of the old Univega catalogs are posted online, they can be a hoot. I linked the one from 1984 below.

They list the original components and technical specs, which can be useful to know.

https://univegacatalogs.wordpress.com/1984-2/

Johnicycle

Haha.. thank you!
I'll take the one second from the left.. lol

randyjawa 

Not me, I isn't fussy on turkey levers!-)

Chukbacca

I might need to pick me up a set of those rims. A buddy gave me a viva sport with sew-ons? tubulars? whatever, I don't want to deal with them.

Cougrrcj

A couple of gratuitous pics of my '84 Viva sport, in the midst of refurb a couple of years ago -- with the Sun M13II wheels...





On addition to changing the wheelset, I opted to go with aero brake levers, Tektro dual-pivot 539 brakes, VO pedals, 1st gen Cyclone derailleurs, SunTour barcons...

mstateglfr 

not sure how much $ you would spend on a new road bike, but you could almost for sure improve your Univega for less than you would spend on a new bike and it would most likely be better quality.
whether your new bike budget would be $300, $500, $700, etc- updating the Univega will make it nicer most likely for less.

Johnicycle

Any suggestions on what to update upgrade on it? I put it in today for a tune-up, and wheel repair. I looked a little more closely, and found a spoke had broke, thus the rim warping. So the spoke will be replaced instead of the wheel. I'm also having them swap out the pedals, because the ones on there now are for bike shoes, which I don't own, and prefer not to have at this point.

I asked the shop to give it a once over and let me know if there's anything else that it would need. I asked them to contact me before any additional repairs for approval.