Kobe 

Illwafer, how do you like the Gran Turismo? I have been looking for a touring bike and these seem a bit overlooked. Is the top tube really short for such a large bike?

illwafer

i dont think the top tube is all that short. i think it probably looks that way because its a 63cm.

i just got it, so i can't really comment on it just yet. i rode it around the block, and everything was in order. i think handlebars and saddles make such a big difference in ride "feel", so i'll have to play around a bit.

i also have a miyata 1000 and a trek 520, and initially i like their ride a lot better.

Flying Merkel

Here's my lawn find Univega Gran Rally. The original owner is about 5'6". He just wanted a bike to cruise around the neighborhood on. The Gran Rally was way too big, and the sew-up tires were a pain. It was stuck in the back yard under the eaves for years after one of his kids decided to "fix it up". Kid took apart the freewheel for some reason. The original rims were trashed after having lumber stacked on them. I took it home, stripped it down, fitted a set of Mavic rims with Ultrega hubs. A new 8 speed 12-28 cassette has made the bike a better all-around ride. Hubs had a date code of 1983. The owner said he bought it in the late 80s. Might have been a left over model that the shop was desperate to get rid of. It's on craigslist in Orange County.

bigwoo

Hello everyone,
I hope all is well. I've been busy with riding and life, but the wheels are still turning....
It's been a while and it's good to see that this thread is still rolling right along. Since starting this post, I've received quite a few PM's from people who worked for, or knew Ben. I'll try to ask the senders if it's OK to share them w/ the forum. In the meantime, have a great summer and I'll see you at the TdF!

Oh, and a word about the Miyata-Univega tourer's..... Having had many of them over the years, my experience has been that they didn't really come into their own until post-1982. By 1983, they were both evolving into very fine long haul machines, and by '84 they were loaded w/ Canti's, braze-on's everywhere, very strong alloy clinchers, etc and were exceptional values, in my opinion.........

Absenth

Ok I admit it. I think I love steel frame bikes. All of them.
I hadn't even heard of Univega until today. Their bikes are gorgeous! I aspire to own one now
along with a dozen or more of the other steel framed beauties that grace this Vintage subforum.

illwafer

1985 is when miyata 1000 finally switched to 700c, i believe. i think anything older than 1985 is the best, but i have a 1982 1000 as well as a 1982 gran turismo, and they are great as well with a little tweaking. if you are really into touring, you probably have newer wheels, bars, shifters, saddle, etc, so it really comes down to the frame and what you can get out of it. as long as you can get 700c wheels to work (which 99% of the time you can) i think they will work fine. you can always get creative with mounting stuff and carrying loads.

i have 4 different touring bikes, and i dont tour. i just really like them for everyday bikes.

bigwoo

I hear what you're saying. I don't consider it a loaded touring rig unless it has Canti's. What many people don't know is that by 1983 quite a few of the (Dia-Compe?) cantilever brakes had a small amount of vertical adjustment that would easily allow you to run your choice of 27" or 700C's by simply lowering the pads.....

Chilero

I have a Univega Competizione, 53cm, with the original mostly Suntour Superbe and Superbe Pro components. I am going to sell it via Craigslist or Ebay but I thought I'd first offer it to the Univega aficionados in this forum. This is a project bike that didn't get too far. The photos will show that mostly the bike is really really filthy. However there are no dings or dents or major scratches on the frame. The components seem to be in pretty decent working order. I bought a new chain (not installed) and I completely rebuilt the Suntour Superbe Pro rear derailleur, taking it completely apart down to the "sealed" bearings and repacking those. I am asking for $150 firm, including the chain (NIB). Prior to selling I'll do minor superficial cleaning and degreasing. Front tire is missing but if you wish I'll throw in a used tube and tire. I much prefer local pickup but I'm willing to box and ship at your cost. Link below for photos.

https://s343.photobucket.com/albums/o...izione%2053cm/

old's'cool

FWIW, my 1982 Univega Viva Touring has canti mounts and rack braze ons, front and rear. High Fist Shin has one very similar (but much nicer).

GrayJay

Not my size, but I would be interested if anyone knows how the competizione and the super strada frames compared in quality and materials. Were they sold at the same time or did the super strada superceed the competizione?

kevinvin

My 84? (Lxxx SN) Univega Viva Touring out on the silver comet trail. It is a wee bit small for me, so back to looking for the right size.. not so small I wont keep riding it, but one size bigger will be much more comfortable..



MM 27.5 A huge rock formation just behind it (out of the pix)



MM 32.0

Bianchigirll 

great pics Kevin. nice looking univega too.

Grim

Bring a bike and come on down (or I am sure I have something you can barrow). You can ride that trail from the edge of Atlanta to Aniston Alabama. www.silvercometga.com
That is one of the nicest sections of the trail that include a Tunnel and a 100ft tall Trestle.
Great bike I would love to find one in my size.

kevinvin

Yea.. Mee too..

Just outside Rockmart..



Roughly 1/4 of the way through 20 miles.. Just started getting into the hilly parts after this.. My legs are fried..

1 Lugnut

When I first got into biking in the late 70's, I had an old Mercier. Where I lived, I liked to ride at dusk a lot. One nite I crashed the bike & bent the frame & fork beyond repair. When I got a new bike, one day I was perusing the LBS and happened to come across a set of forks that caught my eye. At that moment, I figured that I'd better have a spare fork around, just in case I had another mishap. So I bought them for $75 IIRC.

The fork were from an older Italvega frame & made of SL tubing w/ a great looking chromed Crown w/ a diamond engraved atop. As it turned out, I never needed the forks, but I knew one day I would eventually find a use for them. When the Titan frames became available on ebay in '05, I bought one. When I got the Titan frame, I wasn't crazy about the fork that came w/ it. I then saw where I could put the Italvega fork to good use.

Since the forks' steerer tube was for a 63 cm bike, I had them cut & threaded to fit a 56 cm frame. With that done, I was surprised to find that I could also use short reach brakes. All I had to do is ream out the Crowns' rear hole for the receessed brake nut, get them painted to match the frame & I was all set.

So, after 35 years or so and maybe before Univegas' beginnings, I finally had this fork ready to go. I always admired the 'Italvega Bike Line', but they're scarce now. So, I'm partially there...lol. It does ride great!

EigerSA

Hi all. I was chatting to a small lbs owner in my area about some of the old bikes shown here. Being in South Africa, we didn't seem to recognise a few of the names mentioned here. A few days ago I received a call from the owner who said he found some bikes that the previous owner had stuck in a store room and wanted to know if I was interested in taking them. Basically I now own 2 peugeots and 2 Alpina's.

I've spent the last two days riding this one here everywhere, it's hugely different from my normal mtb but I'm totally enjoying it! I've had this particular one for a while but never really been into road bikes. The other bikes I'll collect during the coming week and post the 'before' pics since I know they all need work.



This one was powder coated quite a nice green but it wasn't a great paint job. The seat stays do say Alpina but I can't find a serial number though that might be because of the paint job. I got some ideas, thinking of a tourer of some sort.

Bikedued

Looks more like a racing style, with the short stays, and steep angled seat and head tubes. Looks like a nice ride:-).,,,,BD

Chicago Al 

I picked up this Supra Sport (note Supra, not Super) at a garage sale in Tennessee, a welcome break from cleaning out my parents basement and garage.

It was too big for me and really dirty but too good to pass up. Obviously a lower mid level bike but nice. M serial # meant 1984 build. 27" alloys, Suntour AR, DiaCompe 500 brakes, steel chainrings, seatpost and bars, alloy otherwise. I brought it home to Chicago, cleaned it up, changed the inner tubes and one of the tires, and flipped it to an appreciative college student for $140. I had planned to overhaul it, change cables, etc, but everything was spinning and/or working smoothly and there are other bikes in the queue. Actually the Univega's wheels were truer than some of our regular riders!

adamdouze

Hello everyone,
A friend just got a Univega Gran Rally, serial number J809290. Does anyone know what year and about where the GR fell in the line-up?
Thanks!

mandrake

Just wondering, my Univega Gran Touring says "Tange Triple Butted Frame" on the seat tube and "Chromoly" on the fork. Can anyone tell me if the stays are also chromoly?

Trak101

I bought this bike new in either '83 or '84, I forget. 63cm frame, Shimano everything. Needs some cleaning. Dug it out again to get back into cycling after taking a couple of decades off.

old's'cool

Very nice. Close cousin of my '82 Viva Touring.

Godzilla77

Just won this today on eBay. I haven't went to pick it up yet, probably will this evening. It set me back $25 and I have tires/tubes, a seat and a brand new chain already so it shouldn't cost too much or be too much work to get it going again. They said it is a 90's but not sure what year and that it has been sitting behind the garage for years. I am all about fixing it up though, I love the 90's mtbs.

If anyone can tell me the exact year buy seeing that pictures that would be awesome.

Thanks

Here's the specs they put on eBay.
A few specs & approx. dimensions:
Frame: Chromoly Performance Double Butted Frame, Chromoly Rear Stays, Tange
Derailer: Shimano
Wheels: 26x1.50 HE VP-20 Araya Japan
Top tube: ~ 21-3/4" (measured to centerpoint of bisecting framing)
Seat tube: ~ 15-1/2"
Seat to ground height: adjustable seat; as shown ~34"-35"
Bar to ground height: ~ 28-1/8" (measured at mid-point (bar angles down))

These pics are from the eBay seller, I will post more when I get it fixed up.

murphjam

Picked this up 84' Gran Tourismo for $60 a couple of months a ago. I still need a set of wheels. I had to order the Blackburn rack from over seas because nobody had it in silver. Kind of funny because I saw another one in this thread that looked almost exactly like it. Even the same pedals.

illwafer

murphjam,

fantastic. i know it didn't come like that for $60.