badger_biker 

I just got this 1994 Univega Via Carisma finished a couple of weeks ago and have been using it on early spring rides. I'm liking it a lot and it feels and rides light for a hybrid. Should make a great grocery getter and rail/trail tourer.

Bianchigirll 

that is agreat looking bike! we never sold alot of the Via carisma bikes but they were very nice indeed. Ben Lawee copied the Columbus MAX idea for that Bi Axial Power Oval frame design.

ehartung

The photes will come soon, but here's the part list....

1984 Univega Viva Touring

Original:
Sakae Randonneur bars
SR stem
Suntour downtube shifters
Suntour BL derailleurs
Diacomp cantilever brakes
Sakae CX crank 52/46/36 rings
Suntour freewheel 14×32 six speed
Sunshine hubs
Araya 27×1 1/4 rims

New:
KMC X8 chain
Diacomp knob grips
Diacomp “Guidonnet” brake levers
Panaracer Pasela Tourguard tires 27 x 1/4
WTB Deva saddle
Shimano A520 pedals
Cinelli cork bar tape

Maddox

Sounds delish. don't know about the knob grips, but everything else is to my liking.

Maddox

Love it. What are the measurements on a bike like that? 22/23" (56/58cm) frame with a 57cm TT? It seems like every MTB frame I find has a TT around 57.

Bianchigirll 

I am pretty sure that is a Hybrid an Activa Trail I think 700c wheels but clearance for fat tires

trumptman

UPDATE
Take out a bit old, add a bit new. I've just finished my first thousand miles on my curb-found Univega. It has a friend to hang out with in the garage, a 1986 Trek 560 Pro series and they get along pretty well. This summer we did a very warm century with a local bike club called the Smog to Surf. My Univega hit 46 mph on a downhill with no problems, though I do ponder brake upgrades.

For Christmas a few goodies were procured, some new handlebar tape, the old Walmart tires were changed to Forté Strada K Road Tires.(Still cheap I know but they ride very nice to me and my likee kevlar because no flats = good.) I added a VDO cyclometer as well. Then we were off to do the Tour De Palm Springs. Here I managed to hit 42 mph on a nice downhill as well. The old beast and I averaged about 15 mph for the day but I wasn't riding with a group at all so no pacelining and I'm slow to begin with.



Hanging out at one of the SAG stations.



Hanging with all the other newer (and much more expensive) bikes at the final SAG station.

I've been pondering turning this bike into a touring bike. However I know I would want (need?) a triple up front. Is it possible to do this economically on a bike of this vintage? I've been pondering going from curb to across the U.S. or something insane like that.

erodstrom

1983 Univega Specialissima - started off as a beat up ebay frame that I would assemble with leftover parts from an abandoned mid-range Miyata that was too small for me.

Suddenly this has more and more new parts and fewer and fewer parts off the junk bike...Rides smooth and fast though! Looking forward to a short coastal California camping tour this summer...

Chilero

Trumptman,
A couple of comments. If you're riding with your seatpost so far into your frame it leads me to think your frame might be too big for you. I would recommend saving your dough for a whole "new" bike. By that I don't mean one of those carbon fiber jobs but instead another steel (or even aluminum) bike that are so inexpensive on Craigslist, fleabay or... on the curb. Also, the triple cranksets are not that hard to find. Search the typical internet places for used ones, or post your needs in the appropriate place on the forum. Depending on where you live there might be a store with used bicycle parts or your local bike shop may have some in their trash bin. A while ago I made friends with a mechanic at the LBS and he calls me whenever there is "good junk" in the bin. What happens is that they cannot sell it or give it away because of insurance issues, so into the dumpster it goes. In my case, the mechanic just saves it for me in a box and drops it off after work. It's been a couple of years since he moved on but while he was there it was a great source.

Talus

Crappy cell phone pic of my 93 Rover.

vwheels

Hey how's the ride on that?

trumptman

I'll definitely take that advice! I could have sworn I replied to this post. You are absolutely right that the bike frame is a bit too large for me. It doesn't cause me any discomfort though and I guess I have a pretty decent size trunk and arms.

I did buy a bike that fits better. It is a Trek 560 pro converted to STI. I haven't spent big money at all on the bike. However I did get it back up in top shape and I've put about 1100 miles on it. If I could trade it for something as nice and in as good shape that fit better I would but in the mean time it mostly does duty now going on family rides and as a second bike trying to convince my taller friends to get into bicycling. I occasionally take it out just to have fun and see the looks and raised eyebrows it gets.

hujev

I just bought a 1983 gt today, dusty as hell and apparently (based on lack of rim, chainwheel, etc. wear) ridden next to nothing and then stored in a barn for decades. Original old tires (shot, of course, but of historical interest). The barn was the parents of a local bike shop owner, so it wasn't free, but $300 is a very reasonable value for this fine bike.... About everything perfect shape, save tires, seat, and hoods. About 1.5" of the back corner of the seat was apparently 'harvested' by barn redidents for nest stuffing or whatever... There are people (we know where they are!) who would appreciate that, and I might see if I can use it as is for a while... Other'n that, almost immaculate...

Will be a great pleasure to completely disassemble and regrease, polish, and ride! serial L 33 45 21. cage braze-ons for 2, lowrider mounts on fork, top tube cable guides (3), etc. Looks just like the one posted here on page 6 by 'Bikedued', but no aftermarket parts on mine! Gray! also has original rear rack.

I'll keep it all original, xcept maybe a brooks or old avocet seat, tires of course, cables, etc. Thought at first wd. be nice to replace the sugino GT crankset with an AT, but why? Also thought same briefly as use for my Avocet triple; again, quickly dismissed the crazy idea.

miko

Some real nice univegas here, and a lot of blue ones, I've been riding my sport tour for a few weeks. The bike appears to have all original components which is nice.

Shimano 600 components
Dia compe brakes
araya rims

jstewse

^Love the patina, ride on.

hujev

[Update September 2011]:

I finally finished the restoration of the bike - didn't need much actually, besides a new BB, handlebar covering & brake hoods, tires; tubes; & cloth. Also replaced a few items (see below). Anyway, the bike rides like a %$#**!ing dream! It's like riding a on a magic carpet - quiet, the best shifting I can remember, nimble and comfy, brakes work perfectly with no squeal, and looks, in my opinion, pretty doggone good in sliver, silver, and brown!

And I'm sold again on a standard-5 freewheel after shifting with this. Lots of space for the chain, and sturdy, quiet shifts (granted it's a 14-28 at present!).


[Edited older posts]:

For the sake of velo-documentation (and pride) I'll add some information here on the 1983 Gran Turismo I bought recently.

I paid $300 for it, and it looks like it's been ridden maybe a hundred miles the year it was new and then stored in a barn ever since (last few years a bike shop attic - the bike shop proprietor said his parents bought it way back from the original owner and then never rode it).

Straight out of a time machine from 1983 (the apex of bicycle quality, art, and design) comes this beauty of a bike almost as new!

The serial number is "L334521".

Looking at the 1983 & 84 Miyata catalogs and what people elsewhere have posted here & there about this Univega model, it looks like the addition of lowrider mounts was part of the 1984 model year for Miyata and, at least on Univega, is found rarely on some, I assume late year production, 1983 models.

See below on brakes for more hints on the production era of this bike - it's *very* late '83, and helps explain why some '83s had the lowrider mounts and others didn't. Also why it resembles the 84 Miyatas (per their 84 catalog) more than their 83s.

The tube sticker on the seat tube says 'CHROMOLY DOUBLE BUTTED frame tubes chromoly fork and stays'

Dropouts are decent quality forged, no name on them, no 'adjuster screws' on rear (though it did have those two 'keep the axle 1cm from the back' screw-ins, whatever they're called).

There's a sticker of the dealer: Gregg's Greenlake Cycle, Woodward Ave., Seattle"

To add clarity or confusion to a few posts here and there, mine has braze-ons for:

- Front lowrider.
- Rear rack (inner side of seat stays).
- Down tube shift lever stop.
- Top tube cable guides (top of tube).
- Chain hanger.
- That Univega/Miyata 'loop' chain slap protector.
- Cantilevers and rear cable hanger *(of course).

It's also got eyelets:

- Two sets front dropouts
- One set rear (the only thing that's 'off' in the design of this bike! - I notice that Miyata apparently didn't make or buy double eyelet rear dropouts at the time - pretty odd since this is a very basic need on any touring or commuting frame and they thought of everything else!)
- One bottle mount top side down tube; one set seat tube (two total).
- Threaded fender mounts on rear 'brake bridge' and chainstay bridge (this is a nice detail!)
- There's also a nice recessed-style through the crown nut & both to mount the front fender.

And, a great idea, the dropout, rack mount, and some fender mounts use M6 pitch threads, rather than the M5 (smaller) ones standard on most bikes: more thread for more grip and less change of thread damage if something goes wrong.

The lug-work is great, with nice even brazing and very few edges less than soft - not as smooth maybe as some super hand built job where the builder (or finisher) spent many hours filing & sanding, but pretty nice even for a Japanese production frame.

It's got the originally included 'Blackburn-like' rack (with integral rear reflector mount, marked "Made in Japan"), as well as front & rear and wheel and pedal reflectors.

It's also got some accessories I like to imagine were added at time of sale to put it into perfection - Esge "Chromoplast" fenders, two specialized aluminum bottle cages (one heavier gauge than the other; else identical), an ALE top tube pump end mount (the pump sadly missing), and, on the fork ends, two bungee hooks that were probably from a Cannondale handlebar bag (also missing; but I like to think it was a silver 'Trestle').

There are (were) also Spenco foam grips and brake hood pads. These, like the seat and part of the brake gum hoods, were chewed by squirrels, apparently, over the years. Of course, there are some who would delight in that 'look'!

The pedals have Christophe special clips and Lapize straps in good shape.

The component parts are thus:

- SunTour Mountech f&r derailleurs (ZH date codes), SunTour down tube shifters
- the parts of the derailleur cables that are housed have the SunTour 'coiled metal' housings
- Sugino GT crankset (28, 48, 52!)
- Crank bolt covers chromed plastic, marked 'Univega cotterless'
- DID chain, gold
- 14-28 rear freewheel, 5-speed SunTour Pro-Compe gold
- SunTour sealed bearing hubs, 36h f&r
- Araya 27x1.25 rims (will add model later), schrader valve
- Original tires (little wear!), skinwall, marked 'Univega grand touring 90lbs/360gr 27x1 1/4 NYLON BELTED TIRE'
- SunTour aluminum spokeguard
- SR seatpost - the kind with the steel upper swivel parts and a fluted shaft (flutes in gray)
- SR 'custom' stem
- SR 'randnner' randonneur bars (why are there so many weird versions of this word on Japanese bars??)
- Dia Compe 981 cantilever brakes, DC levers with the slide-out release to open the brakes to take the wheels off, DC pads. The cantilevers are dated 1283, so this must've been a /very/ late year production bike and probably sold in spring '84.
- Selle Italia (?) suede 'Avocet-style' seat with "Univega" on the back
- MKS AR-1 single piece body-cage 'sylvan-like' pedals
- headset - Tange Nova (looks like a Levin, but who knows... pretty much only found this name in ref. to Miyata or Univega, occ. Sekai bikes)
- bottom bracket - not sure of make; probably Sugino or Tange; unsealed, black shaft with crank fastening bolts (rather than nuts) and chromed steel mounting rings/cups

It's sparkly dark silver/gray with thin gold lines at the lug edges - with all the silver anodized parts, fenders, etc. it's a beauty all right!

Soon after possession I disassembled it and spent much pleasurable time over the summer cleaning, re-greasing, & polishing /everything/ before reassembly. Also coated the still clean innards with the CRC version of 'boeshield' for longer-term protection.

It's in very new shape; the tires have almost no wear (they're shot of course; old, dried, the 'skin' from the walls cracking off after 28 years), and the braking surfaces are still well-anodized. There are a few small scratches here & there from, I guess, moving around in the barn and having maybe stuff put on top of and next to it. The wheels are true and all bearings feel great (though some dry at first), with the exception of the bottom bracket, which felt a little rough and upon inspection turned out to have a tiny spot of pitting on one cone face, so replaced with the /excellent/ (and $25 and Japanese!) Tange sealed BB from Ben's. The hubs are prob'ly the smoothest and resistance-free I've ever felt new or old, by the way - wow. It seems to have been stored dry, far from the sea.

I've kept it mostly original, but added/replaced with:

- Grab-on maxi grips (which I have loved since the day) with Tressostar tape over. (This was my first attempt at taping over Grab-Ons for better look and durability; I did a little bit of a hatchet job, but not too bad. Used 4 rolls total and used silicone adhesive in some areas for additional durability.)
- Cane Creek brake hoods (what else?).
- Panaracer 27x1.25 tires.
- Swapped the original MKS AR-1 quill pedals for MKS Sylvan touring 'prime', since I like the wider cages (a little shinier seems to be the only difference with that 'prime' addition).
- Added MKS pedal flips (but can't use the reflector on that side anymore with the flips).
- Replaced the 48t chainring with a Sugino 40t.
- Ditched the front & wheel reflectors.
- The BB needed replacement as mentioned; got the excellent Tange LN-3922 sealed; the 127.5 fit about right with the GT crankset, maybe 125'd be a wee bit better.
- Added Sugino Autex bolts for the cranks.
- Replaced with Brooks "Flyer" brown seat; the springed B17 (seat, not saddle dammitt!)
- Replaced the still pristine stock Dia-Compe pads with nice Velo Orange adjustable brake pads (the black, regular compound).
- Crane brass bell.
- Replaced the brake cable housings with some cool translucent silver (reused the still perfect original cables!) from the very-recommended Porkchop BMX folks (the original derailleur cable housings are the wound-stainless SunTours, so also match well).
- Had to replace the original Esge fender struts, as the original installer (see below?) had trimmed them absolutely down to the minimum edge of the bolts for the original 1.125 tires; adding the 1.25s necessitated longer, so found a set of NOS Bluemels that works well. These remain untrimmed!
- I swapped the regular Dia-Compe triangular canti cable hangers with the "wheeled" ones on a similar-era Trek
- replaced most eyelet bolts with new stainless; a few were already thus.
- Will later swap the freewheel for a 13-34 (or maybe just the larger cogs first); I have a few 14-34 1st gen. winners, or maybe a new winner ultra 6 (mine are stored half a continent away, though).
- Added a Velo-Orange "elk leather" chainstay protector (this isn't very good quality, and will probably peel off soon; we'll see).
- I even contacted the original cyclery to confirm they have logo water bottles... I'm guessing that it rolled out of the shop 28 years ago with their bottles in the cages. A later update on that idea: I tried to call them several times but got switched back & forth to people who knew nothing - the same person several times - & in the interim holds listening to corporate propaganda about how huge their several stores are, before being promised an email back but no reply; to say the least it took numerous attempts! Finally had them mail me two of them ($20 shipped, but was going for the match, you see). Unfortunately, while their logo still looks like the one on the frame sticker, they have their website THREE %$**ing times in large print on the bottles! Not historically correct, /dangit/! (No telephone number on them, oddly, which I'd think'd be more useful, after all what idiot can't find a website?)
- Third eye bar-end mirror (don't like this position too much after trying, so will soon replace with original Mirrycle).
- lots of polish!


Still to do:
- Maybe try a behind the seat tube pump fit, Zefal HP silver if I can get one, I suppose.
- Wd. like to get some old US-made Blackburn lowrider & standard front racks too...
- Add some reflectivity - maybe tape on the fenders and some velcro-on wheel reflectors like Rivendell used to have.


This is my first Univega, and first Japanese road bike. I like it.

I added some pictures - first, here immediately after I got the bike - *all original dust is still intact* - and then after all restored and polished here: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post13269437)!

Bianchigirll 

another great looking Univega

old's'cool

Very nice find!

My Viva Touring frankenbike is the ugly stepsister to your Gran Tourismo.

madi9839

i recently bought a univega maxima ladies road bike on craigslist for $80 because i moved downtown and it's much easier to get around by bike. i ended up falling in love with this bike! i know nothing about bikes and have never been into bikes, but this bike has inspired me and i have decided to make it my new hobby to fix this old thing up. it's got some rust on the wheels, as well as on the chain. the handlebars and pedals have been spray painted over by the previous owner to cover rust, i assume. i hate the way this silver spray paint looks and thanks to the people on this forum i have some info on how to fix this and will be making the bike more "me" starting tomorrow!

the next thing i'm working on is trying to find some more information on this bike. there is very little information on univegas online, and i could only find one other picture on the internet of a bike just like mine. so, i tracked down the serial number on the bottom of my bike and i though i'd post the serial number along with some pictures and see if anyone can tell me anything they might know about my bike, or univegas in general, and hopefully find out the year? i've read the other threads on "dating" univegas, and none of the methods previously discussed on this forum seem to apply to my serial number.
i'd appreciate any help at all with finding out the year of my bike! i'd also love any general tips about how to spruce this bike up. this forum has been very helpful to me as a new bike lover!
thanks in advance, and sorry about the crappy pic quality..all i have is a camera phone
oh and the serial number is : NK64254
-maddie

Roadmaster39

That is stunning. I had a gran turismo when I was in my early teens, and I've just purchased another. I should recieve it in a day or so.

Can anyone tell me what brand of front rack Lamplight is running?

Again

Hi, all you Univegians!
I just found this Sporttour '86 or 87, used by a girl since new.
Sad to see how a one-owner bike can become such a mess!
The frame has many scrapes and scuffs, and I almost needed a chisel to get the spokes cleaned, not to mention the rear hub area. Brakes were squealing loudly, and gears needed adjustment.
But here is the good part... the rims run fairly true, and after tuning the drive train it all clicks. After taking them apart the brakes work fine again as well.
Before starting to replace and/or upgrade parts I decided to ride it a bit and find out what I could live with and what I won't. I already know that I'll want a new saddle, and think I found one:
https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg
https://www.amazon.com/Dia-Compe-Comp...ductPromotions
I also want brake lever hoods - does anyone know whether these would fit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...-2147483553-20

Meanwhile here is a before and after cleanup shot:

Grim

I believe thats a Velo Orange Constructeur

Again

Can someone please tell me what makes this a track pedal? https://www.amazon.com/Origin-Track-P...pd_bxgy__img_b
...and whether it would not be suitable for my Univega Sporttour?
...or should I go this way: https://www.amazon.com/Dimension-Comb...ecc_rvi_cart_3

Again

These are my levers, and I hope to find hoods for them. Maybe here? - https://www.bikeworldusa.com/product_...oducts_id/3600 ?

Roadmaster39

Thank you! I check out the site and they do indeed have beautiful accessories.

I recieved my bike yesterday via Fedex, but unfortunately I wasn't able to spend any time assembling it as I'm getting ready for a 4th of July camping trip. I did check out the serial number however and it's K144190. Can anyone point me to the model year? Thanks and have a great weekend folks.