robertj298 

Picked this up local today. She's dirty and needs some work but the frame is in really nice shape, plus it fits me.
Looks like all the components are original Dura Ace except I'm not sure about the brake calipers.From the little info I've been able to attain
it seems to be an 83 Super Strada. Here are the before photos of it. Can anyone point me to ppecs on this model?

casanewt

This must be the one that was on Facebook Marketplace a few months ago near Columbus. I reached out to the person selling it but never heard back. Great bike! Love that Dura Ace set. Here is the catalog link: https://univegacatalogs.files.wordpr...ga-catalog.pdf

robertj298 

The link is for an 84 was the 83 the same?

casanewt

Not sure, but the color and the specs look the same as your bike. Here is the Univega Catalog site. https://univegacatalogs.wordpress.com/ Many of the catalogs are nowhere to be found on the web. The 83 one on the site is for the MTBs.

sheddle

Generally it was either the first or second in the line- iirc sometimes there was an early oval tube "aero" bike above it and sometimes a special Super Record model (or maybe I'm thinking of Miyata)

T-Mar

It could be a 1983 or 1984 model. They were closely,if not identically spec'd. The serial number will tell us the year of manufacture and may allow us to determine the model year. One thing that is definitely not OEM is the wheelset. I would have expected Araya aero tubulars.

robertj298 

The wheels on the are Mavic M3

robertj298 

Someone told me the frame was basically a Miyata Pro frame.

sheddle

I'm not actually sure that's true, the Miyata Pro / Team didn't get fastback seatstays for a few years afterwards. (the 1986 Pro Miyata iirc)

There's a frequent idea that Univegas were basically rebadged Miyata bikes (ie the Competizione was a Pro Miyata and the Superstrada was a Team Miyata) but there are absolutely differences.

Anyway fastback seatstays are cool so my verdict is that it's even cooler than a Team Miyata.

T-Mar

Yes, it's a Miyata serial number and they were a known contract manufacturer for Univega during this period. The serial number indicates 1983 manufacture but it's so high that it's almost certainly a 1984 model. Consequently, you can use the extant 1984 catalogue on the Univega Catalog Project website as your reference.

The frames were designed by Ben Lawee's company and they don't directly correlate to any Miyata model. I think most people say the Pro Miyata because a couple of years later, in 1986, Miyata incorporated similar fast back seat stays into that model.

Regardless, it's a high grade frame with tubing and geometry that is comparable to Miyata's Professional Racing Series models of the era. Of course, the workmanship is also excellent, with Miyata being arguably the best of the Japanese mass volume manufacturers. As further evidence of their dedication to quality, Miyata was the only Japanese manufacturer who supplied European pro teams in the early 1980s and only bicycle to manufacturer to draw their own butted CrMo tubing.

sheddle

I *think* that by 84 they would have used the "Cromoly double butted" decal instead of the Tange Champion one. I'm guessing late 83.

Salamandrine 

For all practical purposes, yeah, even a Team Miyata. The fastback stays are a mostly a cosmetic difference. I'd guess it's a mixture of Tange Champion 1 and 2. Lawee liked to spec thicker gauge downtubes and chainstays. Bianchi also did that.

It looks like this bike may still have the original hubs? Should be Dura Ace. Obviously not the original tubular Araya rims. NBD.

Rims are consumables anyway. BITD I would actually buy a stack of rims to last me through the season.

robertj298 

It does have that sticker.

sheddle

The 84 catalog actually specifies Tange Champion on the SS so I'm dumb.


What kind of steel did the "Cromoly double butted" Vegas use then? Miyata DB Crmo?

sheddle

so *that's* why my Competizione feels so sprint-happy, hah. It really does have that stiff "must go fast" feel, which might be the the heavier DT talking.

robertj298 

The other difference from the 84 catalog are these brakes on it. I'm not sure what they are

sheddle

Those are Dia Compe Aero Gran Compes. Very nice calipers from the aero parts era of the 80s. Unfortunately (I think the same is true of 600AX and Dura-ace AX calipers) I don't think anyone makes replacement pads anymore, so keep that in mind.

The one I have was originally specced with them but the owner swapped them for Shimano 105 SLRs, which, honestly, fair play.
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I do find that an interesting choice because the AGCs were also fitted on the next-in-line Competizione and the exotic Univega Aero. Maybe the owner really wanted aero calipers? (the original spec was D-A EX calipers, not AX)
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robertj298 

Sounds like I did ok for$190.

sheddle

That's a steal. You could probably sell the Dura Ace AX crank and pedals for that alone.

(which- unless you like the AX toe clips, you might want to do because the AX crank, iirc, isn't compatible with anything but AX pedals)

robertj298 

That's funny. I did the same thing and asked him to measure it for me and he never got back back with me then a week ago I saw it listed again and messaged again and it took him several days to get back to me with the size. Took several more days to arranging to see it. He took$190 for it. It's my size and dirty but after cleaning the frame it is almost flawless. I have it all torn apart and just refurbished the bottom bracket.

casanewt

Some of my favorite bikes have taken a long time and persistence to land. Good work and you landed a fantastic bike! I'm still kicking myself for selling a 1982 Competizione I had, but I landed a really nice 1987 Gran Rally recently.

casanewt

Here is a thread I had for my former Competizione where I found some replacement pads for the AGCs. Univega Competizione

robertj298 

The rest of the story is after I paid him for it he told me he bought it at a thrift store for $20. lol

casanewt

Good Lord. I guess I need to start hitting the thrift shops instead of CL and FM.

Steel1

I have the se bike, very nice score for $190! I call it an ‘84.

The original Araya Aero 2 rims look like this:


They seem strong, but have a wavy scallop like pattern near the brake track. Is this due to overtight spokes, weakness of this particular rim, or normal?

I noticed this little “M” stamp on the bottom bracket cable guide. Wondered if this is for “Miyata”?




lastly, mine has same tubing sticker.



Dig the stock cable routing