Identifying a Univega frame (1985)
 

Hi all,

I picked up a Univega frame a while back -- it's been entirely covered in a thick coat of gold paint :( but I picked it up cheap.

There are downtube braze-ons, a recessed front brake hole, semi-sloping fork crown . . .

The serial number is NU22561, and the vertical number that I think lists the frame says is 62.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1411/...db5e7a4c8f.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/...69e776b26b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/...a1b19600ca.jpg

Miyata built univega from 1985. Could be a Gran Sprint, mine from that era has similar braze ons, double cage mounts, recessed front brake. Does it also have screw adjusters on the rear dropouts?

Any stock components come on it? Looks like they really went at it w/ the paint... you could probably pop out the seatpost binder bolt to clean it off and maybe chip the paint off the headset.

Thanks mainstreet,

The dropouts don't seem to have screw adjusters. None of the non-painted components are stock; the previous owner pretty much painted everything, even the bottom bracket face (thought thankfully not the spindle).

If the frame is of decent quality I'll probably have it sandblasted and powdercoated properly, so I'm curious as to its make.

The photo effects don't help. The "62" is the frame size in centimeters. Looks like it has 27" mounted. There is painfully little clearance there; I'd sell or trade the wheelset and use a 700c wheelset.

^^ looks like 27" wheels on a frame made for 700.

What's your intended usage for it? Any vintage bike that comes to me gets completely disassembled. So, if you went that route, might as well have it powder coated or at least remove what paint you can. You can disassemble and soak the components to remove the paint pretty easily.

I'm not a frame builder or other expert, but I don't think that's a sloping or semi-sloping fork crown. Looks just like a traditional lugged fork crown to me.

Good point, my '86 gran sprint has 700c stock wheels. I think that was an upper mid range model, so if it had 700c then it's at least as good as that or better. Not sure of all the models above it at that year, maybe Gran Premio or Superstrada?


It's possible the screws were removed and painted over, there might be a hole in the back or if you take the rear wheel out, you might be able to see a small hole where the screws went originally. Mine's an 86 though so it's also possible they didn't add the dropout adjusters until then.