Happy with my Univega bargain

[mikeymustard]

Good looking, for a mountain bike
Great paint job!

 

[User32269]

Everybody needs a subtley painted 90's mtb!

 

[Drago]

The Eighties and first half of the Nineties was the time that taste forgot, lurching as it did between pastel shades on the one hand and bling shell suit colour schemes on the other. Even Ray Charles could see things back then.

 

[Spokesmann]

Still run an Alpina 500 from 1996. Very underrated bikes indeed.

 

[User32269]

Appology for thread resurrection but just wanted to say I LOVE THIS BIKE!
All I've changed is seat post, saddle, tyres & pads; so impressed with it.
I've never owned a Univega, a bit of Internet searching shows up a little cult following for these old mtbs, especially in the USA, I can see why.
If your into old steel mtb's, and come across one, buy it! Great fun and appears bombproof. Even the paint jobs grown on me...honest!

 

[biggs682]

@odav glad to hear you are loving the Univega so much

 

[Drago]

@odav Time to get out there and bag some trigs now you've got a steel ride.

 

[davidphilips]

Where did the rack go? That on its own is worth more than you paid for the bike, this must be one of this years best bike buys enjoy.

 

[mickle]

Turn it over and check for rust under the bottom bracket and the forward end of the chainstays where they attach to the BB shell. I don't know why but Univegas have a terrible habit of rotting right through around this area. I suspect that if any moisture gets in via the welding breather holes that it simply sloshes around in the lower part of those curved tubes and knackers the tube from the inside out.

 

[User32269]

Turn it over and check for rust under the bottom bracket and the forward end of the chainstays where they attach to the BB shell. I don't know why but Univegas have a terrible habit of rotting right through around this area. I suspect that if any moisture gets in via the welding breather holes that it simply sloshes around in the lower part of those curved tubes and knackers the tube from the inside out.

Cheers, hadn't heard about that. I think this one has just sat in the house for 23 years, not even signs of stone chips on bb shell or stays.

I'm just going to use it through the summer, then, if replacing bb will drill a drain hole and treat the inside of the frame.

 

[User32269]

Where did the rack go? That on its own is worth more than you paid for the bike, this must be one of this years best bike buys enjoy.

The rack has joined my outsider art installation entitled "big pile of racks from old bikes that will deffo get used one day."
Turner Prize is in the bag, unless Mrs o dumps them.

 

[midlife]

They also did road bikes

Shaun

 

[User32269]

They also did road bikes

View attachment 352749

Shaun

If you look on American vintage cycling forums there is a lot of interest in them.
Later they went on to be manufactured by Miyata in Japan.
They made some lovely looking bikes.

 

[biggs682]

my lbs used to be a dealer for them and they speak very highly of them

 

[Drago]

A bicycle dealer, I presume? Can't be too sure in Welly!