Univega Alpina 500

[Spokesmann]

This is my first post in the MTB area be gentle!! as Im really a Carlton enthusiast who used to do a fair bit of off road and the like.

Im currently giving this old a good clean and make over... (Ill post some pics later). Ive had this bike since new and just wondered how many other members have a Univega? - when I purchased this one back in April 1997 it cost around £500 then, has a good spec and damn rigid, light frame - a few years of communiting on it has left it in a bit of a mess - hence the clean, strip down an polish. Im fitting new grips, new tyres and new chain and B blocks...

Pics soon!

 

[chrisv40]

Hi Mike, looking forward to seeing your pics.

I have a Univega from 1994/95 and love it, as you said the frame is very nice, light and responsive

Not too many about though.

 

[Spokesmann]

Hi Mike, looking forward to seeing your pics.

I have a Univega from 1994/95 and love it, as you said the frame is very nice, light and responsive

Not too many about though.

Ill take some pics today, just been pouring over various sites for tyres, I tend to get through back ones pretty quick, always like to try something different!

 

[Spokesmann]

A few shots of my refurb.

The bike has been looked after but has just got pretty grubby. Ive done a basic clean of the frame (work still to do). Im replacing all the inner cables too, some were still and the front changer cable has seized. New M65T block will be fitted along with some 2.4 Continental Mountain King tyres ( I still like to have odd off road excursion...). Im also replacing the IG chain with a new one, the current one is well caked and has a few stiff links.

A few details - frame is a nice light and still Chromolly frame, 18".
Front chainset is Shimao Alivio, cantilever brakes are Shimano Alivio too. Rear mech is Shimano STX and the front changer is Shimano Acera. Wheels are Weinmann 519s. 21 speed is controlled by Shimano EZ fire shifters.

Ive order some new toe clips too, once all the bit arrived this should be a fairly straight forward rebuild, although I do envisage some fun and games setting up the gears correctly...

More pics soon, here's where I am just now.

My workshop is a little compact...

I used a special puller to get the cranks off...

My rear rack by Blackburns works with my panniers by Altura. The frame has lots of brazing for add ons.

 

[Spokesmann]

A few shots of my refurb.

The bike has been looked after but has just got pretty grubby. Ive done a basic clean of the frame (work still to do). Im replacing all the inner cables too, some were cracking and the front changer cable has seized. New M65T block will be fitted along with some 2.4 Continental Mountain King tyres ( I still like to have odd off road excursion...). Im also replacing the IG chain with a new one, the current one is well caked and has a few stiff links.

A few details - frame is a nice light and is Chromolly frame, 18".
Front chainset is Shimao Alivio, cantilever brakes are Shimano Alivio too. Rear mech is Shimano STX and the front changer is Shimano Acera. Wheels are Weinmann 519s. 21 speed is controlled by Shimano EZ fire shifters.

Ive order some new toe clips too, once all the bit arrived this should be a fairly straight forward rebuild, although I do envisage some fun and games setting up the gears correctly...

More pics soon, here's where I am just now.

My workshop is a little compact...

I used a special puller to get the cranks off...

My rear rack by Blackburns works with my panniers by Altura. The frame has lots of brazing for add ons.

 

[Spokesmann]

Fitted new tyres today as well as new inner cable for the rear mech. Overall this is coming together now. Im looking forward to getting out on this one.
Still need to fit new grips and IG chain and some new toe-clips and straps.

Then just a good check over, adjust gears and brakes and fingers crossed it will be ready for the road by the weekend.

Some pics for them thats remotely interested.

 

[coomber]

Like these Univegas. Nice and tidy.

 

[Spokesmann]

Fitted new chain and some other bits today. Was able to take the bike for a test ride and all seems fine - some adjustment to the rear mech was needed, but thankfully the indexing is all fine. I need to remove a couple of links form the chain, but apart from that the machine handles well and stops quick too. The tyres are very grippy indeed.

A few images I took of this first outing since a complete rebuild and clean.

New grips...

Excuse the ginger blob in this photo, he would not move!

 

[Spokesmann]

Keep the responses flooding.... :?

 

[Banjofan491]

How would you say the Univega Alpina measures up in terms of performance when compared to other similar makes and models, for example: Specialized, Trek, Bontrager, Raleigh, Cannondale, Gary Fisher, or GT??? I own a 1997 model Univega Alpina 500 that I remeber riding like a dream when I was a kid back around 1998-2001. I would sometimes enjoy jumping this bike more than my Litespeed Ocoee I was riding at the time! Another thing though, from what I read, was that Litespeed Bicycle Group had designed the frames for Univega back in the mid-late 1990's. For instance, my Alpina 500 has a label that boasts a "Bi-Axial Power Oval" frame. This basically being the same type of work Litespeed had been developing with their G.E.T. Tubeset frames, or "Geometrically Enhanced Tubing". All of the downtubes on Litespeed's mid-late 1990's-era mtn. bikes have bi-axially ovalized downtubes that gave their frames greater stiffness and flexibility both at the welds and through the downtube, my Univega Alpina being the same design. I am just now looking to re-build my old 14.5" Alpina with some new old stock Shimano LX and XT components and invest in a pair of Rock Shox as opposed to the old RST forks that came as factory standard. I was also thinking about some Mavic wheels and good Shimano or equivalent hubs to replace the Mongoose brand wheels that came on it. My only problem is I am wondering about how this bicycle is going to hold up for me in terms of ride quality and whether or not this sort of model is worth investing high-quality components into. I just would like some other Univega owners and their opinions on how well their bikes hold out on serious rides and what sort of qualities they see in them when compared with other similar mountain bikes of that era.