Univega alpina ? Any good (good base for a backpacking bike)?

[sefton1275gt]

I have the chance to buy a nice looking Univega Alpina

I'm looking for a nice strong base to build a bike packing bike.

I don't know the first thing about Univega's.

 

[sefton1275gt]

I found an old post asking the same question.

 

[Mr CC]

I think they are underrated, a good base for your project. I have an Alpina 503 with steel frame.

 

[widowmaker]

YES!

 

[sefton1275gt]

Thanks. I noticed a bottle cage under the down tube. And some interesting chainstays

 

[widowmaker]

I seem to remember some suffer from rust in the chainstays due to water being trapped there, but the 2 I have owned were fine. I could be wrong I often am.

Very underrated bikes in my opinion, and ride nice in mtb form, with slicks and laden.

 

[joglo]

I'm a big Univega fan, had an Alpina bought new in the nineties.
Its a great bike, as others said already, just not sure if it's the right ride as backpacking, long distance bike?
I have bit of experience, have ridden mine on bike packing trips to Austria and Tuscany back in time.

The steel frame and stays are pretty flexible, offer comfort and is quite light. But it has typically a sporty geometry as popular in the 90ties and a pretty short head tube, no suspension adopted fork till 1997 and therfore a really low front. Plus originally a flatbar and long flat stem.

I would rather keep my eyes open for an 700c Univega bike (via xxx series), those are more like a modern gravel bikes and offer a more comfortable riding position.

The Alpina would need at least a bit of tricks or creativity with regards to stem and bar combinations.