[gvdunne0425]

I need help identifying this Univega, bought it used and fixed it up for fun but curious as to the year and model. Tried contacting Univega but the current owners have only been there from 2005 on and cannot identify older models.

 

[Jahwarrior]

I don't know

 

[ironlungs]

I did a very fast Web search and came to this, as feasible: good luck. I'll do more searching, too.

"http://www.vinetage-trek.com/component_dates.htm, they list Dia-Compe brakes as having a numbering sequence for dates. They reccomend looking on the backs of the brake levers for numbers such as "1085", which would indicate the brakes were manufactured in the 10th month- october, in 1985.
My brakes show "5583", which I would assume might be June- but I am not sure. June should be 05. Perhaps one of the Dia Compe brake stampers decided to get exact in his/her punching skills"

 

[ironlungs]

http://vintagemiyatabicycles.blogspot.com/2010/07/miyata-bicycles-serial-numbers.html?m=1

 

[gvdunne0425]

I think I found out a potential model Rover-ST

 

[retromike3]

I remember a 84 Univega Alpine sport with a Suntour Sport alpena rear derailleur with a 36 front chainring and a 38 tooth rear cog. (it looked like a Stumjumper clone.) it had a 68 degree head angle with a 72 seat angle and a super long wheel base . It was a grate down hill cruiser. if you were going down a super steep dirt logging trail it was grate, very stable at high speed. But it weighed a ton and it had the tendency to go were it wanted if you were going up a very steep hill.

 

[gguzzardi425]

just needing help on identifying this bike number UNIVEGA DSBM 40807196 as I am looking at buying it and needing a price guide.

 

[newleaf150]

just needing help on identifying this bike number UNIVEGA DSBM 40807196 as I am looking at buying it and needing a price guide.

That's a bit of a puzzle. A picture and/or further description might be helpful.

 

[maelochs]

If a bike is sol old that you cannot easily identify it but not so old that it is featured in museum catalogues then its value is based wholly on condition. If you cannot identify it you have no idea if original parts are available, so you have no idea if you could restore it. if you are giong to restore it with modern parts .... then it is just a frame and a few bits, not worht a lot.

Keep in mind that rear-axle spacing didn't widen until about 1984, so any frame earlier than that cannot use modern wheels and thus also not modern drive trains .... not easily, anyway. If the frame is steel you can "cold-set" the frame wider to accept modern running gear, if you are so inclined, but if you are even a millimeter off to one side or another the thing won't shift cleanly.

If it has 27-inch wheels and you want to convert to modern 700c you might need to buy long-arm brakes .... you can still find 27-inch wheels and tires, but you are sure to need brake shoes anyway .... check on all that.

Likely it has a 68-mm wide BSA bottom bracket--- unless it might be JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard ,) which I think is compatible. if so you can use a wide range or bottom brackets .... good news.

It probably has a one-inch threaded fork and needs a special headset. I bought one for about $10 about five years back, so it probably costs about $3 trillion now, with inflation.

If you want to buy an old bike you really need to think what you plan to do with it, because it will either be a minor headache and then a great joy, a huge, expensive headache and then hopefully a great joy, or you will sell it down the line to some other sucker when the money and patience runs out.

 

[maelochs]

From some website: "Univega is a brand of bicycles, created during the bike boom of the 1. His Bertoni brand appeared after the creation of Univega. Example SERIAL NUMBER: 1 L080 B50230 The second, third, fourth and fifth characters of the Serial Number indicate the date of manufacture." To which I reply, "Wtf?? Month 'L' of 9180?"

Yours might be August 2007? Does Univega even use that or a related system? How old is the bike .... a decade, three decades, paleolithic?

I like a good mystery ... I can look busy at my computer when I am supposed to be working.

 

[maelochs]

This gets rich.

General Asian Serial Number Guide

This Asian serial number guide Information was verified by owners and people involved in the industry. It took many years of investigation.

classicjapanesebicycles.com

F indicates an alpha character designating the fortnight (i.e. A= weeks 1-2, B=weeks 3-4,….Z = weeks 51-52)

M indicates an alpha character designating the month (i.e. A = January, B= February,… L = December)

Y indicates an alpha character designating the year . The year that corresponds to a particular alpha character can vary significantly. The specific convention will be listed under the manufacturer entry.

mm indicates two numeric characters designating the month (i.e. 01 = January, 02=February,….. 12= December)

y indicates a numeric character designating the last digit of the year (i.e. 1 = 1971 or 1981, 2 = 1972 or 1982, etc.). With such codes, you have to determine the decade based on frame characteristics, components, etc.

yy indicates two numeric characters designating the last two digits of the year (i.e. 81 = 1981, 82= 1082, etc.)

Apparently Miyata built some Univegas … so

MIYATA (Japan): (UNIVEGA (USA): See Merida, Miyata, Dodsun, Giant.)

1972-1984: Yxxxxxx, where A = 1972, B= 1973,….M= 1984.

1985-1989: YFxxxxx, where N=1985, O = 1986,…S=1990.

Dodson is referenced, so---
DODSUN (Taiwan): Insufficient data, but format appears to be DSBMymmxxxx(x) & DSym mxxxx(x) based on limited small size.

So ….. UNIVEGA DSBM 40807196 would be a bike made in the Dodson factory in Taiwan, in 1940? Ummmm …. Maybe not.