univega:start
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univega:start [2021/05/23 13:23] – created gchandler | univega:start [2022/09/25 09:04] (current) – mtbtimeline | ||
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+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== Univega Overview ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Univega was founded by Ben Lawee in 1970 in Long Beach, CA. Ben was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1926, and immigrated to the United States on a freighter in his teens(([[https:// | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Univega brand continues to exist, although now they they' | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{ben.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | Ben Lawee & associates | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== 1982 Alpina Uno ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Univega' | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1982.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1982 Alpina Uno | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== 1983 Alpina Ultima | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Alpina brand was split into Pro, Sport & Ultima models. | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | This model lineup continues at least through 1986, with the re-introduction of a low end Alpina Uno in 1984. (([[https:// | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Production by 1984 moved to Taiwan, perhaps because Miyata became a direct competitor? | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1983.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1983 Alpina Ultima | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== 1984 Alpina Pro ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | This example may be a 1983, as the components match the 1983 [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1984.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1984 Alpina Pro | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== 1985 Alpina Ultima | ||
+ | |||
+ | This has an unusual SunTour SuperBe Tech rear derailleur, possibly with a MounTech GTL cage. Maybe to give it extra chain wrap capacity? | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1985.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1985 Alpina Ultima | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== 1986 Alpina Sport ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Shimano Light Action RD-525 (1986) | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1986.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1986 Alpina Sport | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== 1989 Alpina Team ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Full Shimano XT group set: hubs, shifters, cranks & derailleurs. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1989.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1989 Alpina Team | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== 1990 Alpina Comp ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | SunTour XC Comp derailleurs front and rear, with lots of Ritchey goodies. | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{1990.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1990 Alpina Comp | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 50% # | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | ===== Sales Explosion ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Univega led the early mountain bike sales explosion of the 80's, selling 60% of all the 5,000 mountain bikes sold in 1982. By 1988, 70 million mountain bikes were being sold, many of which were Univegas. | ||
+ | ((Mountain bike sales peaked at 60% all bicycle market in the 1980s according to: [[https:// | ||
+ | It's unknown how much market share Univega held by the late 80's, but early on they were king. | ||
+ | ((The Birth of Dirt: Origins of Mountain Biking, by Frank J. Berto, 3rd Ed. 2014)) | ||
+ | ((The History of Mountain Biking, 2014, ed. by Richard Owen)) | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Guesstimates give production numbers of: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * 1982: 3,000 (a)(b) | ||
+ | * 1983: 20,000 (a)(b) | ||
+ | * 1984: >60,000 (projection from a) | ||
+ | * 1985: >150,000 (projection from a) | ||
+ | |||
+ | As of **2020**, the largest bicycle manufacturers were: | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ^ Manufacturer | ||
+ | | Giant | ||
+ | | Accell | ||
+ | | Dorel | ||
+ | | Trek | $952M(([[https:// | ||
+ | | Specialized | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <div column 45%> | ||
+ | {{catalog.jpg? | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | 1984 Univega catalog | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Production Notes ==== | ||
+ | <WRAP #prod1 /> | ||
+ | [1]. 3000 from [[https:// | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | <WRAP #prod2 /> | ||
+ | [2]. 20,000 from [[https:// | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | <WRAP #prod3 /> | ||
+ | [3]. 60k & 150k guesses from [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ |
univega/start.1621801401.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/05/23 13:23 by gchandler