[CR]Help - Identify - Randonneur - Univega ? Who ?

From: "Raoul Delmare" <Raoul.L.Delmare@worldnet.att.net>
To: "C.R. List" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, "Kai M." <kai@momovelo.com>, "Riv, Grant" <Grant@rivbike.com>, "Kevin K." <Kbcurvin@aol.com>, "Bruce C." <BruceCumberland@comcast.net>
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 12:25:10 -0600
Subject: [CR]Help - Identify - Randonneur - Univega ? Who ?

A friend of mine just sent me an e-mail , about winning a terrific bargain on eBay .

http://ebay.com/<blah>

What are those brakes ?

What is that tubing ?

Fine quality tubing through-out ?

Or was it fine-quality double-butted main tubes , with less-than-the-best for the stays and fork blades ?

How nice is it really ?

What year ?

I'm guessing 1979 . But I admit , that's just a wild guess . Check out that water bottle holder . ( Velcro , "hook-and-loop" ) When were those first sold ?

And , a BIG question ; who made Univega frames ? Did Univega actually make their own frames ? Is this really a Bridgestone ? Is this really a Panasonic ?

Thanks in advance !! !! !! !! !!

I may be even more enthused than he is !

Another question is where did it fall in the model line-up ? It is obviously somewhere between "middle" and "deluxe" . Just how nice is it ?

This is a lovely bicycle , made in Nippon ( Japan ) . It's very much in the randonneur style . It does have rear rack mounts . Like those SunTour GS forged steel drop-outs ! It was not quite fancy enough for the brazed-on center-pull brakes .

However , what model are those Dia-Compe brakes ?? Those are obviously inspired by Mafac Competition brakes , only with nicer finish !!

And the crankset was obviously inspired by the Stronglight 99 .

And I never noticed before , just how much that SunTour front derailleur resembles a Huret Jubilee . :^) It's no mystery what was going on with this bicycle . It was a Made-In-Nippon , French randonneuring bicycle !!

Thanks for any help anyone may be able to offer .

Raoul Delmare
Marysville Kansas