# Rescued!



## dstruct (Sep 6, 2009)

I was looking around my brothers property and saw this almost buried under a pile of pine needles. He didn't want it so I brought it home, cleaned, lubed, threw some new tires on and took it for a ride. I can't believe how well it rode considering it was left to rust away. Anybody know anything about these. Serial # M6-E3022. I read somewhere with a serial # starting with M it could be an 84. As far as I could tell it has all the original components. I thought it was a cool find and wanted share with you guys.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Not much to say about that bike...but its good you like it.


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## banks (Feb 2, 2004)

Black Chrome Rules!


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

That one doesn't have the extra spokes on the chain stay, serving dual duty as a chain slap guard does it? Always thought that was cool.....


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## CS2 (Jul 24, 2007)

Rumpfy said:


> Not much to say about that bike...but its good you like it.


Then why the backhanded insult? Just because you don't like it doesn't mean anyone else doesn't.


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## misterdangerpants (Oct 10, 2007)

Fantastic!  My first mountain bike was a 1986 Univega Alpina Uno (that I bought in 1986). It looked a bit different than yours, but I had loads of fun riding it nonetheless....


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## Matt H. (Sep 14, 2004)

Those Alpinas were pretty popular back in the day, widely available and one of the first of the mass-produced mountain bikes. In my experience, the parts spec was comparable to the Specialized bikes in their price range (of course, there weren't a lot of component choices back then). That's a cool old find, I'm glad you rescued it!


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## Repack Rider (Oct 22, 2005)

Although the fork dates that bike at '83 or later, the Univega Alpina Sport, designed by James McLean, was the first mass produced MTB, beating the StumpJumper by a few weeks. James was a Ritchey owner (natch) and if you check the Reseda-to-the-Sea thread, you will see in the VVA newsletter that he finished second in the 1980 Central Coast Clunker Classic.

This bike is equivalent to a mid-eighties mid-range Specialized, not particularly high on the collectibility list for people who care about such things. I'm not one of those people, and I would be using it myself as a town bike if I had it. I'll bet it rides great.


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

MendonCycleSmith said:


> That one doesn't have the extra spokes on the chain stay, serving dual duty as a chain slap guard does it? Always thought that was cool.....


Early Diamond backs had that. It made quite an interesting sound. Cool bike, same build kit as my old Mongoose. Those black arayas would look sweet on my 36 Mercury.


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## dstruct (Sep 6, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to give it a new shot of paint since the original is peeling off. That's all it really needs. It's a slick bike and fits me well so I'm going to use it for short rides around the neighborhood and probably take it on trail rides every now and then. Just have to pick a color now......


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## kidbolt (Feb 29, 2012)

Repack Rider said:


> Although the fork dates that bike at '83 or later, the Univega Alpina Sport, designed by James McLean, was the first mass produced MTB, beating the StumpJumper by a few weeks. James was a Ritchey owner (natch) and if you check the Reseda-to-the-Sea thread, you will see in the VVA newsletter that he finished second in the 1980 Central Coast Clunker Classic.
> 
> This bike is equivalent to a mid-eighties mid-range Specialized, not particularly high on the collectibility list for people who care about such things. I'm not one of those people, and I would be using it myself as a town bike if I had it. I'll bet it rides great.


I have an 83 Univega Alpina Sport - back then, there were really three "trim levels" available - Uno, Sport, and Pro. The only difference between them was components. They all used the same lugged frame. I chose the Sport, cause it had good components and was a little less expensive than the Pro. I hammered that bike as hard as I could daily in Austin, TX and it was flawless. In fact, it is still my main rider to this day, and works perfectly. Fully lugged frame, no suspension. HA! This was when suspension on a bike was science fiction, and it was a while after that before rockshox even came out.


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## guywitharitchey (Nov 29, 2011)

I wouldn't repaint it. I like the way it looks now like it has a story to tell.


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## marley mission (Nov 25, 2011)

guywitharitchey said:


> I wouldn't repaint it. I like the way it looks now like it has a story to tell.


yep yep +1


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## marley mission (Nov 25, 2011)

Rumpfy said:


> Not much to say about that bike...but its good you like it.





CS2 said:


> Then why the backhanded insult? Just because you don't like it doesn't mean anyone else doesn't.


he's a troll w 15000 posts - can you guess how many of his posts are just like this


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## Rock-o-holic (Oct 5, 2011)

Great find! Love the 'patina'.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

marley mission said:


> he's a troll w 15000 posts - can you guess how many of his posts are just like this


He was only a Mod troll with 10000 post back in 2010 when those were posted.


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## marley mission (Nov 25, 2011)

ha - just noticed this was a zombie thread
but nothings changed obviously


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## kidbolt (Feb 29, 2012)

Yep - zombie - I've got a lot of reading to do to catch up - apparently a lot has happened in the biking world since the 80's. 

On my Alpina Sport, I remembered that I bent the factory fork on a hard landing about 6 mos after I got the bike - the bike shop hooked me up with a chrome chromoly replacement fork that took the punishment without blinking. Compared to the Fuji's and Specialized of the day, my frame is a little longer, and not nearly as twitchy as those shorter bikes. Works for me.


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## wxflyer (Apr 30, 2006)

Nice bike. I had an '86 Alpina Pro (my first MTB) that carried me all over town and trail. My roommate borrowed it one day and it was stolen while parked on the CSU Chico campus.


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## ish (Jun 17, 2009)

The "M" in the serial probably does not determine the year. I think it is the "6", which would make it a 1986. I have a 1985 Alpina Uno, and the serial stars with "M5".


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## wxflyer (Apr 30, 2006)

I'd leave the paint as-is. My Pro was the metallic medium-ish gray. Can't remember the parts spec but I know it had a very similar stem (except black) and bars


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## 805MTB (Jul 4, 2010)

may we have more pics? welds and cluster, please.

I'd leave the paint original, such a beauty!


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## broomhandle (Jul 27, 2006)

Univega's are great for buying cheap and taking the XT parts off and putting on something else... haha 

I have the same bike, it was 1/2 parted out. so i finished it.

i got the same bike ahile ago and used all the deer head XT. 

its stil la cool frame, was thinking on a SS or something.

yours is complete. with the way cool hubs!


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

I hope the OP hasn't been waiting for your votes.


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