$50 garage sale. Feel bad but I have to break up for another frame. Clearly a Taiwanese bike, but check out the fork eyelets, rock hard original Vetta gel seat, and Low Fat pedals!
by SinoSoul
$50 garage sale. Feel bad but I have to break up for another frame. Clearly a Taiwanese bike, but check out the fork eyelets, rock hard original Vetta gel seat, and Low Fat pedals!
by SinoSoul
7 Comments
I’m pretty sure it’s Lawee and that’s the guy that started Italvega/Univega as an import company. My ‘81 Univega Gran Rally has the same decal.
** “Lawee Design” , stupid autocorrect, apparently Lawee was importer/distributor of Univegas, as well as the creator of the Bertoni brand. He was an Iraqi who loved Italian bikes? What a story.
Aw yes Ben Lawee. I miss my 1985 alpina pro it was such a nice frame (thin tubes triple butted long seat stays) designed by Lawee
Nice score there. Ben Lawee was an industrial designer/importer from the 1950s-90s, and one of the first to market Japanese bikes to the US. [This webpage](https://classicjapanesebicycles.com/the-men-who-brought-japanese-bicycles-to-the-bike-boom-era/) has more information about him and the others who helped usher in the 70s Bike Boom.
The Via Montega is the mid-level model in the top echelon of their hybrid bike line, nice stuff. I have a Via Carisma, the model just below this one. It’s a great bike. This is probably a ’91 or so.
Great find! Been scouring Marketplace and CL for months looking for one in decent shape and in my size.
With 700c wheels and those fork eyelets, it makes for a quick little commuter and grocery getter.
https://preview.redd.it/efm8dnkk3see1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f483f98525455140fbfaaf1cfd0c44e0d0cf5ca
That fucked up gel seat looks cool as hell lol