"An intermediate crome-moly sport bike for those who do a
lot of riding and some light touring"
                     ~~ 1981 Sales Literature ~~

"As in the past the UNIQUE combines economy and technology to yield a spirited versatile machine well within the means of the average cyclist."
                      ~~ 1987 Lotus Catalog ~~


Through the 10+ years that Lotus sold bicycles, the Unique always occupied the place of a modestly improved version of the top-selling and popular Lotus Excelle.  We always think of the Unique as the sister bike to the Excelle, perhaps for the cyclist who had a few more dollars to spend than the price of the Excelle and wanted a different Lotus than the one everyone else was riding. Maybe you were just too unique to own an Excelle. 

The first-generation Lotus Unique improved upon the Excelle by offering half-chromed chain and seat stays, slightly upgraded crank, and brakes with gum rubber hoods minus the extension levers. As far as we can tell, the Unique shared the exact same frame as the Excelle with the addition of the half chrome stays. Both models used Shimano 600 EX derailleurs and shifters and rode on the same size Ukai rims and IRC tires.
 
The Unique was never sold in a mixte frame and came equipped with gum brake hoods minus the extension levers. This may have given the cycling public the impression that the Unique was a much more performance oriented bicycle than the Excelle. Early on, Lotus probably had no idea which bike would become the better selling model, so the upgrades between the various bicycles were made in more gradual increments. 

The first-generation Unique does not seem as common as some of the other first-generation Lotus models in the used market, we believe that if the customer didn't want an Excelle, the Unique was passed over in favor of the Classique (if you wanted a road bike) or the Eclair (if you wanted a touring ride).  In later generations, Lotus designed more obvious differences between the two sister models, Unique and Excelle.

The Black Unique shown above is a first-generation example in almost original condition (with the exception of the bar-end shifters).  Not only does it show many of the early, circa 1980, features like the head tube decal, narrower range freewheel, and short cage Shimano 600 derailleur, it also has clamp-on top tube cable guides. 

We've never seen any Lotus with clamp-on top tube cable guides.  We suppose someone could have ground off the brazed-on guides, then touched up the paint and installed nasty-paint-scratching-dirt-accumulating clamp-on guides, but why on earth would someone do that to such a nice bike?  Especially on a relatively original bicycle that still has "uncool" vintage parts installed, like the original pedal reflectors, crank chain guard, and plastic spoke protector. This Unique also has a complete Sugino Super Maxy crank set, more commonly found on the Lotus Excelle, but may have been used on an introductory or prototype model. 

What we'd like to think is that this Unique is  a very early production model, possibly an introductory version, but we just aren't sure.  

Shown below is the Unique page from the 1981 Lotus catalog.

Second-generation, circa 1983-84, Unique models changed frame tubing from Tange Champion to Tange Mangaloy and now offered a contrasting painted head tube with a matching LOTUS panel on the seat tube.

Lotus began to separate the two sister models Unique and Excelle and the second-generation Unique featured slightly narrower 27 x 1 rims and tires than the 27 x 1-¹/₄ rims and 1-¹/₈ tires used on the Excelle. The Unique used the Suntour Blue Line S derailleurs instead of the Shimano 600 EX still used on the Excelle. Both bicycles still shared the same frame and Tange Mangaloy tubing, but the Unique frame had half-chromed seat and chain stays.  The Unique was moving more up-performance and the Excelle was being groomed for mass popularity.

 
Later second-generation Lotus Unique models, circa 1984, were changed to include a chrome fork crown with an engraved lotus flower, LOTUS engraved seat stay caps, and the crank now came without a chain guard, enhancing the sporty appearance.

Below: a reader submission, nicely accessorized original second-generation 1984 silver Lotus Unique, click on any of the small thumbnail photos to enlarge in the main window.

The Lotus Unique above appears to be equipped as an 1986 model in Azure Blue. Note how the extended frame peg for a tire pump is mounted to the head tube lug on small frames, where larger frames used a peg brazed directly to the head tube.  

The 1987 Unique still shares the same frame design as the 1986 models, now with a Tange Mangaloy fork.  The 1987 components were almost all different from the 1986 version.  Easily identifiable as an '87 model, the seat tube is now painted to match the head tube.  A Triathlon Series decal is now on the top tube.

In 1987 Lotus introduced a special small-frame Unique model with a 24" front wheel, as shown below.  This frame style could also be found on the Elite 600.  This design avoided having to slope the top tube and allowed for a more proportioned frame for smaller men and women.  Many of the components on this GM Grey Unique have been owner modified, but it still sports the original bottle cage.  

1980-82 Lotus Unique
Frame Details	Top tube cable guides, down tube shift lever support bracket, Suntour forged vertical drop outs, half-chrome seat and chain stays.
Frame Tubing	Tange Champion Cro-mo	Headset	Tange Chrome
Fork	Tange Champion Cro-mo, 1/2 chrome fork	Handlebar	SR Custom Alloy
Colors	Black, Red, Blue	Stem	SR Alloy
Frame Sizes	19, 21, 23, 25 inches  No Mixte Available	Brakes	Dia Compe 500G Side-Pull w/ QR, Drilled Levers w/ Gum Hoods
Crank	SR Custom SD w/ Chain Guard, 42-52	Seatpost	SR CT-P3 Alloy
Pedals	KKT Top Run Alloy	Saddle	Kashimax Super Anatomic Black
Shift Levers	Shimano 600EX Arabesque on Down Tube	Rims	Ukai 27" x 1.25" Alloy
Front Derailleur	Shimano 600EX Arabesque	Hubs	Shimano AQ-11 QR Front and Rear
Rear Derailleur	Shimano 600EX Arabesque Long Cage	Spokes
Freewheel	Shimano 6-Speed 14-32	Tires	IRC 27" x 1 1/8" 100 psi
Chain	Shimano Uniglide  Gold	Weight	26 lbs.
Notes	1980 (or "early") Models have been noted to have fragile water-slide seat tube decals. 1981 (or "later") Models have been noted to have more durable Mylar-type seat tube decals.

1983-84(?)  Lotus Unique
Frame Details	Forged vertical drop outs, top tube cable guides, bottom bracket cable guides, brazed on bottle bosses, shifter bosses, chain peg, 1/2 chromed seat and chain stays, spoon shape seat stays.
Frame Tubing	Tange Double Butted Mangaloy all 11 Tubes	Headset	Tange, Chrome
Fork	Tange Double Butted Mangaloy, 1/2 Chrome	Handlebar	SR Custom Alloy, Cotton Tape
Colors	Silver Champagne, Violet Blue, Red	Stem	SR, Alloy
Frame Sizes	18, 20, 22, 24, 26 inches	Brakes	Dia Compe G Alloy Side Pull
Crank	SR Custom MD Alloy, 42-52	Seatpost	SR CT-P5 Laprade Alloy, Micro-Adjusting
Pedals	SR-SP 150 Ally w/ Toe Clips and Straps	Saddle	Kashimax Anatomic Super, Black
Shift Levers	Suntour Blue Line S on Down Tube	Rims	Ukai 27" x 1" Alloy 16A
Front Derailleur	Suntour Blue Line S	Hubs	Suntour Sealed Bearing QR Front and Rear Alloy
Rear Derailleur	Suntour Blue Line S	Spokes
Freewheel	Suntour Pro Compe 6-Speed	Tires	IRC 27" x 1" Hi Center Ridge
Chain	Shimano Uniglide	Weight	24.25 lbs. for 21"
Notes	1983 Specifications as listed, 1984 specifications are similar but may vary.

1986-87 Lotus Unique Triathlon Series
Frame Details	Pump peg on head tube, chain peg hanger, recessed brake bolts, under bottom bracket cable guides, water bottle bosses, micro adjusting screws on rear forged drop outs, top tube cable guides, shift lever bosses on down tube.
Frame Tubing	1986: Ishiwata Quad Butted Chrome Moly 1987: Ishiwata Triple Butted Chrome Moly	Headset	1987: Tange UQ-7 Sealed Color Coordinated,  LOTUS Inscribed
Fork	1986: Ishiwata Cr Mo w/ Engraved Crown* 1987: Tange Mangaloy w/ Engraved Crown	Handlebar	1986: SR Custom, alloy 1987: LOTUS Engraved Kusuki Aero Indented, alloy
Colors	1986: Pearl Coral, Azure Blue, Satin Black 1987: GM Gray, Azure Blue, Crimson	Stem	1986: SR, alloy  1987: Kusuki S-Win alloy
Frame Sizes	18, 20, 22, 24, 26 inches	Brakes	1986: Dia-Compe G500N w/ 160G Levers 1987: Dia-Compe Alpha 5000 w/ Aero AC-260 Levers
Crank	1986: Sugino DGP, 42-52  1987: Sugino GP 130, Cycloid Rings, 42-52	Seatpost	1986: SR Micro-adjust CRE-100 1987: Sugino KCL w/ Scale
Pedals	1986: SR Pro Vic II 1987: MKS-AR-3  w/ Clips and LOTUS Straps	Saddle	Vetta Anatomic
Shift Levers	1986: Suntour Sprint 1987: Suntour Alpha 5000 Accushift	Rims	1986: Araya 16B 700c x 25c, alloy 1987: Araya SS-45 700c, alloy Bronze Color
Front Derailleur	1986: Suntour Sprint 1987: Suntour Alpha 5000	Hubs	1986: Suzue Sealed Tech Small Flange QR 1987: Sanshin Alpha 5000 Sealed Small Flange, QR
Rear Derailleur	1986: Suntour Sprint 1987: Suntour Alpha 5000 Accushift	Spokes	1987: 14 Guage Stainless Steel
Freewheel	Suntour Winner, 13-26, 6 cogs, Silver	Tires	1986: IRC Roadlite 700 x 25c Skin 1987: Panaracer Vertex 700 x 23c Skin 100psi
Chain	1986: Suntour, Silver  1987: DID Lanner Silver/Black	Weight	1986: 24 lbs. 1987: 23.5 lbs. for 20" Mens
Notes	* Observed models have Tange Cr-Mo Steel Forks. 1987: Accessories: LOTUS water bottle and alloy cage. 1987: 18 inch models came with Araya 20A 700c rear wheel and 24 inch front.