Vitus

[Chris]

When I was a junior I always wanted one of the 979s or a 992. Watching Sean Kelly ripping through Belgium on one and the unique finish probably had a lot to do with it. Lately I've been kicking around the idea of finding one and making a project/period correct bike out of it. Who's had one in the past? Tell me about it.

[ultraman6970]

In CL DC metro was one a few weeks ago, no idea if the guy sold it but it was mint and the price was really really good.

I know who might has an ALAN same era, new tho, what size are you looking for? The same guy could have a 979 moving around aswell.

[Chris]

Probably a 59. I don't know the geometry on them.

[sokyroadie]

I had the Motobecane version and thought it was a pretty nice ride, but only weighed 120# back then. I did not think it was all that flexy.

Jeff

[Louis]

A while back Nashbar had a 979 blowout and I got one (60, red) thinking about maybe building it up, but given the other options out there I decided to turn it into wall art instead. Having seen one in person if I weighed more than 150 lbs (which I do, by a comfortable margin) I don't think I'd want to ride one hard. 1) they aren't the stiffest things and the world (a well known fact) and b) all those old bonded joints scare me.

Here's a link to some Vitus info, including the geometry:

http://www.equusbicycle.com/bike/vitus/brochure/

Chris, if you're still interested and you really can't find one let me know, it's probably better for mine to ridden than to just collect dust.

Louis

[avalonracing]

My first road bike was a used 979. It was a pretty bike in shiny natural aluminum with the three main tubes painted white. As it was my first road bike I didn't really understand what people talked about when they said that it was a noodle (I sold the Vitus and got a Colorado II, only then did I understand). But the Vitus, although flexible, was a nice smooth ride.

[oldman]

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm316/oldman888/Vitus%20979/Vitus979.jpg

Here's mine. I sold it to fund my Hors Categorie. It was a great bike, light weight and fast. Never did understand the noodly reputation and I really like to mash the big ring most of the time.

[oldpotatoe]

When I was a junior I always wanted one of the 979s or a 992. Watching Sean Kelly ripping through Belgium on one and the unique finish probably had a lot to do with it. Lately I've been kicking around the idea of finding one and making a project/period correct bike out of it. Who's had one in the past? Tell me about it.

I have a distributor in SoCal that has 'em new, frame and fork, in a variety of colors...

http://www.euroasiaimports.net/productcart/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=1496

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . is hanging down in the basement awaiting total restoration. I have saved all the original parts and want to restore it totally. Open CD4 rims with tubies, Campy Nuovo Record drivetrain and early Dura-Ace short reach brakes. Cinelli Unicanitor saddle. Cinelli bars.

I rode it for 17 years and the ride IS harsh (all aluminum, even the fork) and the BB IS noodly (ghost shifting when I mashed it at times). but I never realized how much until I went shopping for a new bike in 2001.

But it truly IS a beautiful frame and unique in construction, with tubes sleeved, glued, and then the whole thing stuck in an autoclave to polymerize the glue.

I loved that bike and still do.

BBD

[veggieburger]

I used to have a cross version of the old Alan frame. Loved the bike and I regret selling it....those red ano tubes were gorgeous. The issue I had was finding a BB with a wide enough spindle so the 175 crank arms didn't hit the rear chainstays. I found one in the 120s that had a bit of clearance, but because there bike has a lot of sway, I had to go wider.

Lovely bikes tho!

[azrider]

Wow....pretty random

http://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-FRAME-VITUS-979-SIZE-58-NEW-NEVER-USED-/200600982611?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item2eb4c01453#ht_1008wt_1141

[beer_meister]

Sweet 992 posted recently in custom bikes:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=88552&highlight=vitus

[cloudchaser]

I have ridden a 1994 Vitus 992 as my main ride until this season. I still remember the Bicycling magazine review. Those photos made me crave that bike. To this day it still is a beautiful bike to me. The ride is harsh, and the frame isn't the stiffest. The headset is integrated, but easy to service. The seatpost uses a custom bolt that screws into seat tube lug and binds the post in place, they are very rare and expensive to replace these days. I have never dealt with this outfit in Canada, but they have a lot of Vitus gear displayed: http://www.giroposte.com/START.html

[Chris]

Wow....pretty random

http://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-FRAME-VITUS-979-SIZE-58-NEW-NEVER-USED-/200600982611?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item2eb4c01453#ht_1008wt_1141

I saw that but there is no mention of a fork or I would be on it.

[firerescuefin]

There are no shortage of forum members sitting on forks that would fit that frame.....just sayin.

[sean]

I don't have anything to add about the Vitus itself. BUT, I've always wanted to build one up and grab a set of KAS team decals to replace the original. They pop up now and then.

You mentioned Sean Kelly and Vitus, just sayin' :)

[Chris]

There are no shortage of forum members sitting on forks that would fit that frame.....just sayin.

Vitus aluminum forks? I'm hoping to keep it original.

[Hawker]

I've been looking for a 48cm Vitus for about a year now. They pop up once in a blue moon but I'm looking for a white, light blue or purple and they are much harder to find. At that size I don't think "noodley" is much of a problem.

[veggieburger]

Vitus aluminum forks? I'm hoping to keep it original.

I understand wanting to keep it original, but from a ride quality (and occasionally safety) persective, something steel or carbon would work beautifully.

[cnighbor1]

xxx

[John M]

I had one and rode the heck out of it. Probably 30K+ miles, mostly on rough Chicago area roads. I really liked that bike and held onto it for a long time until finally selling it last year to a student. I was very pleased to see it on the road on a rainy commute a couple of months ago.

Sure, there are functionally better around now, but those old 979s had a unique classy look to them that has never quite been replicated.

[legacysti888]

I used to race a 979 in the 80s and now ride a recently acquired 992.

IMHO, it's far from harsh.

If I compare the ride to my EM MXL, Tesch 101, IF 953 SSR and Bianchi Pantini replica MegaProXL 6061 aluminum, riding a 992 is like riding on a cloud.

YMMV.

Love the 992, though. Whenever I ride it, it brings back many good and some painful (crashes) memories.

If you want a aluminum Vitus, try and find a nice 992. It's more responsive than a 979 if you ride anything 58 or larger.

[Walter]

I used to race a 979 in the 80s and now ride a recently acquired 992.

IMHO, it's far from harsh.

If I compare the ride to my EM MXL, Tesch 101, IF 953 SSR and Bianchi Pantini replica MegaProXL 6061 aluminum, riding a 992 is like riding on a cloud.

YMMV.

Love the 992, though. Whenever I ride it, it brings back many good and some painful (crashes) memories.

If you want a aluminum Vitus, try and find a nice 992. It's more responsive than a 979 if you ride anything 58 or larger.

How is the ride comfort/road shock absorbtion on a 992 compared to a 979?

[bumknees]

Slightly OT, but is the current Vitus in any way associated with the "old" Vitus?

[Chris]

I don't believe so. I think Chain Reaction bought the name and is throwing the label on generic carbon stuff.

[legacysti888]

How is the ride comfort/road shock absorbtion on a 992 compared to a 979?

The 979 is more comfy between the two. The 992 is stiffer and livelier from the get go but when you are cruising, the 979 just glides.

Hills are a different matter. I can drop my front chainring when I sprint uphill in a 979. The 992 is a better bike overall. It's the evolution of the 979.

It's a bike best suited for spinners IMHO.