Vitus 979

[shamsixnine]

If you are a little nervous about those older vitus bikes, you might want to check out the band new ALAN frames. Just as cool with just as much mystique.https://alanbike.it/en/road/super-corsa/

[avalonracing]

My white 979 was my first real road bike. I loved that thing and wish I had kept it. Compared to my friends' steel bikes the 979 was very smooth. Yes it flexed a bit but it never felt unsafe and I didn't feel like it was zapping power as much as returning it. Over 25 years have passed since then though and I don't know that I would trust one in a sprint.

[ultraman6970]

The sprinter in my team had an alan and he loved it... the sprinters I knew that had a vitus they cracked the frames in a few months.

[fiamme red]

Sean Kelly really loved the 979.

https://www.vitusprocyclingstories.c...erie-met-kelly

“I remember a number of years ago at Paris-Nice, when we had a time-trial up the Col d’Eze, we were talking about the weight of the Vitus 979. There wasn’t a great difference between the bike that I raced there and the bikes that the guys were using only about seven or eight years ago.”

Kelly point outs that he was far from the only rider winning on such a revolutionary machine. He identifies Stephen Rooks’ victory at the 1983 Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Joaquim Agostinho’s top five finish at the 1980 Tour de France as further evidence for its groundbreaking performance. Such was the frequency and stature of Kelly’s victories, achieved in a 12-year, unbroken run of success aboard Vitus bikes, that it is he who has become synonymous with the marque, however.

Kelly’s sophisticated frame was equipped with the finest components available, as part of a relentless drive to reduce weight to the minimum and so convert every ounce of his talent into forward motion. A palmares that compares favourably even with those of the sport’s most revered talents is testament to the policy’s success.

“I had a titanium block on the rear, the wheels were 24-spoke, tied and soldered, and I had Clement Piste track tubeless tyres, so it was an amazing bike, especially when you look back at how many years ago that was. I have really great memories of the Vitus 979. Everywhere I go around Europe on tour with Eurosport, doing the commentary, people talk about the races, but also about the Vitus bike that I won them on.”

[ultraman6970]

Yeah but sure he had one/or some with reinforcements or maybe he was swapping frames every 6 months. When you are a pro at that level the guys will give you anything.

BTW i do not remember kelly talking about how many frames a year he used.

[Sboat]

I had one for probably 15 years, no problem with mine, and very nice on New England roads.

[PSJoyce]

I bought a 979 new in 1984, raced it for several seasons, then retired it to winter training rides. Never crashed or dropped, nice and comfortable. One winter day about 2002, just riding along, both fork blades broke off simultaneously just below the fork. That hurt, a lot. The frame is in my basement still. I would not ride one in 2019.

[peanutgallery]

I remember someone bringing me the official Vitus repair kit and a broken frame in the early 90s. The kit included 2 zip ties, epoxy, a handful of machine screws and a drill bit

Fun times

[ultraman6970]

Seen that to happen in the same frames but back in the day. Actually remember seeing an alan steering tube to snap just above the fork crown.

After that everybody that had those frames were putting a piece of broom inside, or loctiting a tube of aluminum inside the steering tube.

Now a days we can use a carbon tube, easier and lighter.

Originally Posted by PSJoyce

I bought a 979 new in 1984, raced it for several seasons, then retired it to winter training rides. Never crashed or dropped, nice and comfortable. One winter day about 2002, just riding along, both fork blades broke off simultaneously just below the fork. That hurt, a lot. The frame is in my basement still. I would not ride one in 2019.

[andrew+]

I have one that is mostly on trainer duty now, but I did ride around delivering packages on it for a while. Fork didn't explode.

If anyone wants to trade for a 57cm pink one let me know.

[Hawker]

Here is one 979 that is NOT flexy in the slightest. This is a rare frame that isn't labeled as a 48cm or actually labeled at all. It is actually a 47cm C-T with a 50.5cm TT. I bought it from a former fabricator at Merlin who researched it and came to the conclusion it was offered as a "small 48" and probably a small run that didn't actually make it into the catalogs.

Anyway...it's a perfect fit for me at 5' 5" but as I'm now older, I find the 100mm head tube is a bit short. It's very quick handling and frankly...not soft or flexible at all. Doesn't ride like an old Cannondale but not what I'd want to ride on a century either. It's in gorgeous condition and none of the joints are loose in the slightest. I attribute this to the fact that with these short tube lengths there is very little torque on the frame. The rear easily accommodates a 130mm axel.

I love looking at all 979s and find the colors and Silver rear triangle a gorgeous combination.
It also gets multiple approving nods and smiles from strangers on group rides.

It's for sale but it also looks good on my wall.

PS: There used to be a company in Canada that rebuilt these and they told me the glue they used today was much better than what was used originally and it is commonly used now for Ultra-Lite airplanes.