Identifying a suspect Vitus aluminum fork--lawyer's lips?

[DemostiX]

I picked up a Vitus bonded aluminum bike. I know that some of their
aluminum forks fail. The former collegiate racer felt sure that the
boyfriend who built up the bike would have mentioned if the fork was
also a Vitus. I find no markings on this beautiful aluminum fork,
with a sharply arched crown and blades much deeper front to back than
it is thick. I mention the "lawyer's lips" on the dropouts hoping
that may date and help identify it.

 

[William Asher]

DemostiX <[email protected]> wrote in news:1192380376.824952.279450
@z24g2000prh.googlegroups.com:

> I picked up a Vitus bonded aluminum bike. I know that some of their
> aluminum forks fail. The former collegiate racer felt sure that the
> boyfriend who built up the bike would have mentioned if the fork was
> also a Vitus. I find no markings on this beautiful aluminum fork,
> with a sharply arched crown and blades much deeper front to back than
> it is thick. I mention the "lawyer's lips" on the dropouts hoping
> that may date and help identify it.
>
>

Is the frame a 979 or a 992?

--
Bill Asher

 

[Tom Kunich]

"William Asher" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> DemostiX <[email protected]> wrote in news:1192380376.824952.279450
> @z24g2000prh.googlegroups.com:
>
>> I picked up a Vitus bonded aluminum bike. I know that some of their
>> aluminum forks fail. The former collegiate racer felt sure that the
>> boyfriend who built up the bike would have mentioned if the fork was
>> also a Vitus. I find no markings on this beautiful aluminum fork,
>> with a sharply arched crown and blades much deeper front to back than
>> it is thick. I mention the "lawyer's lips" on the dropouts hoping
>> that may date and help identify it.
>
> Is the frame a 979 or a 992?

And I've never heard of Vitus forks failing. The 992 was the only Vitus new
enough to have lawyers lips and that fork was WAY overbuilt.

 

[DemostiX]

On Oct 14, 9:03 pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
> "William Asher" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > DemostiX <[email protected]> wrote in news:1192380376.824952.279450
> > @z24g2000prh.googlegroups.com:
>
> >> I picked up a Vitus bonded aluminum bike. I know that some of their
> >> aluminum forks fail. The former collegiate racer felt sure that the
> >> boyfriend who built up the bike would have mentioned if the fork was
> >> also a Vitus. I find no markings on this beautiful aluminum fork,
> >> with a sharply arched crown and blades much deeper front to back than
> >> it is thick. I mention the "lawyer's lips" on the dropouts hoping
> >> that may date and help identify it.
>
> > Is the frame a 979 or a 992?
>
> And I've never heard of Vitus forks failing. The 992 was the only Vitus new
> enough to have lawyers lips and that fork was WAY overbuilt.

I don't know the model Vitus. I assume the 979, as the 992 is a recent
model with ovoid tubes, not round ones. The serial number under the
BB shell is E098238. The front triangle was anodized rose pink (rattle
can painted with peeling black.) The stays and lugs are not anodized.
The frame size is on the steering head side.

If I wasn't clear, I'm trying to identify the unpainted aluminum
forks. Anyone know of a photo gallery of forks or fork crowns that
might help?

Finally, Tom, yes passing on rumors is lousy. I don't worry about the
much more delicate looking, and older aluminum forks on a 1974 Alan,
which feels very stable at 40mph and less.

 

[Tom Kunich]

"DemostiX" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Oct 14, 9:03 pm, "Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
>> "William Asher" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> news:[email protected]...
>>
>> > DemostiX <[email protected]> wrote in
>> > news:1192380376.824952.279450
>> > @z24g2000prh.googlegroups.com:
>>
>> >> I picked up a Vitus bonded aluminum bike. I know that some of their
>> >> aluminum forks fail. The former collegiate racer felt sure that the
>> >> boyfriend who built up the bike would have mentioned if the fork was
>> >> also a Vitus. I find no markings on this beautiful aluminum fork,
>> >> with a sharply arched crown and blades much deeper front to back than
>> >> it is thick. I mention the "lawyer's lips" on the dropouts hoping
>> >> that may date and help identify it.
>>
>> > Is the frame a 979 or a 992?
>>
>> And I've never heard of Vitus forks failing. The 992 was the only Vitus
>> new
>> enough to have lawyers lips and that fork was WAY overbuilt.
>
> I don't know the model Vitus. I assume the 979, as the 992 is a recent
> model with ovoid tubes, not round ones. The serial number under the
> BB shell is E098238. The front triangle was anodized rose pink (rattle
> can painted with peeling black.) The stays and lugs are not anodized.
> The frame size is on the steering head side.
>
> If I wasn't clear, I'm trying to identify the unpainted aluminum
> forks. Anyone know of a photo gallery of forks or fork crowns that
> might help?
>
> Finally, Tom, yes passing on rumors is lousy. I don't worry about the
> much more delicate looking, and older aluminum forks on a 1974 Alan,
> which feels very stable at 40mph and less.

Let me repeat - I had a 979 collapse under me as the glue joint repair
hadn't been done properly but I've not heard of a Vitus fork collapsing. I
owned a 992 for a number of years and it was tougher than some steel frames
I've owned.

 

[William Asher]

DemostiX <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:


> I don't know the model Vitus. I assume the 979, as the 992 is a recent
> model with ovoid tubes, not round ones. The serial number under the
> BB shell is E098238. The front triangle was anodized rose pink (rattle
> can painted with peeling black.) The stays and lugs are not anodized.
> The frame size is on the steering head side.
>
> If I wasn't clear, I'm trying to identify the unpainted aluminum
> forks. Anyone know of a photo gallery of forks or fork crowns that
> might help?

None of my 979 forks (I own several, long story, don't ask) have lawyer
lips. Unhappily for identification purposes, they each just have a
couple of Vitus decals on them, so I can't tell you of characteristic
indelible markings. If I see a picture of yours I can compare it to
mine. Rose pink was a standard 979 color though.

--
Bill Asher

 

[[email protected]]

Vitus is still in business (http://www.vitus.fr ). Not sure who or if
they have a US importer. Oschner International used to import their
frames a few years back. These days the use a monocoque design. Their
frames look a lot like the Specialized frames. The one downside is
that they probably only have a 5 year warranty.


On Oct 14, 9:46 am, DemostiX <[email protected]> wrote:
> I picked up a Vitus bonded aluminum bike. I know that some of their
> aluminum forks fail. The former collegiate racer felt sure that the
> boyfriend who built up the bike would have mentioned if the fork was
> also a Vitus. I find no markings on this beautiful aluminum fork,
> with a sharply arched crown and blades much deeper front to back than
> it is thick. I mention the "lawyer's lips" on the dropouts hoping
> that may date and help identify it.