Manufacturer question, who is F-USA, and or Ets Fraysse

I have the following bike that I can't seem to find answers to, which is who is the maker of my
bike. Maybe somebody out there in Interland can help.

I have this Vitus bike that on the headtube the decal says "Designed by F USA", with the USA in
a shield geometric shape. And along the bottom of the decal is "Ets Fraysse". My Internet
searches turned up
F/USA to be Formula USA motorcycle racing. I found lots of listings for a Mike Fraysse, and nothing
for an Ets Frayyse. So I suppose Ets Fraysse is the frame designer?

Along the fork blades and seat stay tubes are the cut out black letters, Cascade Wheel Works. I
found in Bend, Oregon a listing of that company and that's it. I sent them a letter and wait for it
to return.

There are several Vitus Dural rectangular stickers, and a stamping on the frame with the word Vitus,
whom I know is a tubing manufacturer. It has the aluminum lugs and the pressfit frame with epoxy.
Also, the rear brake tube cable routing ducks into the top tube.

There's probably a story about the bike, the maker, I just don't know what it is. Do you?

Thanks,

Wynn

 

"Pooh" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I have the following bike that I can't seem to find answers to, which is who is the maker of my
> bike. Maybe somebody out there in Interland can help.
>
> I have this Vitus bike that on the headtube the decal says "Designed by F USA", with the USA in a
> shield geometric shape. And along the bottom of the decal is "Ets Fraysse". My Internet searches
> turned up
> F/USA to be Formula USA motorcycle racing. I found lots of listings for a Mike Fraysse, and
> nothing for an Ets Frayyse. So I suppose Ets Fraysse is the frame designer?
>
> Along the fork blades and seat stay tubes are the cut out black letters, Cascade Wheel Works. I
> found in Bend, Oregon a listing of that company and that's it. I sent them a letter and wait for
> it to return.
>
> There are several Vitus Dural rectangular stickers, and a stamping on the frame with the word
> Vitus, whom I know is a tubing manufacturer. It has the aluminum lugs and the pressfit frame with
> epoxy. Also, the rear brake tube cable routing ducks into the top tube.
>
> There's probably a story about the bike, the maker, I just don't know what it is. Do you?

Vitus, a tube manufacturer of long standing, introduced their 979 aluminum frameset in about
1978. We imported ten in the spring of 1979 in the Mercier Team Cyclamen color because those
were the first available. Yes, ten pink anodized aluminum French frames, no kidding. At $300
they sold quickly.

That product became quite popular in the eighties and Michael Fraysse interjected himself as the
official agent/importer at one time (somewhere in New Jersey). He was a USCF official then.

The Vitus 979 was a clearly superior design to the Fabo-Alan, which had until then been the only
broadly successful aluminum race bike.( Cannondale had not yet come into their own) Some
improvements were added to make the Bridgestone Radac, the Peugeot Comete and the SR-Sakae
Prism/Suntour Litage but the groundwork for that type of construction was all Vitus.

It's a fine bike. Inspect closely in a good light, especially the fork, before riding vintage
aluminum machines.

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

I received this email today regarding the Ets Fraysse Vitus frame. -Wynn
---
Hi Wynn. That Vitus was made in France to specs. developed by the Fraysse family, which also built
its own bikes under the name Paris-Sport.

While Ets Fraysse no longer produces bikes, Mike Fraysse operates a training center in NY.

Best,

Joe
---
"A Muzi" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Pooh" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I have the following bike that I can't seem to find answers to, which is who is the maker of my
> > bike. Maybe somebody out there in Interland can help.
> >
> > I have this Vitus bike that on the headtube the decal says "Designed by F USA", with the USA in
> > a shield geometric shape. And along the bottom of the decal is "Ets Fraysse". My Internet
> > searches turned up
> > F/USA to be Formula USA motorcycle racing. I found lots of listings for a Mike Fraysse, and
> > nothing for an Ets Frayyse. So I suppose Ets Fraysse is the frame designer?
> >
> > Along the fork blades and seat stay tubes are the cut out black letters, Cascade Wheel Works. I
> > found in Bend, Oregon a listing of that company and that's it. I sent them a letter and wait for
> > it to return.
> >
> > There are several Vitus Dural rectangular stickers, and a stamping on the frame with the word
> > Vitus, whom I know is a tubing manufacturer. It has the aluminum lugs and the pressfit frame
> > with epoxy. Also, the rear brake tube cable routing ducks into the top tube.
> >
> > There's probably a story about the bike, the maker, I just don't know what it is. Do you?
>
> Vitus, a tube manufacturer of long standing, introduced their 979 aluminum frameset in about 1978.
> We imported ten in the spring of 1979 in the Mercier Team Cyclamen color because those were the
> first available. Yes, ten pink anodized aluminum French frames, no kidding. At $300 they sold
> quickly.
>
> That product became quite popular in the eighties and Michael Fraysse interjected himself as the
> official agent/importer at one time (somewhere in New Jersey). He was a USCF official then.
>
> The Vitus 979 was a clearly superior design to the Fabo-Alan, which had until then been the only
> broadly successful aluminum race bike.( Cannondale had not yet come into their own) Some
> improvements were added to make the Bridgestone Radac, the Peugeot Comete and the SR-Sakae
> Prism/Suntour Litage but the groundwork for that type of construction was all Vitus.
>
> It's a fine bike. Inspect closely in a good light, especially the fork, before riding vintage
> aluminum machines.