Vitus bike?

[VAbeth]

Hi, I found a bike for sale recently described as having a "2001 vitus 979 frame." I don't know much about bikes yet (I'm learning!), but I didn't think that a vitus 979 could be from 2001... could someone explain this to me? Also the bike has 8 speed Campy equipment, Ergo shift brake levers, Mavic ceramic wheels, Phil Wood Hubs and Mavic peddles. Does it sound like $400 would be a reasonable price to pay for this bike? Thank you!

 

[CAMPYBOB]

http://vitus979.com/

http://schutt.org/velo/vitus-979.php

Bike Nashbar did sell NOS Vitus frames back in the 2000-2005 area, so maybe it was bought new in 2001. I doubt it was manufactured anywhere near that date however.

For a complete bike in good/very good condition, yeah...it's worth $400 IMO. I would want to inspect the frame joints prior to buying it.

Note that the frame is reknown for being flexible, especially the larger sizes. It also earned a reputation for the glue joints failing.

 

[VAbeth]

Ok, thanks so much! I did read about the problems with the frame, but this is a smaller size so I was hoping it might be ok.

 

[swampy1970]

They were flexible but it didn't stop the likes of Sean Kelly winning a few classics on one...
... and didn't stop the likes of me from unbonding one. Thankfully I have friends at British Aerospace that have access to stronger epoxy and better surface prep than Vitus did.

 

[alienator]

They were flexible but it didn't stop the likes of Sean Kelly winning a few classics on one... ... and didn't stop the likes of me from unbonding one. Thankfully I have friends at British Aerospace that have access to stronger epoxy and better surface prep than Vitus did.

"Flexible" is a generous term don't you think? Given how "flexible" the 979 was compared to other frames, I think it gives a bit of perspective to today's fetish for über stiff frames and the perverse desire to have the stiffest bike on the block.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

They were flexible but it didn't stop the likes of Sean Kelly winning a few classics on one...

Sean Kelly was no Magnus Bäckstedt (6' 4")! Sean was a rather wee rider and rode a smaller size Vitus...and the flexibility (and light weight) of the Vitus probably helped him over the cobbles. The lighter weight of the Vitus/Alan framesets made them decent climbers in their day despite the larger sizes being somewhat of a pendulum.

No helmet...greased cobbles...and on a Vitus! I hope his insurance premiums were up to date!




... and didn't stop the likes of me from unbonding one.

Was yours glued only or glued/pinned?

Thankfully I have friends at British Aerospace that have access to stronger epoxy and better surface prep than Vitus did.

In Ohio, our salted roads did in more than a few Vitus/Alan joints.