For Sale: Vitus bike (from Vaidas)

FOR SALE: Vitus road-bike / racer (important historically)

Its a mixture of Campagnolo and Shimano components. Mostly Campag.
I only took some photos, but recognised the frameset as one of the earlier Vitus aluminum bonded into lugs. A beautiful thing, in a gorgeous colour.

If you read up on these frames, they do NOT suit heavier people. Not at all. But if you're slim and light, then you could just own a piece of cycling history. Seriously. For an idea of what it could look like, have a look at the bike that mulletizer gave to Rik. That bike was cracked, and this is not.

From the photos, this is what I see: (please correct me if wrong)

Vitus aluminium bonded frame (looks like a 58cm) - please check this with Vaidas.
Campagnolo stem
Campagnolo headset
Shimano 600 levers and brakes
Shimano 600 rear derailleur
Shimano front derailleur
Campagnolo Daytona crankset
Mavic Cosmos Wheels
Pasela Tourguard tyres
Hubs - unknown at this time
Pedals - none
Saddle - none
Seatpost - unsure (could be Campag, but I didn't check)

VAIDAS BICYCLES
74 Honor Oak Park
Forest Hill, London SE23 1DY
02034170436
07846335492

Its priced at £399.99, but he will certainly listen to any offers. Personally, I feel that even though one might be buying a piece of French class and world cycling history, the mix of groupsets means that I would certainly keep that in mind when making an offer. Vaidas is a good guy though, so expect to be treated well, and to buy a bike that he would have passed as fit. I'm sure that it would be FULLY tuned as well.....if not, certainly ask for that. Enjoy.

I'm not selling this myself, but highlighting a sale on the behalf of Vaidas Bicycles (my second time - Fox bought a Tweed Run Special - an antique Raleigh). Its not on offer anywhere else. Vaidas has an excellent reputation, and its my most preferred LBS.

If anyone has bought this from Vaidas, please let me know, so I can make it known here?

Thanks very much.

When you say it does not suit a heavier rider. How about someone around 11stone who tends to ride up/down curbs and hit potholes?

11 stone is lightweight. I would think up to 14 stone would be ok. Its just that there were past anecdotal reports of such
bonded frames displaying a slight torsional flex under heavy riders.

cheers GA2G, gonna keep my eye on this til I have money.

henry: stop! bike destroyer...

the Vitus 787 (shown) was a mid range frame in their late 80's catalogue, the 992 and 979 models were more popular with racing cyclists although the 787 was offered sometimes as a cyclo cross model

Glad for the info. Shall add the model number to the OP.
I still don't see many about though, so I believe that even though it may only have been a middle range bike, there are not many of those nor the similar Alan bikes on sale. Relative rarity is mostly assured then....

I've just bought an absolutely mint example of a Vitus 797 from Madgetts Cycles, Diss but mine has a complete Shimano 105 groupset and is plain silver, no colour anodising. I'm just over 12.5 stone and it rides very nicely, much smoother than my Mecacycle. As for price, mine is, no exageration, top dollar minty, even the decals are perfect, and I paid £285. It was apparently owned by a guy who is obsessive about maintenance and it shows.

Gordon

Around 70s/80's there was a fatal accident that involved a cyclocross team
that road ALAN aluminium frames. The fault was with the ALAN front fork
which on the older models was prone to give way under fatique or excess weight.
ALAN were successfully taken to court over the matter and a subsequent fork
design superceded the early model that was prone to breaking.
If you own an early ALAN it is worth checking the type of fork you have and take into
consideration the amount of use the bike as had. I guess that goes for any bike really but especially aluminium ones...

I had a Carbone Plus with carbon main tubes similarly bonded to Duralinox/797 chainstays and headtube etc. At 13 stone I found she responded poorly to bunnyhops, by breaking.

On the Raleigh, he said he was looking for £100+ but nobody else had shown any interest so he gave it me for £80. Good chap.

If anyone has bought this from Vaidas, please let me know, so I can make it known here?

Thanks very much.

I had a Carbone Plus with carbon main tubes similarly bonded to Duralinox/797 chainstays and headtube etc. At 13 stone I found she responded poorly to bunnyhops, by breaking.

Bunny hops, ......on a racer? LOL. That's certifiable

Where's Pistanator, he'll know what to say.