For Sale: Rare Vitus 979 aluminium frame

A light used high quality frame made of Dural aerospace aluminium tubing. Nice deep blue tubes combined with aluminium lugs and forks. Decalls are not the best but easy to find on the internet.

This Lightweight frame was made by Vitus in the mid 80ties. The famous fork gives the frame extreme comfort.

Seat Tube 57cm (c-t)
Top Tube 56cm (c-c)
Rear dropout width 126mm

Comes with the 25mm seatpost

Headset included for free.

Needs BSA bottom bracket.

Photo's here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnelst/sets/72157632811609137/

Feel free to contact me with any question.

Sold

rare because most of them snapped, sorry for trolling

What do you reckon for postage to AUS?

Hi chimp182, i must check. Come back to you later ok?

• 21,- Chimp! Please send me a private mail.
  

Price drop: 145,- including postage to the UK. Feel free to ask for costs to other countries.

'Rare because most of them snapped, sorry for trolling'

Any Proof, such as Video or photographic evidence?

I have a debonded carbone Vitus at the chainstay, but never seen a snapped one other than a photo of one that was destroyed on purpose after having been damaged. I would like to see proof to the horror stories posted on the internet as I enjoy vintage aluminum bikes but I am not 100% sure on their safety.

If you don't already own one, the Vitus 979 frame is very fun to ride and can look really smart. I am looking for a 3 tube Carbon version, 57cm or 60cm ctt.

Loads of rumours about Vitus and Alan frames. I had several of these frames all over the years but only one time a huge size Alan had a crack in the bb and one Vitus carbone lost the glu about over heating. Last situation was easy to see because of the colour was strange around the lugs. The stifness is less then steel frames but gives lots of comfort.

'Rare because most of them snapped, sorry for trolling'

Any Proof, such as Video or photographic evidence?

I have a debonded carbone Vitus at the chainstay, but never seen a snapped one other than a photo of one that was destroyed on purpose after having been damaged. I would like to see proof to the horror stories posted on the internet as I enjoy vintage aluminum bikes but I am not 100% sure on their safety.

If you don't already own one, the Vitus 979 frame is very fun to ride and can look really smart. I am looking for a 3 tube Carbon version, 57cm or 60cm ctt.

i do, it's fun as frame made of mozarella. dunno nothing about carbon versions

i do, it's fun as frame made of mozarella. dunno nothing about carbon versions

You do sound like you are trolling, I've seen unbonded ones...tho not many snapped...And to be honest, having reglued a few of them they can last ages. they do flex tho...I will give you that, Alans flex less.
The failure rate of these old frames compared to modern (ie 90's onwards) welded ally frames is far less and I have seen many more welded ally frames fail drastically...(ie tearing the tubes across the bottom bracket).
The vitus frames were over engineered as they were worried about the integrity, tho they do unglue...tho you very rarely see an Alan super record 'unstuck' or unglued...they were used as cyclocrossers alot and rarely failed...

My father was an Airframe fitter int he 50's and 60's the general consensus was that rivets and glue failed less, as the holes you make with such construction are only round drill holes. As was pointed out the aircraft that kept failing was due to a square window corner on a door frame.
I had just written a more detailed paragraph tho f*cked up my post!!

The way to fix your old vitus frame if it has come unstuck is to spring the joint apart really carefully (because if you put too much force on the joint you can bend the tubes...then you are fucked...if the joint is already apart when you get to it, check to see if there are any fatigue marks, which look like tiny lines across the tube) if there are no fatigue marks then where the joint is sprung and you can see enough of the joint to be able to glue (ie about 1/3 to 1/2 of the total joint length). Go about cleaning the old glue off you can use a scalpel, some cellulose thinners and some sand paper to help remove it, the sandpaper can also help key the adhesive into the ali, and make triple sure the glueing area is scrupulously clean...ie no dirt sandpaper grit or old glue, or wetness from the celly thinnners...and add the good quality 2 part epoxy resin. Spread the glue as far up the joint that will be inside the tube with a lolly stick or a bit of clean wood etc...make sure you actually spread the glue on ie like you are painting it, just dobbing it on the tube isn't good enough, it has to key in to the ali. then Squeeze!! the joint together and be careful to clean up any glue that squeezes out of the joint. Once the joint is located properly, use gaffer tape to hold the joint together.
All this need to be done at room temperature so that no temperature differential between the glues reaction (ie warm) will not cause condensation between cold tubes etc.

this isn't meant to be a thread derail, and if the op would like it moved I will happily move it.

These Vitus frames are good frames and this one looks to have had a reasonable life. Sean Kelly used them to great effect!!

Magic, many thanks for the info on how to repair vitus frames, I'm guessing araldite is good enough, I'm building a 979 with full mavic ssc and even though I raced these frames in the 80's I'm given greater confidence from what you have discussed, cheers DD ;-)

Thanks for the comments!

Somebody who likes to be the new Sean Kelly here?

I know a man who has over 60 vitus - all of which were raced (though not by him) and not one of them is cracked or snapped.

I rode one in the late eighties, and thought it very good. I remember riding races next to people on them. If the rider was big and powerful, the frames would creak a little on hills. I have heard of them coming unglued, but never heard of them snapping.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy one now. I think the snapping story is yet another internet myth.

Starting my build in the next 2 weeks, I'll be sharing it here and on retro bike. Light blue 979 in very good condition with full mavic SSC group set from the mid 80's. KAS transfers to be considered..... ;-)

Well, even if a tube did snap (though I never heard of it) you can replace them, there a few shops in the United States and one in Canada who have a stash of Vitus parts, the jigs and the know-how to repair them. Though I doubt it'd be economically viable sending it across the pond. I'm repairing a vitus frame at the moment (sits somewhere deep in the current projects section) and bought tubing from an local aluminum dealer which will work in a pinch, will get it lathed next week.
Sorry for the derail, have a bump

I have a 979 but no Mavic, Is Campag Record correct to build with?

Campa is always a good choice for such great frames.

Oh yes I agree, Campag would look great early nineties dura ace too. Mine arrived today it was 1991 when i last picked one up, god its light! and I've also ordered some KAS decals for it. Ill start a separate thread once underway. Only build with Mavic if you absolutely have to have it as its taken me ages to get the whole groupset together not loads of money but like hens teeth. Anyway I've read up plenty since my last post and no snapping stories anywhere go for it!

Sweet, good luck with your new built!

Price drop to 140,- including postage.

I think I will have to have this please. PM Incoming

This is my debonded vitus 979
glued vitus 979 debonded on Vimeo

after 3 year hard using ( also winter at - 5 Celsius,so lot of thermal expansion)

But!
I would buy again this frame! Lovely. Comfortable, lightweight.
I have also two Alan lugged. And also i use it daily.

Another problem with Vitus 979, that the aluminium fork steerer have a tiny wall thickness (by the thread) and can crack/snap. This is slightly bigger problem, because if the glue are debonded,you notice that in time, but a steerer break...you fall.

Overall - if the frame is ok at the moment - 100 -150 GBP is fair price.