Vitus Bikes - Track 979 980 Vee

Alternatively, try Vernon Barker - he advertises aluminium frame repairs:
www.vernonbarkercycles.co.uk

a more elegant solution would be preferable but i'd be fine with that too--i just want to ride my bike. is that riveted through the seat tube? if so how was it flattened inside to accommodate the seatpost?

Thanks, bukshmk, but his shop is near Sheffield and i'm in london. Funny thing is that the repair you linked to is identical to the break on my lug. must be a weak point for Vitus 979's.

Can i just glue the seatpost forever inside the tube?

here's a photo of the break.

http://i.imgur.com/9gIdr.jpg

Not sure how the fix was done really (it's not my bike, just a thread I spotted a while back), but those look like screws rather than rivets.

I think it must have been a common point of failure, later models used a grub screw instead of a conventional clamp - here's an example http://schutt.org/velo/vitus-979.php Maybe there's enough material left for you to tap a hole through the remaining part of the lug and do a kind of conversion? I guess gluing the post in would work, but I'd save that as a last resort.

do you mean drill through the lug and post all the way through?

dont know if its too risky but maybe you could try glueing just the crack before having it drilled / glueing the whole post into the frame.
i recently glued some aluminium parts theres few industrial 2-c-epoxy products on the market for quite little money.
i bought "uhu endfest 300"
UHU plus endfest 300 2 x 15 ml: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home
which takes up to 300kgs/ sqcm when heat-dried.
maybe it would be worth a try ?

ok, so nobody suggested welding and doing some googling taught me that welding an aluminium frame is a) expensive b) pointless.

my choices seem to be a) permanently gluing the post inside the tube or b) doing something similar to the fix in post #4. can anyone recommend a shop that can pull off a fix like in post #4? and thanks for all your help, guys.

TIG it just remember to turn the temp down if you've been welding steel, it will be better than new. If you want a fix like post no.4 its not that hard to do yourself with a couple of files and a drill. If your stuck and can get the bike to Oxford I reckon I could fix it for you.

Thanks Jay75, but can't make it to Oxford any time soon. Can you recommend a TIG welder in London? And will the weld be strong enough for a daily commuter?

I'm not sure but I think that TIG welding that lug may be difficult/impossible- it may be a cast lug. Also bear in mind that heating the lug may weaken or fatally loosen the GLUE that holds this frame together. I might glue the broken bit in place and make it look neat. Why not try a collar above the lug- less bother and pretty neat looking?

is it possible to put a collar/clamp on?

I'm not sure but I think that TIG welding that lug may be difficult/impossible- it may be a cast lug. Also bear in mind that heating the lug may weaken or fatally loosen the GLUE that holds this frame together. I might glue the broken bit in place and make it look neat. Why not try a collar above the lug- less bother and pretty neat looking?

too true, mine is carbon glued to the lugs, I ended up losing all the clear coat but did'nt need to reglue, it looks so much better now all polished up. The trick is to keep the tubes frozen. Someones gotta be constantly spraying them while welding and we also used an oven glove material to wrap the frame points.
A fix you could do at home is making a bracket like the "fix" mentioned in the above posts, you'll only need a couple of files and a drill. Have a close look as you might have enough metal to be able to run 2 or 3 thin threaded pins, from the front to the back instead of fixing from the side and I would still glue. Check out the Forch or Wurth brochures, they both have some useful and interesting glues and threaded pins. I've used the Forch glues on alloys before and they are pretty amazing that combined with 'pinning' should hold fast for years of riding

Thanks for your help, guys. I'm going to go with the full commitment route and glue the post in. I'm planning on keeping this bike for a long time so I don't care if I ruin its resale value and I don't want to compromise the frame integrity by trying to weld it. I have a 400mm long post ready to go and a two part metal epoxy should marry the tube and the post just fine.

Does any one know where in the UK where a Vitus 979 frame's joints/lugs can be 'safely' and securely re-bonded?

try to google for "vitus frames" , ive came across site in canada which offers vitus frame repairs worldwide. Actually it's not only the special glue holds it up together, but also the traction between joints. If u are not confident doing it yrself try taking it to local cycleshop. I saw how downtube was reinstalled after popping out. As i was told, the frames came with special glue in retail package. IMHO u may use WURTH metal two component glue to bond it together, but prepare the surface befor applying by scraping off the remains of old glue.

My chainstay popped out a while back on the dropout..

I used a 2 part epoxy and sand paper to rough up the positive + negative ends.

Has held for over 2 years now, but I keep it covered from the rain with tape.

If it is a main tube then might be more difficult as they are pressure joined with adhesive and will undergo a lot more stress.

Hey folks! Never having owned a single speed or anything resembling a mountain bike I'm taking the plunge with both at once. With no idea whether 16' or 19' frames would suit me, I'm asking if anyone has a vitus vee-1 that I could have a shot on for five minutes. They're only sold by chain reaction. And Dublin is a long way to go for a test ride!!!

Go steady...

I just picked up a Roy Thane in untidy nick with this sticker on it.

Super Vitus 980
Special Double Butted - Serie Extra Legere.
I thought they used 531 only, but obviously not.
It has a 'Supplied by Holdsworth' sticker and it looks pretty nicely lugged.
Oh, it seems really nice and light. Anyone know if the frame and forks are worth me restoring and selling on, or just selling on in untidy nick?
I only really bought it for the wheelset to use on my Holdsworth, I'm restoring.

@Souza

Fuck off, you spamming shit.

@Souza
There's one on ebay,
stop spamming ffs