Classic and Vintage Bicycles: What's it Worth? Appraisals and Inquiries - 198? Vitus 979 Frankenbike

My buddy's wife was given a road bike. It turns out, it doesn't fit her (it's too big), doesn't fit him (too small) and doesn't fit me so they want it sold so she can get something that works for her body type. Unfortunately, this bike is a mish-mash of parts but fortunately, this Vitus is equipped with top of the line components.

The two options are to sell the bike as is or part it out.
Parting it out will definitely get a pretty penny but it is quite a bit more time and work. Any thoughts on what this would be worth (in a hot market like Portland in the spring) as a full bike and what it may end up going for as pieces?

The part is is as follows:
- Vitus 979 frame (54cm)
- Stronglight headset
- Early Dura-Ace stem
- Specialized drops
- Modolo Aero brakes
- Suntour Superbe brakes (front and rear)
- Simple shift levers
- Dura-Ace front/rear derailleurs
- Campagnolo cranks/chainrings
- Terry woman's gel saddle
- Mavic G40 clinchers laced to Campagnolo Record hubs
- BB and freewheel are unknown, assuming Shimano

Lots of 979s were sold just as framesets which might explain the Frankenbike state of your wive's Vitus 979, but many were also sold as complete bikes equipped usually with DA7400 or Shimano 600 groups. I've also seen them with Sante Groups once in a while. It's weird as it is very rare to see the French frame with full French components groups (A full Spidel group would be so cool on that frame) as one might suspect to see on it.
Agree that the bike might get more money if parted out as 979s as whole bikes are a hard sell for anything over 300ish bucks.
BTW, if you do part it out, make sure you sell the seatpost with the frame as the oddball 25mm item is not that common and most buyers will not want to be bothered with trying to find and buy them. I suspect that the frame with the seatpost will sell faster and maybe for even little a bit more money compared to selling them separately.

Chombi

Pull out the tape measure again, that looks more like a 58-59cm. Surprised it does not fit one of you out of 3 people.

Overall the bike is very nice (minus the obvious mis-matched parts) but it could use new bar tape and that saddle is out of place. I'm having trouble putting a number on this one but it would definitely make more as a part-out. Complete? Very wild guess, $350.

Thanks for the input, guys, especially the comment on the seatpost. That is one I didn't notice or think of. My mistake for not getting the details.

The "head badge" is - a sticker? It says "designed by ets Fraysse"? I've not seen that before? I wonder if that is Mike Fraysse. You might contact him and find out if the bike has any interesting history.

I cannot buy another bike now, but I can probably hide a bare frame in the basement where SWMBO won't find it . . . 54 cm would fit me too. Hmm. If you part it out I would be interested in the frame (w/ oddball post) if it is in good condition.

Oops, I'm sorry, I forgot this is not the for sale forum so my comment immediately above was maybe inappropriate. My bad.

I cannot buy another bike now, but I can probably hide a bare frame in the basement where SWMBO won't find it. 54 cm would fit me too. Hmm. If you part it out I would be interested in the frame if it is in good condition.

See my post ^^^ this is NOT a 54cm frame.

Oh, I've seen 979 frames stay unsold on PDX CL for months at $150-165, so that probably defines the upper bound of value. The components, I dunno, those might be better on eBay?

The "head badge" is - a sticker? It says "designed by ets Fraysse"? I've not seen that before? I wonder if that is Mike Fraysse. You might contact him and find out if the bike has any interesting history.

I cannot buy another bike now, but I can probably hide a bare frame in the basement where SWMBO won't find it . . . 54 cm would fit me too. Hmm. If you part it out I would be interested in the frame (w/ oddball post) if it is in good condition.

Oops, I'm sorry, I forgot this is not the for sale forum so my comment immediately above was maybe inappropriate. My bad.

Unless I'm mistaken the 979 never came with a factory head badge.

Unless I'm mistaken the 979 never came with a factory head badge.

I think there were bigger bike distributors in some countries that added their own head tube badges, with I assume permission from Vitus. IIRC, I've seen that headbadge on the OP's bike before on other Vitus frames. I think it is "appropriate" to the bike. You've seen 979s labled as "Cilo" bicycles haven't you? kinda similar siuation here.

Chombi

I used to work for someone with Bianchi branded Vitus, although he did it himself

I recognized his name from eBay auctions of Vitus stuff, the auctions say

"About Mike Fraysse: 1976 and '84 US Olympic Team Manager and 19-time World and Pan American Championship coach Mike Fraysse has been involved with the sport of cycling all his life. A fourth-generation cyclist whose grandfather founded what is today the United States Cycling Federation, Fraysse was a world-class racer with a National Championship title before moving into the coaching role. In 1979 he brought Polish coach Eddie "B" Borysewicz over from the Eastern Bloc, and together the two went about revolutionizing the sport of cycling in America.*Fraysse*has had a hand in the development of such riders as*Greg Lemond, Ron Kiefel, Alexi Grewal, Andy Hampsten, Davis Phinney, Betsy Davis, Connie Carpenter, Rebecca Twigg, Beth Heiden, Eric Heiden, Lance Armstrong, and Steve Woznick, to name just a few. For his contributions to the sport,*in 1998 Fraysse*became one of the only Americans ever to receive the prestigious*Merit Award from the UCI, cycling's world governing body, and*later that same year he*was inducted into the US Bicycling Hall of Fame."

It doesn't mention his connection to Vitus but I assume there was one.

I think there were bigger bike distributors in some countries that added their own head tube badges, with I assume permission from Vitus. IIRC, I've seen that headbadge on the OP's bike before on other Vitus frames. I think it is "appropriate" to the bike. You've seen 979s labled as "Cilo" bicycles haven't you? kinda similar siuation here.

Chombi

Right, that was kind of my point although I didn't go into great detail. Basically there is no "official" Vitus headbadge.

This is what's on my sons bike, no clue what it is or where it came from but I kind of like it.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/FORDSVTPARTS/Bikes/DSC03610.jpg

See my post ^^^ this is NOT a 54cm frame.
Ok Ok. This is what I get for using what is stamped on the frame. The frame measures out at 56cm (C-T) and 54cm (top tube).

As for the rest of the posts, the sticker would make good sense if it didn't come with a head badge. Great comments, everyone.

BTW, if you do part it out, make sure you sell the seatpost with the frame as the oddball 25mm item is not that common and most buyers will not want to be bothered with trying to find and buy them. I suspect that the frame with the seatpost will sell faster and maybe for even little a bit more money compared to selling them separately.

Chombi

Probably. But Kalloy still makes a 25mm seat post. Not too hard to find.

I picked up a 979 frameset recently for 35$. I think that is the lower end of value on the frameset alone. As the bikes get bigger, they get harder to sell, more so in the case of Vituses, because they have a reputation for being whippy. I don't know, but mine (60cm) should be ready to ride in the next couple of days and I will certainly find out. I suspect I'll like it more than any other aluminum bike I've ever ridden, all of which were way stiff and harsh.

So you're talking largely parts value here. 300$ seems right, but you'll likely get more in parts, given the retrofriction shifters and the post.

I would keep the components as an upgrade or build for a frame that fits her. Sell or trade the frame on the frame dosent fit sticky :)