illdthedj

Hi!
So a while back i posted about how my Vitus 979's seat tube came unbonded from the bottom bracket.
There was discussion over how to fix, or even if its possible.

Basically fixing the frame myself is beyond my means, and im over trying to find someone that is adept at fixing this frame or shelling out the dough to have it fixed. (there was talk of a maybe still around Vitus fixer 'guywire' but the cost to ship to them even if still in business and the cost to ship back let alone how much they charge is already outweighing how much i payed for the frame) Now it seems they are fixable, but i dont really have the means, ability, interest, or money to do it.

So long story short, what im asking is this:

1) should i just relegate the frame to wall art in my garage?

2) Would it be wrong of me to consider selling the frame AS-iS, totally full disclosure on it being unbonded from one of the joints? i know these Vitus 979s have cool history behind them, are a bit of a collector's item, and who knows maybe there is someone out there willing and able to fix it? mainly i think charge little more than the price of shipping...honestly wanting to sell it as-is isn't a means for me to make money, but maybe let someone with a passion for these frames to have a chance to breath new life into it...and to clear room in my garage haha

3) i do have the propriatary seatpost and seatpost bolt, as well as the fork. should i just sell those parts off and keep the frame as wall art?

btw heres the bike in question, before the seattube unbonded from the bottom bracket:

Mercian Rider

Would hesitate selling it as is, even with disclosure because the buyer might use hardware store epoxy to repair it and then sell it without informing the subsequent buyer.

Chombi

I guess if you do not feel comfortable at all releasing it into the outside world with the damage, best would be is to just make it your wall art......at least you can sleep at nights...
Sell off the seatpost and other compnents you might not be needing anymore so they can at least find a second life on the road on other C&V bikes. Other C&Vers will appreciate that very much, plus it's a little dosh in you r pocket too!

Chombi

devinfan

I think if I were in your shoes, I would pick up another bare Vitus frame (they are pretty plentiful on ebay and don't tend to go for all that much) and then switch everything over. + you'd have a spare fork!

lotekmod

^^^ That's a pretty good plan. Maybe you can even find a frame for really cheap that's missing a fork.

I didn't read your orginal thread with recommendtions for repairs, and I think you're right about shipping being cost prohibitive, but FWIW Harry Havnoonian at H.H. Racing in Media PA is still in business and was the repair place for Vitus when I had one. He was even producing his own line of bonded frames using a variety of materials.

habes78023 

I'll probably catch some flack for this, but I would sell it with full disclosure. Then someone with some know how can get a good deal on it and have a nice frame for cheaper than they could otherwise. You can't protect someone from themselves if they think they can fix it and can't. And we know it is possible to fix it.

The only reason I would keep it as wall art is if it meant a lot to me. Sentimental value aside, it would just end up being more space in your garage where you could have another bike.

repechage

Set aside the frame.
Buy an alternate or alternative.
If still a Vitus, then transferring parts is a no brainer.

Sell the fork and seat post off if and only if you don't ever need them and need the money.

I would consider a bigger frame if your saddle height is correct.

illdthedj

true...i would hope nobody would be that dubious but i guess there are people like that in our world...
i would never want that to happen, however part of feels like theres probably someone out there with the resources and passion needed to fix it, that might give it new life and be appreciated beyond just sitting around in my garage...

illdthedj

you have a point as well...not selling it would mean not having to worry if im contributing to someone's death haha (lets say i do sell it with total full disclosure, guy is like "oh yah i can fix no problem" then they hardware store epoxy it and i hear a year down the line how guy cracks his skull open from the failed repair job....although i will say, when the frame came unbonded on me while riding and i was mashing hard up a hill, it was extremely unclimatic and definitely not a firey death crash!)

i was thinking if i sold the frameset (full disclosure) i would sell everything together, frame, fork, seatpost....buuuut im rethinking selling the frame and just selling off the fork and seatpost and keeping the frame around.

oh and all the components from the vitus went onto my new bike, a 1990 klein quantum

illdthedj

you're the second to say the frame was too small based on saddle height...admittedly the seatpost was just 1 cm from the max insertion, but i have extreeeemely long legs for my height....i have average torso, long arms, super long legs. like some sort of monkey haha....but yah i guess the vitus was on the verge of being too small for me.

my alternate which i switched all the parts to is a 60cm (the vitus was a 58)...

Andycapp

First off - Dibs on the seat post bolt if you go that direction! But, if it were my bike I think I'd keep it built up and put her on light duty. You said you have other rides and that there was no fiery death crash. I think as long as it was used just for cruising down to the coffee shop or up to the corner store it probably be fine. Just no hard training rides and stay away from the big hills.

When I first read the tread title I thought it was yet another one of these! Makes me want to treat my Vitus all the more gently.

-Andy

prettyshady

If you sell the forks, I would be intrested in buying as I have a vitus frame which looks the same size , mine is missing the original forks

jyl

I would sell it with full disclosure as NOT RIDEABLE and FOR PARTS ONLY, in the photos I'd actually label the unbonded joint so there is no doubt.

Stealthammer

Personally I would not sell it unless it was fixed first, and if it's fixed, why sell it. You can't fix stupid or trust the neferious in an "eBay World". Selling it just passes the problem down the line to someone else was may not be as intelligent or trustworthy as you are, since you have already gone to the trouble of investigating how to get it fixed and you are willing to disclose the problem. Either have someone like H.H. fix it, or turn it into a lamp.