Zeus bicycle frames
 

I'm interested in seeing the continuity or changes in the Zeus bicycle lineup over time.

The Zeus catalogs I've looked at (100 through 105) generally don't show bicycles, instead dealing with history, palmares, components, clothing, tools, etc. Catalog 102 does show some bikes.

I have 2 Zeus posters - one that shows the complete bicycle line, dated 1977.

The 'Premium Zeus" Ref. Z 79 poster doesn't show a date, although it does show a beautiful bike


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4537/...74bf87a0_z.jpgZeus by BJ Stevens, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4520/...51794895_z.jpgZeus by BJ Stevens, on Flickr


Each poster is mounted on backing board so I can't tell what is on the 'back' side. Do any of you have these posters that aren't mounted? If so, can you share photos?

Or, do you have any other similar Zeus posters you can share?

Thanks.

Brad

Don't have any posters, but did once find a battered/neglected Zeus. It was missing derailleurs, brake calipers/levers, but still had the Zeus crank set, shift levers and wheels/hubs. After renovation, I gave it to my son. Was told by the frame builder who aligned frame/fork that it was a "Competition" model, don't remember if we ever dated it, but I found some frame decals and only just recently found a head tube decal for him. Here's an old pic and I'll get some up to date ones next time I visit my son. Don

.......subscribing to this thread.....

edit: i haven't nailed down an exact date on mine, but using 1972, since a knowledgeable member indicated 70 - 73 as most likely. let me go find his name, it was in another Zeus thread = "Is it Salvageable?"
@verktyg
a couple of catalogue shots in post #71 in link below.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ageable-3.html

.
...Zeus bikes don't show up much here where I live. This one came up from Mexico.

Hi from Spain. I'd like to know something more about Zeus.
Do you read spanish? There is a blogger, Recordando BICICLETAS ZEUS

I'm a little busy but if you don't read spanish and find something interesting I could translate it.

I've been looking into Zeus a couple of times.

First time was when I got this Régina. The brand seemed to have a connection to Zeus, and I wondered if it was more than just the fork crown .....

https://myalbum.com/photo/gPxy2o4Un5xL/1k0.jpg

The second time was just recently, when I got this Libertas Mann, with lots of Zeus and Alfa parts:

https://myalbum.com/photo/ZHd4aZnIMxoh/540.jpg

http://http://velosvintage.over-blog...o-regina-sport
This 1975 Regina was built with Zeus frames set and components. It was built in Oloron, southern french city half an hour from spanish border and two hours from my home.

http://www.fixiedreams.com/es/compra...clasica-regina
Look what I found in a LBS!

Thanks@marcobianchi. I’ll check out the website.

Brad

Spain experienced hard financial times after WW2. Because Spain had been aligned with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy plus they were not one of the occupied nations, Spain did not receive the post war benefits of the Marshal Plan which helped much of western Europe recover from the devastation of the war.

The lack of capitol investment resources hindered Spanish industries until the late 1950's when a growing middle class began to develop.

By the late 1960's Zeus was producing sporting bikes and components for the domestic and export market. Zeus components were popular in the UK and Benelux countries because of their competitive pricing against Campagnolo.

Zeus bikes started appearing in the US just before the 1970-1974 Bike Boom. They were never imported in any volume. I think that Zeus Cyclery Corporation of New York City was the primary importer. Most sales were limited to a number of larger US cities.

We sold some Zeus bikes in Albuquerque, NM from about 1973-1977 when the supply dried up. They offer4ed a lot of bang for the buck but were a hard sell because the components were viewed as cheap knock off Campy (far from reality: the headsets and rear axles were superior, the hubs, pedals and seatpost were equal for 1/2 the price).

In the late 1960's Zeus made some entry level sporting models with gas pipe carbon steel frames. Their better models used Reynolds A Quality tubing with butted main tubes which was a medium strength carbon steel, about 2/3rds the strength of Reynolds 531. The top models had Nervex Professional lugs.

About 1970, Zeus introduced their new top end Z-52 Competition model. The frames had pointed Cinelli style lugs with a full slopping Cinelli style fork crowns. The main tubes were butted Reynolds 531 with Durifort forks and stays. They produced some all Durifort models too. Only about a 1/3rd of the lengths of the forks and stays where chrome plated which looked a little weird.

We sold some of the Zeus P66 Cyclocross bikes ~1976-77. That's was when bicycle touring was gaining interest in the US. They had long wheel bases, relaxed angles and cantilever brakes, perfect for a touring bike. The P66 came as a 5 speed with one bar end shifter. We added down tube shifters and a front derailleur. The cranks had chain guards on both sides of the chain ring so they were easy to convert to a triple.

About 1975 Zeus brought out their all Reynolds 531 framed bikes with long point cut out lugs, Zeus 2000 investment cast crown and dropouts.

After that we had very little contact with Zeus.

I don't believe that Zeus Cyclery became the sole Zeus importer until circa 1974. Prior to that Zeus was being imported and distributed by various independent bicycle companies, with West Coast Cycles being a notable agent, circa 1972-1973.

Probably one of the later Zeus bicycles made. I don't think they made them much longer after this. I have tentatively dated this to around 1981. Everything is Zeus or Spanish except for the rims (were there any rims made in Spain?) and the stem(Cinelli). Frame is Reynolds 531 Special Lightweight.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4215/...84ccbbc8_h.jpg

https://www.milanuncios.com/biciclet...bici-carretera
Maybe this is a little later. I can see some Orbea look on it. (Orbea is Zeus name owner)

Sorry I dont know why I cannot post Urls from my mobil. THIS is the bikeAttachment 590967

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D-I-N Sales Co. of Mountain View, California had them for a time during the boom. I purchased all the dregs from them after they dropped the line. Still have many of the small parts.

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Akront is/was a Spanish rim and wheel maker long famous for motorcycle rims but they also made some bicycle rims, too, tho I have never seen any of those in person. I recall seeing pix of some alloy tubular rims (sewups) with Akront decals or stamping, and think these were pretty early vintage, maybe 1970s (?) maybe even earlier. Akront is no longer in business but the tooling was acquired by Morad, another Spanish motorcycle rim maker and they continue to build rims with the same Akront spec. or so says the interwebs.

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IIRC the Razesa built Zeus bicycles which began ~1983 came through fitted with french made rims.

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I own a Zeus Cronos identical to the one above

The Zeus 2000 I picked up a while ago has Akront tubular rims on Zeus hubs, so I assume original; they have serrations in the brake track.

Here's a 1976 Zeus I got this August:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...69024bc7ad.jpg