See post #15 above. It’s my only Legnano.

Beautiful.
I was thinking of Steve Bauser (not sure of correct alias)?

The project has been on hold for a bit as I searched for a few parts. The plastic cam in both brake caliper quick release levers broke during disassembly and, since Eroica California was just a week away, I hoped to find spares at their swap meet. Well, I only found one, so I’ve since ordered a decent set of Modolo calipers as donors. While I wait for delivery, I thought I’d proceed with the shifters.

These are NOS Mavic 820 shifters that have spent 30 years in the plastic bag. The factory grease might still be good, but why chance it. They got a full disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly with fresh grease. I think they look great!


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I eventually found the parts I needed for the Mavic 410 calipers, so those were rebuilt in my standard fashion - full disassembly and polish. I’m looking for a place to make dry transfers so I can restore the worn Mavic lettering.

Then, after remembering how much work it is to polish the hubs on a built wheel, I decided to learn how to build them. It’s much easier to polish everything individually, then reassemble. I bought a few tools and some Wheelsmith Spoke Prep and rebuilt an old set of wheels. Once I had it down, I was able to polish the Mavic 500 RD hubs and Mavic MA40 rims easily. Michelin tires were installed to stay in the all-French theme.


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I disassembled the Sachs freewheel except for the body, but it was flushed thouroughly before being relubed and reassembled. The stem and bars were installed and wrapped with Velox bar tape.


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I thought about using silver cable housing, but it looked too grey against the polished aluminum. So white housing it is!

The Mavic 640 pedals were disassembled except for the bearings (again flushed and greased), polished, and reassembled. New Christophe clips and straps are also used.


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I veered off the “all-French” theme by using a new Selle Italia Flite saddle. But to compensate, I installed a rare Rubis 983 seat post. And to finish it off, I installed an aluminum TA bottle cage. She’s done!! It weighs it at 19.58 lbs.
I’ll be riding it this Saturday at my local monthly vintage ride. I hope you enjoyed the journey!


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So freaking cool

and that RD…..

it almost looks Soviet with its pure “form follows function” aesthetic.

well played sir. Well played.

Timely thread. I also started with NOS front/rear SSC derailleurs that I got at my first Eroica swap meet years ago. Impulse buy, as they are way too cool to pass up.

A 979 in my size just happens to pop up on the BF classifieds a few days ago, and presto! It's inbound!

I already grabbed some NOS 350 bars (undoubtedly same source as you) and should get them soon. I am going to go full French naturally.

I am going to do a simultaneous Colnago Super and Vitus 979 build.

My bars came from Poland. You get them where you find them.

No Idealé 2001 or 2002?

that is the second design of the TA cage, probably period correct, but the originals were welded together, less lateral flex.

Beautiful build. Sean Kelly would approve!
Speaking of Sean Kelly, I forget what CR event / cirque but someone displayed a 979 Kelly tribute bike. Really neat and done right.

As for a saddle, a less known brand was Perache (not pronounced per-ache; rather like pay ock). The company is better known as an automotive interior component supplier to euro OEM's. I had a Perache 027 Super Professionelle on a full French lightweight. For my arse, it was pretty comfortable. I don't remember the specifics but weight was competitive in the weight weenie category of the era. Though I think there was another even lighter, type 017... ??

I see the Perache 017 Super-Legere weighs in at a paltry 275g. I may have to keep my eyes open for one. Someone else suggested an Ideale 2002 with ti rails, but it weighs in at 312g. It’s hard to beat the 230g of the Flite. They both predate the bike by at least 5 years (the Vitus is a 1989 model).

The Reydel GTI was a French saddle fairly similar to the Selle Italia Turbo and used by Kelly for a season or three while racing Vitus frames in the mid-1980s.

I tracked one down back then for the sake of it but they’d be almost completely unobtanium now.

Some years ago, I was able to buy two NOS Reydel GTI saddles in buffalo texture in black from a Turkish eBay seller. I think I cleared up his stock of the GTIs with my purchase. Never expected I would find the Reydel GTIs in Turkey.
I have the two saddles now mounted on my 1984 Gitane Tour de France and my 1984 Peugeot PSV for complete French builds.
I've been trying to find the white version of the GTI for some years now, but so far, non have come up for sale yet.

Did Flite saddles come in white? If so, that’s the only change I would make.

yes. They did, unsure how popular

In the 1980s? Probably pretty popular.

‘leather with a white finish is much more fragile, the leather has to be bleached and that damages the fibers. The color coat is thicker as white is less pigment dense, so takes more paint to provide a decent appearance.
Oldsmobile had a white leather option on the Cutlass Supreme Salon, way more warranty claims of premature wear, other white or near white leather interiors also degraded faster.

I repeat: The 1980s.

I hope you have the two proprietary magic spanners for the headset. A year or two after I bought my 979, I was desperate for a set. Luckily the previous owner still had them in his toolbox. It looks like someone was banging on your lock nut with a drift or screw driver. These Mavic headsets were great — pro gear ... and expensive!

I admire your attention to detail, in the disassembly, cleaning, reassembly department. It is well beyond my patience level. Well beyond. I wipe my bikes down only when there is a wheel off for one reason or another. It is nice to see how nicely this whole process can be done. Kudos to the likes of you and the others here of similar ilk.

I have the tools, though they’re on loan from a friend.


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I took it out today for its first ride with my monthly vintage group. No issues at all other than the need to tilt the saddle slightly. We got in about 35 miles with clear skies and cool temps.


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Those Mavic parts always struck me as parts that were as good as the Campy or Shimano bits of the day, but with extra style or engineering finesse. Not sure if it was true, but that was my impression. Never owned any of it, but it always impressed me. Nice to see some of it still in good shape and looking good! :)

Steve in Peoria