Vitus Help Needed
 

Hey there...My friend would like some info on this Vitus and the componentry. Since I know nada I told him I would post here for him as he's not "computer literate". Any info? Opinions? Value guesses? Thanks...:)

http://www.geocities.com/alicestrong...net/vitus1.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/alicestrong...net/vitus3.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/alicestrong...net/vitus4.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/alicestrong...net/vitus5.jpg

I wouldn't buy it if I were over 175 lbs. They did not have the best reliability rating in their day.

Looks to me like a Vitus 979 aluminum frame with some pretty choice parts. The Vitus aluminum frames were sometimes badged as other makes, and were one of the first commonly seen high-end aluminum racing frames. Vitus also made a carbon fiber version, which I'm assuming this is not. They have some collectability and value, but not over the top. The components are more collectable than the frame, and appear to be first-generation Campagnolo C-Record as far as the derailleurs and crankset go. Can't quite tell about the seatpost, but at a quick glance it appears to be maybe Gipiemme rather than C-Record and not particularly valuable. Those early C-Record components are quite valuable - moreso as time goes on. That bike also has the very valuable Campagnolo aluminum freewheel. The CLB brakes were known for being super lightweight and can be valuable, though those look a bit beat and may be missing some small parts. Cleaned up and parted out, there appears to be quite a bit of financial potential there. Might be a nice bike to keep and ride, though I can't vouch for the longterm reliablity of those 979 frames.

Looks like a C Record drive train and a barely used rear cog, as well as front chain rings, but I know little about Campy. Seems to be a nice chain, too.

CLB is a French brake manufacturer, Sheldon has a word or two:
http://sheldonbrown.com/velos.html


Looks like an intriguing bike, is your friend buying or selling?

Very nice! Very light! Very expensive!

It looks like a Plus-7 Carbone frame, which sold for $900 US in the mid-1980s. Add on components that are mostly Campagnolo's top of the line C-Record and it's top notch. But the original owner must have been a real weight-weenie as he opted for the supelight CLB brakes and the very light (and expensive) Campagnolo freewheel.

I wouldn't want to even hazard a guess at the current value. But it would be big bucks if parted out on Ebay.

wow that looks nice!

I wonder if it's got the aluminum cables. Definitely saved weight by deciding to run without brake pads!

Those Vitus frames are gorgeous.

I believe that is very close to what my friend told me he believes about the bike....

I'm seeing him this afternoon so I'll point him this way.

He's a big guy and doesn't want to ride this one. Right now it's "hanging art"....:p

I couldn't distinguish this from the aluminum ones, though I ID'd a carbon Vitus-built frame on here not long ago. That one was pretty obviously CF - how can you tell with this one? Color?
It's also useful to know that the carbon models would have existed at the same time as the first-gen. C-Record components - I might have expected the carbon frames to be later (though LeMond rode a carbon fiber frame in the '86 Tour, so it makes sense there would have been some on the market at that time).

That is a Carbon plus7 frame with Vitus 979 alu lugs and bb etc. The Campag C-record parts ans particularily the freewheel are takers, the rest I´m not sure. I personally can vouch for 979 Duralinox frames, got 2 of them myself and they are great, among the best frames I´ve ridden actually.
And no, I am not a lightweight rider, 176cm and 85 kg but they suit me to perfection. Can´t say much about the early cf versions though, never tried them.

The biggest distinguishing factor is the seat stay treatment. On the 979 each seat stay is one piece, typically has a natural aluminum finsh and the brake bridge is attached to the inside of the stays. The Plus-7 Carbone has saparate upper and lower stays which plug into the brake bridge. See pic.

Actually, there were quite a few carbon bicycles by 1986. The Peugeot PY10CF had been available to the public since 1983 and there were unique models from Alan, Eclipse and Trek along with various rebadgings.

The freewheel alone just sold on ebay for $200+. Glad I got mine back when no one wanted them, lol.

The earliest 'successful' carbon/graphite frameset that I can recall was the lugged and bonded Graftek (Exxon) in the mid-late 70's.

http://www.firstflightbikes.com/_borders/graftek.jpg

http://www.classicrendezvous.com/ima...k/GraftekF.jpg

fwiw- the Peugeot PY10FC's were essentially rebadged Bador/Vitus Carbone 3's

http://www.mountainbikes.net/carbon/Peugeot_82_86.jpg

Thanks for everyone's generous feedback. It is a gorgeous bike and really, really light. It does have the Campy seatpost and he has the original beautiful Campy rims, too. I guess the bike wasn't ridden that many miles.

LOL...I should have posted that it was one of my $20 yardsale rescues...:p

What campy seapost is it? It doesn't look like C-Record from the pics - Super Record maybe? Or am I just not seeing it correctly?

I'll try to get a better pic of it next time I'm over to his house...