toosahn

This is my girlfriend's bike. We just recently bought it off a forum member who happened to live in our area. I'm not sure what year it is but it's in great condition for a 40+ year-old bike. There is a spot of rust that I'd like to file away and the parts could use a soaking in barkeeper's friend.

Wheelset is Hi-E sealed bearing hubs laced to Martano tubular rims. We are going to sell this wheelset, so if you are interested send me a PM. Mafac levers are also potentially going to be parted out (although, she says she likes 'em) as well as the Campagnolo Record brake calipers.

A forum member is interested in the entire groupset and we are both debating whether it is a good idea to part-out the groupset to him. On one hand, the charm of having an almost all-Zeus bike is tempting, but we intend to make this bike a daily-rider so it might not make sense to be riding around with Zeus jewelery when Suntour Cyclone derailleurs and a Shimano 600 crankset will do.

toosahn

EddyR

The 531 decal was used from mid 1960's to mid 1970's
I bought same bike this weekend in very poor shape.
Ed

eippo1

Nice find. Even the pump is a Zeus. I'd be inclined to keep all the components on there unless she was locking it up somewhere.

toosahn

She is going to be locking it up everywhere she goes.

bready

I personally don't have a problem with Suntour Cyclone (or Sprint...superbe...) on vintage Euro bikes. I'd say if its going to be a daily commuter, that wouldn't be a bad choice, maybe save the gruppo for use on a potential later Zeus?. I wouldn't be so quick to put the 600 cranks on it. Maybe that's just me and my not-so-keen on Shimano attitude. Sweet bike.

JohnDThompson 

Those Zeus Criterium derailleurs are infinitely tougher than SunTour Cyclone. Unless you have a problem with their performance I'd leave them as is.

cudak888 

Finding complete Zeus examples is such a bear that to part this outstanding example out doesn't make the least bit of sense.

Did you consider the possibility of purchasing a different frameset in the same size instead? This Zeus doesn't seem to be the right way to go about it.

-Kurt

Sixty Fiver

If it was me I'd change the wheels to something a little friendlier for the day to day riding and I have the Zeus brake calipers to replace those mismatched Campagnolos...

Ciufalon

I too would leave it as is, or would keep everything I changed out so that it could be returned to its original, beautiful state at some future time. A bike like that with the full compliment of components is never easy to come by. Very sweet bike! Your girlfriend should be mighty pleased.

Road Fan

This is not a good bike to turn into a commuter, it has too much vintage significance.

wrk101

+1 No way I could part out that bike. Its too special.

+1 Not a real good choice for a commuter. For a commuter, I would just pick up a nice, vintage rigid frame MTB, and keep this bike for special rides.

rootboy 

It would be a cryin' shame. Please don't do it. Make the person interested in the parts buy the whole bike. No, wait ...he'll probably part it out because the frame is too small. Find a good home for it, someone who appreciates it for what it is.

dbakl

Zeus frames should carry Zeus parts. End of story...

fender1

Sell it on ebay. You will probably make enoguh to buy a commuter and a road bike. Commuting with this bike will only devalue it, as will parting only some of it.

jeirvine 

1. Do what you want - it's your bike.

2. I will join the deafening chorus to say please please please keep it all together. They are way too rare on this side of the pond.

753proguy

I hear what everyone is saying, and tend to agree with the consensus, but I will add that the old Zeus framesets make good commuters because they have enough front-center to have toeclip clearance with about 28s and fenders, and have 531 main tubes so they offer pretty good frame performance. My son is riding one like that right now in Seattle. Up bars, vintage S5 IGH, Ruffy Tuffys with Honjo fenders. It was a Zeus Suprema, and we saved all of the Zeus bits that we removed, so the bike could be put back to original condition later if desired. Your bike already has different (and nicer) wheels and brake calipers, fwiw.

The shifting performance of the Criterium rear derailleur is rather poor, as well, imo, so for that reason (and many others) this bike as-is wouldn't be very good for commuting unless you lived in a sunny, mild, dry climate area and commuted short distances on smooth, level roads, imo. That's a pretty darn complete and original Zeus (I've never seen that particular graphics package - nice - quite different from most Zeus bikes).

A tough call....

JohnDThompson 

I beg to differ. My Criterium derailleur shifts every bit as well as a Campy Nuovo or Super Record, which might not be saying much, come to think of it...

dbakl

Any other old frame of the period would work as well. In my experience the Zeus Criterium works as well as a Record or Gran Sport, which is almost as good as Nuovo Record.

There are two kinds of bike people in the world I guess: those parting out bikes and those piecing parted out bikes back together! Both my last two Zeus bikes I had to collect parts for, the last virtually everything. Though Zeus parts could be used on any bike, Zeus frames only used Zeus parts. That's what makes a complete Zeus very unique. Please keep it that way...

cudak888 

+1. Zeus Criterium and 2000 have the same geometry as NR, Zeus Gran Sport is the same as Campag Gran Sport.

You either love it or you hate it. I love it.

-Kurt

toosahn

Yikes! Strong feelings on this one.

Anyways, my girlfriend likes the bike too much to sell it off. Although she would use it as an everyday bike, she would take care of it. I don't really agree with the notion that a commuter must be an unattractive workhorse. Although we live in an urban environment where theft is a real issue, we lock up our bikes securely and never leave them for long-periods in shady areas.

The question of value is a sticky one. Yes, riding it as-is is going to devalue it as the paint and components experience wear. But it makes me uncomfortable to think of a bike that I would only ride on special days rather than everyday.

dbakl

Oh, remembered I had this picture, newer than yours I'd guess:

neurocop

Please keep it as it is and just clean lube and adjust all of the parts of this very fine bike...or if you insist of swapping out the original stuff carefully disassemble and store the original parts so it can be restored at a later date! Your bike has a classic and very nice "aggressive" frame/fork geometry that seems way ahead of its time for a C&V road bike. There are very few bikes that when you just look at them you feel that they will ride perfectly, and this is one of them. The 531 sticker indicates the main tubes are double butted (not the forks and stays). The fork looks good and don't seem to be seamed, so they are quite good. I guess the stays are high-tensile steel, and they look good too. I wouldn't worry about any of this. You have a very rare and complete Zeus (down to the seat post and pedals!). Congatulations and enjoy it!

GrayJay

Zeus made hubs too, those hi-E are likely a replacement wheelset. I have a zeus hub tubular wheelset if you are really into matching parts.....

oldbobcat

Absolutely lovely. I'm digging the red Vittoria tubulars. Are they silk or cotton?

Bikes are made to be ridden. Just don't leave it in a rack near traffic. Around here there's been a rash of bikes damaged by people driving cars into racks.