Popeyecahn

Decided to spend some free time and look over the frame and fork. Found a suspicious crack-like scratch on the fork crown and kept on looking. Ended up at the seat tube and seat post bracket and found a good sized crack running along the seat tube and bracket glue joint. Time to put this one out to pasture me thinks...

WNG

Sad news.

Can you post some macro photos of the cracks?

I'm fond of Vitus 979s, had one since new from 87 till last year.

bloom87

and buying a "new" one isn't a solution either....

Poguemahone

Bummer. They ride well, but they do go. +1 on the pictures.

Schlug

I worked at a shop where we did warranty work for Vitus bonded frames. I really liked those bikes. I'm a big guy and could never cozy up to the stiffness but I always liked riding them around the block. Kelly was one of my heroes as a child and whenever I see an old 979 or Carbon 7 or 9, I get a little teary-eyed.

SteveSGP

Very sad to hear, I'd also love to see pictures as my son has a 979 so it would be good to see what you found.

Time to inspect the boys bike too I suppose.


.

Bandera

Get a fresh NOS 979 and start over:

https://www.adrenalinebikes.com/store...ategoryID=5798

-Bandera

Bianchigirll 

Get some good bondo and duct tape. should be good as new once the bondo dries.

Popeyecahn

I'm sure there are worse to be found, but no cracks would be the optimal number... What happened to yours? I can't recall if I read a thread mentioned the loss.

Popeyecahn

Indeed, but there is titanium waiting on the sidelines for a groupset...



I do like the bike, it definitely gets attention. I've had 2 previous Vitus owners make note of it and it's neat to talk to people who've ridden them and know the marque. I knew there would be a day when I'd need to consider retiring it and that day is neigh, though I think it'll be OK to causally ride for a few more weeks, just no hi speed descents...

At last month's Bike the Bay:

Chombi

Literally hundreds of low mileage/good condition ones still out there to buy everyday at the auction sites. The start of the 979 road again could be just a click away at eBay....

WNG

The crack looks more like the epoxy than the duraluminum tube.

As for mine, I didn't post a thread of her demise. She is but one of many bikes and personal stuff that my ex-wife claims to belong to her. There has been a few posts regarding my personal saga.

My wife got me arrested on false accusations in 2012. She was extorting me by dropping the charges if I agree to her divorce terms. But she soon discovered she launched a criminal case against me and she couldn't drop the charges by recanting! All this transpired when her green card became permanent, and after she had cashed out $80,000 of equity from my house, into her own safe deposit box. I bought my house in 2008 and was fully paid for, a year before bringing her into the USA and married her in 2009.

It's been a long ordeal, but my criminal case has concluded and I'm a free man again. I can now openly discuss this matter without the threat of retaliation from her.
But the divorce matter has yet to conclude. Ex-wife is basically after the money. She didn't succeed with the $80k, she only managed to take $25k. The rest I managed to retrieve and put it towards my legal fees. That pissed her off and she's after the house and anything I own that's of value.

She had the audacity to have her lawyer make me an offer of House for your bikes! She gets the house and anything else she wants, I get my bikes and parts back. That made me laugh! Next attempt was an offer for her to get a massive cash settlement, and she'll return my Vitus 979 and my 1979 red road bike from my High School days.
When I rejected it, she is now testifying the Vitus 979 is hers. I gave it to her as a gift, along with a number of other bikes that were given to her sons. She had hidden my Lemond Ti-DA, several new framesets, and all my new Campy 10-speed Record and Centaur parts, and new Ultegra 10-speed parts, and even my helmet!

Through the course of these past 13 months, I've discovered she was deceiving me 3 months after I successfully petitioned her and her boys for legal residency in the US back in 2010!
I've also discovered she'd violated preliminary injunctions, made false statements to the courts and police in attempt to accuse me of a burglary, and that I assaulted her! Fortunately, they didn't believe her this time.

The biggest discovery was that she entered the USA with cash from a fraudulent source. She worked for Royal Bank of Canada. Before she resigned to enter the USA, she took out an employee loan of tens of thousands, and maxed out 4 Canadian credit cards. She defaulted on all of them! I contacted her employer and verified the loan default. I contacted the local Canadian authorities, but they await RBC's decision on the matter.
I brought up my findings in divorce trial, but the court claimed it wasn't admissible since she wasn't charged yet. ********** Even though it is a documented fact?!?!?!?
From the legal front, I have not gotten anyone interested in pursuing this fraudulent woman. Very frustrating!

Hindsight can be a cold shower. I had the wool pulled over my eyes, and happily went along like a naive fool. I think she planned to do it again. She was working for Chase, the equity loan is with Chase under her name. Originally, she claimed after my arrest, her divorce terms were that I retain the house and she'll be responsible for the equity loan, since she had all the cash. My attorneys concluded she was going to default on the loan and leave me with the lien on my house after the divorce. She would leave the USA with her cash. She always wanted to return to her native country, and said she hated North America. But her little plan didn't go as predicted. :-\

She's been using my possessions as ransom. And tried to get me tossed into jail twice! So, I decided I can no longer allow her to use my things against me and have written them off. Things are replaceable. Lives aren't. She's revealed to me that she's an unethical, unlawful, liar and thief. And I'm better off finding this out sooner than later.

The Vitus was my 2nd build in 87. Mostly Campy SR, some DA-7400, Suntour Superbe Pro brakes, and Modolo parts. I rode it for about 250 miles before I hung it up in my parents' house and moved to Boston. I retrieved it 15 years later and it hasn't seen tarmac yet. It's basically new. The original Panaracer Tecnova tires still have the little nubs on them.

As for my 979, she claimed in court I bought it for her because it was pink.
Wife deleted my pics, but I found some of the bike from other servers.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/wng555/...7632154534448/

Chombi

Sorry to hear all the horrible stuff connected with your 979 WNG. We can only wish that treasured things we own can only bring us satisfaction and joy, but like most other things we call "property" they can also get tangled up with our biggest personal life challenges too....
I hope thing get better for you soon so you can look at things like these bikes as something that will bring you smiles and good memories instead of headaches and frustration....
Good luck!...

WNG

Thanks Chombi!

It's been the support and assistance I've gotten that has made the difference. I've taken on a positive attitude and not let this ordeal anchor me in unjust frustration.
I'm still proud of the fact that I created every bike with a personal touch, and that pride can't be taken from me. There will be other bikes. As long as I'm out riding and if fortunate enough to be sharing that with friends, then life is good.

This chapter will soon end. And I get to write the next alone unhindered. I have something I'm working on, and the future may turn out OK.

Popeyecahn

Indeed that is the case, tube failure would be far worse me thinks but either way it's a portent of things to come I feel.

That is one fine Vitus, mine isn't even half as nice. I am very sorry as well to hear of your travails, anytime you find yourself out this way let me know and the drinks are on me.

WNG

Sounds good! If I do, I will make sure to have a bike with me for a ride in lovely San Diego.

Bandera

Hauled the old girl out and after a thorough-ish inspection put another 25 miles on.
Still a great machine for me.

-Bandera

Popeyecahn

And a lovely day it was today! Went for a casual 10 mile ride at lunch, figured what the heck I pretty it won't asplode just yet!

Or anyone! Very nice steed!

Bandera

That pic does look like the bonding rather than the tubing cracking, not that that's good. With all of the military sub-contractors in SD I'd take it to an aircraft maintenance (A&P) guy for an opinion, or since it's not a fork or dropout just ride it and keep an eye out.

-Bandera

SteveSGP

Just looked at my sons and no signs of anything like that, his still appears solid.

Schlug

Steerer tubes coming unbonded are not uncommon and the result is just as nasty when the steering gets wonky all of the sudden. Doesn't mean you couldn't put a new Columbus Minimal fork on it.

Bandera that thing is real beaut. Good to see it's still being ridden!

Popeyecahn

Good thought... Yeah I plan on riding it for now until I get my '97 Serotta built up.

Popeyecahn

I had hoped to pass this on to my son as well, at least to see if he takes to road bikes. But maybe not now...

WNG

If it's the adhesive failing, it's probably repairable. Aircraft place will definitely have the proper adhesive (since Vitus' were put together with aerospace epoxy).
But they may not have the jig to align the frame for the stuff to set.

Poguemahone

Jaysus, 1200$********** I bought mine for 35$ (frame) and then spent too much on a hairbrained, yet effective and fun, scheme to build it up with no Campy, mostly Italian parts. Admittedly, I paid on the low end of the market, but still... you can find another decent frame cheap.

I don't find these frames stiff at all; if anything, they're a bit whippy.