Bonded AL - who is who

[gridno27]

Re: Bonded AL - Who Is Who?

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ALTEC were produced by a smaller company in Villeurbanne near Lyon. At first glance they looked much like Duralinox frames but on closer inspection they were more refined in that the ends of the tubes were profiled to give a splined appearance, and the seat-stay tops were more elegant - a type of wrap-over. The Spanish team BH used them both in aluminium-tubed and carbon-tubed versions for a couple of years.

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...here it is a rebuilt replica of such an ALTEC carbone used end of 80s by Spanish Team BH Sport for
climbing stages like arrive to Lagos Cavadonga






here a pic from Vuelta 1989 left side Fede Etxabe on a ALTEC

 

[gridno27]

Re: Bonded AL - Who Is Who?

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However other smaller French manufacturers had made bonded alloy frames before Vitus and possibly before Alan, firms such as DURAVIA and CMP..both based in the Lyon area. Certainly the Duravia looked very much like an Alan..or vice-versa ! In the mid-70s Vitus had a project underway to produce a bonded frame, in the first instance using their steel tubes bonded into steel lugs, following a series of frames made by a St Etienne-based builder called MIOSOTIS. Then VITUS teamed up with him to produce a frame using steel external lugs with aluminium tubes bonded into them..this tended to look a little like an ALAN. A variation on this frame made in about 1976/77 had aluminium tubes bonded into large aluminiun lugs..a bit like an ALAN

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one of this smaller French companies was C.M.P. a company of a French engineering couple M Claudius Masson and Mme Claudine Masson born as Mlle Poyet with seat in Lyon

here a pic of an earlier cadre C.M.P. Dural - C.M.P. present their frame set in line with Italian company ALAN - both got their lugs from French Aluminium foundry CLB so anyone can think about … technical knowledge transfer from where to where…

 

[Woz]

Still a lovely read thanks to the great past input and now with picture examples. A short question with a comprehensive reply at it's best

I still have a scratch for a Alan CX. In the meantime, my trusty Miyata MTB hack (bonded AL maintubes, Cro-Mo stays) keeps me going.

 

[gridno27]

last not least ...here the ALTEC's bonded AL version … it was build in 80s like Vitus 979 Dural
Please look this beautifull combination of Pechiney Aluminium and CLB lugs … but I sold it in meantime

 

[Old Ned]

Very nice, love the seat cluster design. How is the seat pin held? Is there an allen key grub screw built into the frame or does the seat pin have an internal expander like the carbon Vitus?

 

[gridno27]

here… same principle as a classic stem

 

[Racingsnake1]

I'm sure this is the thread to ask the question that's been bugging me for years. What does the 92 stand for in the TVT 92?
Please, someone, put me out of my misery.

 

[gridno27]

ok I have read a lot about TVT so ...first TVT called TVT Carbon 7 (with Aluminium fork) 7 stands for 7 carbonfiber tubes - togehter with TVT's carbon fork they called TVT Carbon 9 or short TVT9 (i.e. the Look labeled TVT, which won 1st nd 2nd in 1986's Tour de France). Vitus do the same with their Vitus FKC 3 up to FKC 9 type
Then they brought out the 2nd version of a 9 tubes bonded frame set with this curved rear, so they called it TVT92, i.e 2nd version of TVT9

… and if joint venture between M. Tapie and TVT not finished before they came with a version with ovalized tubes and a monostay on the rear, which should be called TVT93 eventually. but it expired … so this frame set become the first TIME, the TIME Helix Equipe

I hope I could give you your answer

 

[foz]

Re:

Loads of info here! I'm starting a bonded bike build soon, early 90's Giant Cadex. Anyone know how they fit into the puzzle?

 

[Dillo27]

Just a small pointer on the frame number designations...
The wishbone rear stay version of the Vitus is called 787.
The 797 Futural has the same rear stays as the original 979.

Regarding durability and rider weight;
I've got a couple of mid 80s 979s and one I've had about 5 years now, ridden in all conditions (Ottadini badged), and it's fine. Its 56cm seatt tube, 57 cm topt tube
I am 13 stone 5, no issues at all!

I bought it after having my Cannondale Synapse stolen in town. I liked the elegant look of it and it had full Campag Record groupset.
Now my favourite machine by far.