Cromovelato 70's Roger Roche Super Vitus 971

[bduc61]

A bit of french tasty stuff

Roger Roche was a former welder at Automoto and started his own shop presumably end of the sixties to close it beginning of the eighties.It was a small shop but it manufactured some very tasty frames.

I am a chrome "nut" ( see my 90's Alain Michel etc...) so could not resist this fully chromed frame which sports a very original cromovelato in different tones. It is slightly damaged and very fragile but I can't get tired of it

It is in the lovely and underratted Supervitus 971 ( which may I remind you is lighter than its contemporary counterpart Columbus SL )

Not only is the chrome superb quality, the lugs ( which are Bocama competition I believe) have been so much filed, they are razor thin at the edge

Unluckily, the rear right end had a small split but it has now been repaired

As I have several builds under way ( but more ancient - between 1938 and 1947 !) this will have to wait a bit

but I am curious of your comments about the choice a parts.

I have already a Bernard Carré from the same period only with french parts so either will it be italian with Campagnolo Nuovo Record
or more original, I would possibly build it with the lovely first Suntour Superbe group ( miss only front derailleur and levers) which is very seldom seen but deserves more recognition , the quality of workmanship is possibly better than Dura Ace and Campagnolo as well :mrgreen:

Wheels will be Campa with Mavic though

what is your view on this ?

 

[firedfromthecircus]

Stunning.

 

[Flandria]

Wow! The French have quite a nice history of bicycles. Great to see something different than Italian frames/components...

If you keep poppping up brilliant frames like this, you'll never get to the dura ace flandria

 

[Midlife]

Nice . I'd go for dura ace to match the headset, or the ofmega mistral range, the chain set is the prettiest of the lot .....

Shaun

 

[bduc61]

Nice . I'd go for dura ace to match the headset, or the ofmega mistral range, the chain set is the prettiest of the lot .....

Shaun

true the ofmega crankset is lovely , unfortunately no ofmega parts in stock so will go an easier route

dura ace headset is probably going to be changed to a Hatta Swan - the Suntour Superbe chainset, derailleurs calipers and levers set looks more and more likely ( but must find levers and front derailleur though) :idea:

 

[FINNEY1973]

That's superb! very unusual - like your thoughts on Suntour Superbe, that would make a very interesting bike.

Why are the front drop-outs squared off? struggling to see a purpose or benefit from doing that?

look forward to seeing this built up.....

 

[bduc61]

That's superb! very unusual - like your thoughts on Suntour Superbe, that would make a very interesting bike.

Why are the front drop-outs squared off? struggling to see a purpose or benefit from doing that?

look forward to seeing this built up.....

no clue about the drop outs being squared off - true it looks bizarre but the rest of the frame compensates that I believe :mrgreen:

incidentally the Suntour Superbe rear mech weighs 195g ( the comparable GA200 Dura Ace weighs 198 g !)

It is realy surprising that Suntour was actually overtaken and completely sidetracked by Shimano in the 80's
possibly because of a Research & Development effort by Shimano that produced innovative and reliable products even for the lower end market. And Shimano 's range was possibly better organised as Suntour one was really "complicated "

See here the derailleur range from the 70/80's era

http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Sun ... leurs.html

 

[FINNEY1973]

Vastly under-rated stuff, a friend has one of the 2nd generation black / gold pro derailleurs - great looking piece of kit.

your component photos' are going to look well matched to the frame - very nice indeed.

 

[Midlife]

The demise of Suntour is well documented despite their technological advantage, first to indexing, slant pantograph etc. Pretty sad in a way, not helped in the UK by Ron Kit.

The squared off rear dropouts I have seem before on Gitane Vitus 980 frames but the flat on the front dropout is new

The Supebe brake levers as a little too curved for my tiny hands but look good . Should look a million dollars wen finished.

Shaun

 

[bduc61]

Re:

Well if I change my mind for a Campagnolo build ( none at home at present !) I may put these

They were in a horrible state so 3 hours to clean them yesterday but happy with the decent result

Campa Nuovo Record 24 holes hubs on Super Champion Competition tubular rims
740g and 780 g
Crow's feet lacing
and icing on the cake, the inside of the flange holes are painted with 6 different colors
Could go well with this frame !

too much sun in Paris so the shadow of the spokes is misleading !