ChromeChainstay
Senior Retro Guru
the seat cluster (seat pin) looks like a sr bonded frameset, if i remember right¿
your shimano cable guides are upside down btw
your shimano cable guides are upside down btw
Early Rocky Mountain Road frame.
- Thread starter NigelFinnighan
- Start date
NigelFinnighan
Rocky Mountain Fan
Yes, yes they are- lol thank you for that! I wasn't aware but that makes perfect sense looking at them. you probably just saved me a bunch of headache.
Takmanjapan
Retro Newbie
In the late 80's Rocky Mountain was a distributor for Vitus bikes. My LBS was a Rocky dealer and sold the Derek Bailey Turbo's and Giros. I have one of his '88 turbos. The same LBS also sold Vitus 979's and they only had the head badge added. Otherwise they had standard Vitus colorways and decals.
NigelFinnighan
Rocky Mountain Fan
This is great information, especially regarding the decals, Thank you! - Pictures of your Turbo? I had one on the line but it slipped through my fingers a few months ago.
vtwinvince
Senior Retro Guru
I'm still doubting that RM would put their badging on another manufacturer's product, this must have been a local shop initiative.
Takmanjapan
Retro Newbie
Vitus and Alans were often rebadged by other makers. There are a few examples below of Vitus frames having Rocky head and seat tube decals added. The sellers are from different parts of Canada - Alberta, Ontario, etc. My LBS was in a small town in the BC interior so I have some more confidence about my recollection of the Rocky & Vitus connection.
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2317490https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2809300https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/rocky-mountain-label-vitus-979-road-155131688https://mylittlebikeshop.com/products/size-50cm-1980s-vitus-979-road-bike-shimano-600-like-newhttps://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/rocky-mountain-branded-vitus-futural-787-cx.356726
Takmanjapan
Retro Newbie
This was the final build. A 1988 model that 1st came with ultegra 6400 and wolber rims. It was in storage from 1997-2019 and then rebuilt the way you see it here. It was later crashed so I'm considering having a local builder replace the front triangle, respray it and then restore it to its 1988 spec.
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NigelFinnighan
Rocky Mountain Fan
You could be right, crazier things have happened. As a manufacturer and wholesaler myself, if a retailer put my brand on someone else's product and sold it as mine, I'd sue them six ways to Sunday and win all day everyday. I'd have to guess Rocky Mountain would have felt the same.
Where as these Vitus frames are known for other manufacturers buying them and putting their brand on them because they wanted to offer an aluminum option. Dozens of higher end, larger companies bought them for this purpose. Why wouldn't Rocky Mountain?
NigelFinnighan
Rocky Mountain Fan
I love it, I really like the colour. The one I had a line on was all black, which wasn't my preference, but I'd have rather had one in all black versus not having one at all. My search continues.
I just bought a Bianchi and might switch this build up a bit- I'll update this thread as this build continues.
vtwinvince
Senior Retro Guru
I'm open to that possibility for sure, just haven't seen any out here on the west coast. I have a road bike that was badged as a Saronni by a bike shop in Munich and sold as such, when it wasn't a Saronni, so stranger things have happened. It would be interesting to see what Vitus has to say about this, maybe they had a commercial arrangement with RM?
