New Article Published "Light & Legendary: VITUS 979"

[kohl57@yahoo.com]

Superb! Never seen this one before and it will be devoured and, with your permission, used in my article. Let me have a real name to credit it unless you rather not. And you may e-mail it to me privately if you prefer.

But many thanks for this... it's one of the best (and earliest) Vitus 979 brochures I've seen

Peter Kohler
Washington, DC USA

 

[daccordimark]

Very cool! I never knew you could get a Duralinox with shaped tubes until now.
Also, that you could get them with mudguard fittings.
Mark.

 

[Old Ned]

At the cafe on Tuesday one of our 'retro group' arrived on what appeared to be a 979 in blue but the head, seat and BB castings had short 'V' shaped extensions into the tubes. The seat pin was a wedge one. Everything else was 'standard' 979 so is it a later production model - or something else?

 

[kohl57@yahoo.com]

That sounds like a Vitus 992 model dating from 1992-96. But maybe I am misinterpreting your description.

These had aero profiled tubes and larger ovalised ends to give a stiffer frame from the earlier "Losange" and "Arcor" models. The headset was integral to the head tube as well.

The 992 was the last Vitus Duralinox model ridden to a victory by Sean Kelly in the '92 Milano-San Remo.

992s built up with the later "Tout Mavic" components are lovely jobs and a tempting future project.

Peter Kohler
Washington, DC USA

 

[Old Ned]

That sounds like a Vitus 992 model dating from 1992-96. But maybe I am misinterpreting your description.

These had aero profiled tubes and larger ovalised ends to give a stiffer frame from the earlier "Losange" and "Arcor" models. The headset was integral to the head tube as well.

The 992 was the last Vitus Duralinox model ridden to a victory by Sean Kelly in the '92 Milano-San Remo.

992s built up with the later "Tout Mavic" components are lovely jobs and a tempting future project.

Peter Kohler
Washington, DC USA

Hmm, I think the tubes on this were 'normal', don't remember them being profiled. The seat stays etc. were as a 'normal' 979 and the seat lug didn't have a grub screw. Hopefully he'll come on it again next Tuesday although we do tend to 'rotate' our steeds!

 

[kohl57@yahoo.com]

Ah, so I think it maybe a "Altec". Another French take on bonded Duralinox and was marketed by Stronglight in the early to mid 80s.

Somewhat rare and certainly unusual but there is one on eBay presently:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-ALTEC- ... 4267228223

I guess I should add a section to my article "Not Vitus 979 But Often Confused as Such"

Peter Kohler
Washington, DC USA

 

[kohl57@yahoo.com]

Re:

Here is the Altec page of the c. 1987 Stronglight catalogue (courtesy of V-CC on line library)

http://cdn.ipernity.com/200/86/84/48648 ... e.1024.jpg

 

[Old Ned]

Re: Re:

Here is the Altec page of the c. 1987 Stronglight catalogue (courtesy of V-CC on line library)

http://cdn.ipernity.com/200/86/84/48648 ... e.1024.jpg

That's it. It's got the 'wrapover' seat stay design - which I forgot about - and is in the Blue colour. I reckon he might be a bit surprised when I tell him it isn't a Vitus Duralinox. Thanks!