TVT 92

[Foreigner]

There is a triathlon adapted TVT92 on sale near me. Some say that the forks flex.

I would just like another horizontal top tube carbon bike. I wonder how it would compare with my Look KG 386 from about 15 years later, maybe.

These don't look original forks to me, hence not sure why worrying about flexing? Never seen this colour combo before either, off white, or is this just a bad photo?

 

[timtak]

Thank you. I don't know anything about these bikes and I am a worrier, rather than deliberately out to spread FUD.

I see that in comments on forums about them they are sometimes said to flex.

There is a video of a retro modern competition between a new carbon bike and a bike of a similar age but different and the flex can be seen in the video though whether desirable or not I am unsure.

I am not after a retro bike just a carbon bike with a low head tube.

It is just a bad photo. Other photos show that it is still my favourite fluorescent green. That is another reason why I am thinking of buying. That and that it has a hollow tech crank, by the look of things.

So is the TVT92 frame pretty much as fast as a modern carbon bike or does it handle like a noodle, or somewhere in between.

 

[Foreigner]

Well, it won't behave same as modern carbon frame, which has reinforced bb area and oversized tubes etc., as simply is built #completely differently, with carbon bits glued onto metal lugs. It will flex a bit, but not as much as lugged alu frames such as Alan or Vitus either - have both, TVT92 HM and Vitus BTW, so speaking from an experience.

The above one looks in fabulous condition too. I presume it is for sale in US?

 

[gridno27]

I rode my Vitus FKC 9 with Mavic 1000 SSC twice in Oudenaarde’s Retro Ronde. Yes had been flexed on cobbles especially part of cobbles going uphill when stand up the rear mech became sometimes out of control
Later I did the same with a TVT92 Carbone equipped with a Campagnolo C-Record for myself and the TVT92 has quite more stiffness and didn‘t flexed so much.

But if you compare a carbon tube lugged frame set i.e. a TVT92 with a modern carbon frame set - it’s not so light runs more comfortable and rides smoother than my Euskatel ORBEA Orca. Both are Pro-frames of its eras but more than 30 years between…

The question is what you request from such a bike. I am collecting early carbon bikes and rode them all - my experience is that the TVT92 was the best at the end of 80s to beginning 90s before LOOK present the LDS KG 171 in mid of 1994 or Colnago the C40 in 1995…

 

[timtak]

Thank you.
This bike was for sale in Japan. It sold very recently at the asking price with only one bid. It was in fabulous condition. I was not sure whether it would be okay for me to ride. I currently ride a monocoque Look 386 which is wonderful. I would like to have a spare bike but I can't find another horizontal, low head tube frame.

 

[Foreigner]

Thank you.
This bike was for sale in Japan. It sold very recently at the asking price with only one bid. It was in fabulous condition. I was not sure whether it would be okay for me to ride. I currently ride a monocoque Look 386 which is wonderful. I would like to have a spare bike but I can't find another horizontal, low head tube frame.

There are numerous such bikes for sale, from Vitus to TVT92 to Look models and beyond, not sure why you can't find one, unless a very unique size?

 

[timtak]

Dear Foreigner
I do not know what bikes have short head tubes. My size is 54 cm. I want to ride carbon (or perhaps steel or titanium). My look KG386 has a 10cm head tube. I would like to put a more negative angled stem on it to make that a bit shorter. I can't seem to find 54cm carbon bikes with head tubes less than about 14cm. If you know them, please let me know.

 

[gridno27]

... here the original GEO-Sheet by TVT92 from 1991 - length of steerer isn't specified

 

[timtak]

... here the original GEO-Sheet by TVT92 from 1991 - length of steerer isn't specified

Thank you. I think I can tell that the head tube is short from the horizontal top tube and
the fact that there is not tube visible between the top and bottom head tube lugs. I also
look for bikes with drops about level with the wheels.

I have also found Bike Insights which lets me search by head tube length for a certain
bike size for free. No affiliation. I don't know how they make money. Another similar
site was going to charge for the ability to search.

But for the time being I am going to put a negatively angled stem on my Azzurri
Primo which I stopped using because it creaked. I have worked out since then that
bike creak is usually dirt in the dropout combined with not enough tightness in the
quick release (or chainwheel bolts or a few other things). This "riser" stem flipped
should be able to drop my bars by about 2cm making the head tube 12cm.

14cm is considered aggressive these days and there are articles about people being sold
"too aggressive" bikes.
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/produ...s-bikes-that-are-just-too-aggressive-for-them
I find bikes are like jeans. If you buy and wear tight jeans it is difficult to eat cake
but if you (me) buy and wear baggy jeans, it is easy to fill out the jeans. Bikes are
even better because instead of looking better (as perhaps to thinner jeans) they
go faster for less effort so efforts in the food and exercise domain are rewarded.

Tim