Vitus 979 what do you know?

[Alison]

Can anyone tell me anything about the Vitus 979.

The good the bad and the ugly.

Looking for a bit of a road toy to play with and someone has got a frame for sale.

Thanks

 

[JustKev]

Hi Alison! I used to sell these and thought they were great frames although bigger ones (58cm+) were a bit too flexi

 

[retrobikeguy]

know nothing really but they were like £400 new

 

[P20]

For aluminium they are 'soft' riding. Comfortable, light if a little flexy. Make sure the lugs haven't been rebonded as some do come apart, but mainly the early Vitus(Viti??)

 

[breezerboy]

Very comfortable but a little flexy under power. I had a 59cm frame that had the seat tube and BB shell disbond when I got out the saddle to power up a hill. It was a high mileage frame and I'm a powerful rider (years of track racing) so not necessarily a common thing.

A mate has had a 55cm frame from new and it's still going strong (but was a later model than mine anyway)

 

[Elev12k]

On the Vitus VTT:

"An ATB frame out superlight aluminium alloy"

The piece weighs a ton!

Vitus CL1 is it called officially

 

[P20]

On the Vitus VTT:

"An ATB frame out superlight aluminium alloy"

The piece weighs a ton!

Vitus CL1 is it called officially

The alloy is light, it just uses really heavy glue

 

[24pouces]

The Vitus 979 frame was one of the best road frame for the middle of 80ies.
It was impossible to weld "duralumin". So the french engineers sticked the tubes on "connection". It's a very old technology, seen on old road bikes (after WW2 !), and this technology was first used on all aluminium bike until the beginning of 90ies (vitus, alan, trek, giant, reflex…) and for the first carbon frame with aluminium connection(alan, vitus, trek, look, TVT…)
The bikes were very confortable because of the non oversized diameter of the aluminium tubes. Aluminium is not stiff, the big diameter of the tube gives more stiff frame. It would be the same thing with steel but the frame would be too heavy.
The frame was built until the middle of 90ies : it was a confortable cheap frame.
You have the same frame but with the front made with 3 carbon-graphite tubes

 

[Spikes]

My gf ownes a 50 cm Vitus. It's a sweet and light ride. It's true the tend to be flexy in the larger sizes, but a more regular frame size (if it fits) can give you tons of fun.

 

[ededwards]

I had an Guerciotti badged Alan but similar comments apply - very light and comfortable but pretty flexy in big sizes (mine was a 60 cm). Lovely retro ride though