Description
Here we present the first aluminium racing bicycle released by Vitus, one of the pioneers of professional level aluminium frame sets.
Vitus was France's leading manufacturer of high-quality frame tubing. Their products were on a par with Reynolds and Columbus. And they were right at the forefront of the introduction of new materials on which they collaborated with TVT, an aerospace company. Their aluminium and carbon fiber frames were ridden by Sean Kelly, Greg LeMond and Miguel Indurain.
The Vitus 979 classic aluminium road bike stood at the beginning of these adventures. It has been launched in 1979 - in collaboration with TVT, Ateliers de la Rive and Angenieux-CLB - and is made of Duralinox 5083 aluminum-magnesium alloy tubes which are glued in aluminium lugs. The geometry of this frame set is steeper than most frames of its time, though the construction is not as stiff. It is not the best frame for sprinting but extremely comfortable and forgiving.
Sean Kelly rode the 979 for many years and to numerous victories.
Our exemplar has a shining red anodised frame and is equipped with Shimano parts throughout/p>
Despite this is aluminium and not steel, it is a piece of cycling heritage.
Size Information
| Size (Center-Top) | 59 cm |
|---|---|
| Top Tube | 57 cm |
| Head Tube | 17 cm |
| Standover | 84 cm |
Details
| Brand | Vitus |
|---|---|
| Shifters | Shimano 105 |
| Crankset | Shimano 500 Exage; 170mm; 52/42 ratio |
| Bottom Bracket | Shimano |
| Seat | WTB NOS |
| Hubs | Shimano RX100; Cassette 7-speed; 28/11 ratio |
| Rims | Mavic 192 NE; 700C clinchers |
| Tires | Continental Ultra Sport; 622/23 clinchers NEW |
| Stem | Modolo 115mm |
| Stembar | Modolo 40mm |
| Chain | YBN Classic; hard plated |
| Pedals | Not included |