This time its a 979 1st generation

[Sharky]

Wild guess, but could the RP stand for Raymond Poulidor?

 

[woodbutcher]

Wild guess, but could the RP stand for Raymond Poulidor?

You could be right, he did ride bikes with Vitus 999 Cro Mo frames, so maybe someone thought it would be a nice idea to dedicate the one l have to him.
Only problem being that as far as l know he never rode an aluminium Vitus but l would be happy to be proved mistaken !

 

[woodbutcher]

View attachment 442557 View attachment 442558

This is what I think @biggs682 means by 105 yellow, I have this groupset on an old Trek 1400, Shimano 5500 I think?
Wrong era for your Vitus, but as @biggs682 says it would look pretty cool.

I like the look of the 105 "yellow"but are they all Octalink like the one in the groupset or can you get tapered fitting version which is what l need for the Stronglight B/B on the 979 ?

 

[davidphilips]

Another great find well done, have to agree about not resetting a bonded frame, if i had the frame i would consider bar end shifters along with best groupset at best price i could find and the widest tyres that would fit.

Other solution may be to contact a wheel builder and see if they can provide a 126mm rear wheel that may accept a 7 or greater cassette.

As for handlebars engraved cenilli and if you can find one a cenilli stem, Just wait and make sure of lenght of stem required before buying one.

You must have a really great fleet now aladdins cave somewhere?

 

[woodbutcher]

Another great find well done, have to agree about not resetting a bonded frame, if i had the frame i would consider bar end shifters along with best groupset at best price i could find and the widest tyres that would fit.

Other solution may be to contact a wheel builder and see if they can provide a 126mm rear wheel that may accept a 7 or greater cassette.

As for handlebars engraved cenilli and if you can find one a cenilli stem, Just wait and make sure of lenght of stem required before buying one.

You must have a really great fleet now aladdins cave somewhere?

Thank you for your (level headed) comments....l am the first to admit that l can get blown away by the prospect of another wonderful bicycle.
If possible l would like Mavic hubs and rims similar to those on my 1970s Faggin andI will be seeing my much used but l hope not abused bicycle wizard who has the great name Thierry Tran Duc. He has built and re-built wheels for me in the past and gets just as excited as l do about vintage bikes. As far as the groupset goes, at present l have an open mind except that l want Shimano. The headset for the frame is a Shimano 600 arabesque, so thats my start point .
I like your Cinelli suggestion probably because at least two of my bikes have those bars and stems, and l bet l could tell you in a blindfold test which ones they are....they fit me perfectly.
Oh yes and my Aladdins bike cave is where l feel at home even though at the moment it is a bit draughty....the weather in the Lot being a touch blustery and wet....

 

[biggs682]

600 Arabesque is a good shout indeed

 

[woodbutcher]

600 Arabesque is a good shout indeed

I think so as well Mr B. , l just hope that l can be patient enough to find all the other components to make a really nice job of it.
Now slightly off the topic but an example of a pretty classy restoration, how about this ......Vitus Seven , l must have been looking the other way because up until now l hadn't heard of a vitus seven.

 

[biggs682]

That's a nice clean bike shame only on a single chainring but easily sorted

 

[Illaveago]

I think so as well Mr B. , l just hope that l can be patient enough to find all the other components to make a really nice job of it.
Now slightly off the topic but an example of a pretty classy restoration, how about this ......Vitus Seven , l must have been looking the other way because up until now l hadn't heard of a vitus seven.
View attachment 442715

IRC they did a dance ?

 

[mikeymustard]

IRC they did a dance ?

Was it to "There ain't no party like a Vitus party"?

 

[Illaveago]

Was it to "There ain't no party like a Vitus party"?

I think he became a Saint ?

 

[mikeymustard]

I think he became a Saint ?

I was getting St Vitus mixed up with S Club 7. Not a sentence you'd write every day!

 

[woodbutcher]

What do we think of this Stronglight bottom bracket ? It came with the Vitus 979 and l haven't come across one before .

 

[biggs682]

That's different for sure

 

[biggs682]

Here's another 979 https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/vitus-979-roadframe-57cm/1323365124