Jacques Anquetil vitus frame

[Gattopardo]

Found a local bike repair place and saw they had a Jacques Anquetil vitus frame with this on the stay
  which means it is a cycle france-loire build.

Any good?

EDIT any ones getting a little square.  Instead of a picture?

[mzjo]

https://www.velovintageagogo.com/t5938-velo-jacques-anquetil   says it all. It might be a quality frame but the chances are against; these were typically badge marketing. A clubmate had an Anquetil about 20 years ago, heavyweight tank. he might well have thrown it away since!

edit: You say it's Vitus but which model of Vitus. There were some good and some equivalent to some of the low end Truwel and other TI tube sets.

[Gattopardo]

Was thinking of just messaging you

The cycle place had a Anquetil frame/bike that was cheap and heavy, but the logo on the seat stays looks like it meant a better quality frame, vitus 971 I think.

[mzjo]

If 971 it shouldn't be heavy. Reliable information about Vitus steel tubing seems a bit short; I think they rather forgot their origins when they went into aluminium and got bought out by Look (Bernard Tapie?).
This https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1204801-super-vitus-971-steel-tubing-french-piasentin-frame-thoughts.html will give you a few clues.
In spite of what they say as far as I know Reynolds was still the preferred tubing of the pros, Vitus tended to be on the bottom of the pecking order. The framebuilders that they quote are more remembered for bespoke sports and touring machines than pro framesets.

edit: found this which might be helpful: http://www.classicrendezvous.com/France/Vitus_history.htm

My Peugeot is 172. It would be respectably light but unfortunately it lacks any sort of rigidity. Similar Peugeots and Motobécanes are very common and should be very cheap!


It has proper french lugs!

[Hot Flatus]

If you really want to geek out get DeLong's guide to bicycles (1974).

In general if you want to find out about Vitus, it's probably more fruitful to search for the original name of the company, Ateliers de la Rive.

I think they rather forgot their origins when they went into aluminium and got bought out by Look (Bernard Tapie?).

Not so much that as commercial realities. Reynolds and Columbus brands overtook them. Even Peugeot dumped Vitus steel in favour of Reynolds.

The aluminium thing was an off-shoot with Bador, and was a small part of what was essentially a packaging manufacturer. They changed hands many times in the 90s, Time owned them too. I've no idea if they exist any more other than as a brand name for CRC. I'd be amazed if they produce anything.

[Gattopardo]

This is the gas pipe bike
https://i.imgur.com/paUDgFs.jpg

Oddest brakes I have seen.