From: pamela@keps.kodak.com (Pamela Blalock)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
Subject: Summary (LONG) Re: Vitus with Aluminum Steerer Tube
Date: 13 Oct 92 19:47:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: keps.1992Oct13.194700.25643
Organization: Kodak Electronic Printing Systems


Thanks to all who responded to my question about Steve's Vitus. My
mailbox was flooded with responses. Unfortunately, we are temporarily
loosing internet access, and as a way of weening us, we have lost news
this past week :( so I've only seen one or two followups that trickled
in.  We hope to be back on-line in a couple of weeks. I think this 
posting will go out, but nothing is coming in.

I received a variety of responses, including horror stories about
broken steel and aluminum forks, advice to check it regularly and keep
riding, and advice to throw it away, and get something new right away.
One person even suggested I toss the frame and buy a 992.

Several people asked for a followup, and apparently I should have
posted more details than I did, so ...

I should clarify the situation. The bike belongs to Steve. I bought it
used from a friend who had customized it for randonneuring.  Actually,
the frame is the only thing with any serious age on it. Most of the
components are < 2 years old. Steve already has a randonneuring bike,
but I kept raving so much about how comfortable my vitus was on long
rides, that he became curious, and when I got this great deal on the
vitus, I got it for him. Anyway, one of the really neat things about
this particular bike is that is has eyelets for fenders, eliminating
the need for those little rubber covered clamp-things that work ok,
but eventually loosen up! (But enough about how wonderful I am for
buying my tandem partner a single bike, instead of another tandem :)

Of course, aluminum forks with eyelets are not available in this
country, so some of our options are:

1a) Vitus fork with dropouts from original fork 

According to the shop that was installing the headset, a new vitus
fork is $175, and we could exchange the dropouts with eyelets that we
currently have in for another $25.

1b) Lower quality Vitus fork with eyelets shipped from France sometime
next spring - $140. 

But Steve would like to ride his new toy/birthday gift now, rather
than wait 6 months. He did take it out on a double century in July and
loved it, but that slave driver stoker of his, made him train for BMB
on the tandem all the time. Anyway, he noticed the headset was a
little loose and a little strange, so I dropped it off to be checked
out. The headset was the only original piece of equipment left besides
the frame. Yes, it was a 14 year old stronglight that finally gave up.
It was a type that is no longer available - some parts were plastic,
so we decided to replace it with a Mavic ATB headset. (Remember it's a
randonneurs bike) Then the shop discovered the fork had a little lip
at the crown, so that this (and none that he had) would fit. Closer 
inspection revealed that the steerer tube was aluminum and I got the 
call informing me that I had endangered Steve's life by giving him 
this bike with the unsafe fork.

2) Aluminum fork without eyelets

Many people suggested the SR Sakae fork for around $110. This fork is 
slightly different from the vitus fork, so we could not use the vitus
dropouts. Steve really likes having the eyelets. 

3) Steel fork with eyelets

We get the eyelets, but loose the character/feel of the vitus aluminum
ride. This was the whole point of getting the vitus, since he already 
has a randonneuring bike. 

What has happened since I posted:

Since I had bought the bike used, I was getting the original owner (my
old training partner) to deal with the shop where he purchased the
bike.  The bike was bought in NC (where I used to live) Anyway, I
finally called the shop myself and was pleasantly surprised by the
response I received. I used to exchange my paycheck for merchandise in
this shop and they remembered me quite well (even after 3 years).

The owner had talked with a vitus importer (vitus has no US reps, only
importers) who gave us a little more info. BTW, the importer that
brought the bike into the country originally is no longer around.
Apparently there were some failures, but there never was a recall of
VITUS forks.  Other types may have been, but not VITUS forks. Anyway,
vitus did replace forks that broke, and probably swapped others that
were requested, but they never officially recalled the fork. The info
we received before was inaccurate. They did not consider the fork
unsafe.

He went on to say that given the history of the bike (lots of
brevets-PBP, BMB, etc), he would recommend getting a new one.  He
seemed to think that he could find a vitus fork with eyelets somewhere
in the US and initiated the search. If not, he would get me a much
better price than the $175 I was quoted here (in a shop I had spent a
couple of grand in this past year.) Hopefully, we will hear something
this week.

thanks again
pamela

-- 
Pamela Blalock                                     pamela@keps.kodak.com
Kodak Electronic Printing Systems, Inc             10 down, 2 to go!
164 Lexington Road, Billerica, MA 01821-3984       BMB mixed tandem finisher!