Donnay PRO 8000 Early version of Carbon fibre (Alloy Lugged)

markmod

Frame: Donnay Carbon Fibre tube and Alloy Lugs (1993 Vintage)
Forks: Donnay
Bars: 3t Grand Prix
Stem: As Above?
Headset: yes
Bar Tape: Fizik Microtex

Front Brake Lever: Shimano Sora
Front Caliper: Shimano 105 (early)
Rear Brake Lever: Shimano Sora
Rear Caliper:

Shifters: Shimano Sora 7 speed 3300
Cables: yes it has some!
Front Mech: Shimano 105
Rear Mech: Shimano 105

Seat: Fizik Antares Cervelo Ltd.
Seat Post: Old Style Alloy 25mm?
Seat Post Clamp: inc. into frame top

Cranks: Shimano 105
Chainring(s): Shimano 105
Chain: Shimano
Cassette: Shimano 105
Pedals: Look Sprint Red
Bottom Bracket: not sure

Front Wheel: 700c
Rim: Ambrosio
Spokes: yes it has these too..
Hub: Shimano Hub
Tube: Bontrager
Tire: Vitorio Rubino

Back Wheel: As Above
Rim:
Spokes:
Hub:
Tube:
Tire:

Accessories: Bontrager Bottle cage, Fizik saddle bag.

Weight: Not light thats for sure!

Other info: Apparently Donnay, of early carbon fiber Tennis Racket fame (as used by Borg and Mcenroe in Carbon Fiber early years) made these frames. It says made in Belgium on the frame, but I have seen very similar frames by a company called 'Alan' and another company Vittus?

I was given the bike by a family member virtually as is (less the modern kit, seatpost, bar tape, pedals, etc), gave it a clean and it's like new. Obviously hardly been used for many many years.

I have swopped the downtube shifters for the 7 speed Shimano Sora Shifters (safer- as its what I am used to more recently, was looking up at vans that had stopped infront of me when looking down to ensure I was shifting!) I have also recabled and re taped the bars.

This is my occasional commuter now, It feels really really 'whippy' compared to modern carbon and it's amazing how stiff bikes are now compared to this early carbon bike, which seems to flex under power sometimes.

I have also heard horrifying tales of how these frames disasemble themselves whilst being ridden, as the bonding at the joins fails due to their age. Also the Forks have a reputation of being 'widowmakers' but apparently the shape is different/ earlier than these. I have 'hopefully' a really solid example as it looks like it was wheeled out the show room yesterday!

I am trying to get rid of as much weight off the bike (and me - fat boy trying to shed a few lbs) to ensure I don't overstress the frame, I am keeping clear of kerbs and potholes (not easy on today's ice ravaged roads!)

The seatpost whilst really 'retro' is really substantial in weight, I have a carbon Look one on the way as this is the only seatpost I could find in carbon (that will really match the carbon of the lacquered frame tube that was the correct diameter of 25mm.

I have some bulky Look Arc pedals, and other bits & bobs I have removed to 'tart' it up a little. I'm going to keep these and can retrofy it at any time I so wish, but I quite like the half new and old look going on at the moment (although it won't be to everyones taste)

There are a few small areas where the lacquered finish had been scratched/ marked. I am keen to just enjoy this old girl, not treat it like a museum piece. I will probably at some stage get it re clear finished (not sure if it's worth the cost/ bother) and I can tell it was happy to be out on the road again after so many years of seeing the inside of a shed!

Anonymous

Nooooooooooooo!!

Should be built up with early 90s bits. It's ace!

markmod

YESSSSSSSSS!

Hi NadD as I said not to everyones taste. Spode that means I won't be getting a badge then? But I also did say I could retrofy it in about an hour or so if I wanted too. The logistics of keeping on the Look arc pedals with their older cleats (that would be different to my other bikes cleats- god know what cleats they would be delta or earlier still?)

95 % of it's still all original (including the shimano 105) Anything that's come off is safe in a big heavy heavy box of old style heavyness) all safe non corroding, saved for posterity and future generations, and their childrens, children.

Now if it was 1980s that would be different but to buy all old style Dura ace stuff or old style campag I'm not sure it's old enough to warrant a major spend of that scale. Abit like an old Rover 3500 if you like, nice to enjoy but not old enough to renovate as a vintage classic yet ( but I bet some do)

Just be pleased I have not sawn off the bars and made it into a fixxy as most bikes of this age are being reworked!

but I understand your thought NapD.

Any one know any history/ detail about this make/ bike?

markmod

Only other example I can find is at http://members.home.nl/c.pennings/wegfiets.htm look at this rebuild and you will see how original still my build is.

Avanti Roman

It looks virtually identical (forks too) to the Vitus 979 / Fibre de Carbon except that yours is painted and the Vitus frames were anodized alloy main tubes (or bare carbon) the rest being polished. I used to race the alloy version as riden by Phil Anderson & Sean Kelly and it had the nicest ride quality of any frame I've ever tried.

Mine weighed a little under 18lb with tubular tyres.

markmod

Thanks Avanti, yes I thought it may have some lineage from Vitus, However the top of the rear triangle looks different where it joins the top of the seat tube. The head tube also has two alloy lugs (one top and another bottom) rather than just one long alloy piece on the vitus. I have seen the exact chain stay shape on a photo on the web but can't find it now as they have round top and flat sides.

Was there other models on the Vitus range that were built around 1993? as you say the lugs are painted on mine. I have been reading all about the Vitus bikes and yes at 58 cms mine definately does have the same bb flex they were famous for. I just hope it doesn't fall apart and become a 'chimney sweeps tool bag' of poles as ride it one day on the road!

proto

Could well be an Alan. See link. Brake cables not internal though. Forks look Vitus 979. So dunno really.

BTW I stil lhave my blingtastic Vitus 992, in violet, just like Kelly used to win Milan - San Remo

http://www.classicbikeshop.eu/frame-ala ... tails.html

Avanti Roman

Yes they produced a less expensive version - the 787 (I think) but I can't recall the differences. They did update the seat binding with the adddition of a grub screw to help secure the seatpost - as well as a seatpost with an expanding bung like old handlebar stems your seat post looks identical to that of the 979. Creaking ali on ali threads in the BB were cured with ptfe on the threads.

Although there was a little flex in the BB it wasn't so bad (not as bad as a lot of riders and retailers of steel frames would have had you believe) - the ali ones were cracking value and still won plenty of races (I even got a couple of course records myself on hilly TTs and hill climbs).

It's all in the legs at the end of the day and I quite like the idea of building an old one up now!

proto

Maybe this Alan

http://www.classicbikeshop.eu/afbeeldin ... C_7615.JPG

although I still think the forks look Vitus

markmod

Mmm thanks all, yes there are many many details that are the same as the Alan frame. It does appear to be glued and screwed into the carbon, all tubes are definately carbon. The top tube has three top mounted ali cable eyes the same as the Alan and note the single bottle cage mount.

Strange it should be marked with Belguim, but I spose could have been simply a rebadging exercise by 'Donnay' of a different frame manufactured elsewhere.

I don't think this was a top if range bike, it, from components it appears to be low/ mid range spec (shimano 105) and could have been old technology frame with components that fitted... Vitus forks, old 80's seatpost (25 mm are rarer now) tarted up a low price by 'donnay' to try and enter the bike market. It appears around mid 90's other manufacturers where getting bonded cf frames sorted.

I am going to take some detail shots of lugs, parts, bb and seat post mount to put on here for your further thoughts.

After reading up about bonded frames and the well built (read fat) cyclist flexing the hell out of them, sometimes to destruction, it has given me a real reason to lose about three stone to help protect this frame when I ride it!

rob_spedding

Great bike!

markmod

Thanks Rob, I like your magazine too!

I have been doing a fair bit of research on my 'Donnay' carbon fibre bike.

I have found that this Alan frame is almost an exact match to mine, lugs etc are all the same http://velospace.org/node/20971 but mine is a poor looking cousin to this superb example!!

I can see that my 1993 bike, with it's 1987 frame was becoming 'long in the tooth' and was as I have said before a simple way of 'tarting' up old frames to sell them off I reckon.

The spec of finishing kit on mine was/ is low rent (not Campag record as per the shining example) a bit of a mongrel with Shimano 105 hung on a European frame :P

Ben6899

Sweet ride.

ukracer

they make sweet tennis rackets too!