Tracking down an old frame - 90's Altec

Wappygixer

I'm trying to remember an old frame I had a good few years ago.
I always remember calling it the "Altec", I think this was the tubeset??
I really cant remember ever seeing a make on it.
It was alloy any I also seem to think it was bonded and not welded.
Seat post was a quill fastening which was a pain to adjust.
Colour was plain alloy with a laquer and the three main tubes were like an anodised blue.
I'd love to find another the same for old times sake.
I remember it costing me a small fortune just for the frame, but it was welled loved.
Shame I don't have any pictures but it was in the early 90's when I bought it.I bought it private but Ithink it was new if that helps the age.

Chip \'oyler

Yes Altec was a Columbus alloy tubeset. But can't help you with the rest. Although from how you've described it - could it have been an ALAN?

ynyswen24

Also a possibility are the old Vitus framesets - google a few pictures of Sean Kelly riding for Kas to see if it fits the bill.

balthazar

I'm guessing you mean the Vitus 979, which looks as you describe and had an abysmal seat post clamp, which used a grub screw (to wear a divot in the seat post, making subsequent fine adjustment impossible..!). It wasn't made of Columbus Altec, though.

http://schutt.org/velo/vitus-979.php

Wappygixer

Well Balthazar we may be on to something.
It looks pretty much there even down to the rear brake going through the top tube.
Only difference is that mine was a deep anodised blue on the 3 main tubes which I think looked better than the one in the pic you posted.
Mine never had any decals at all that I can remember.Back then I bought anything and just rode it for mile after mile.
Hmm might have a gander on Ebay and see what comes up.

Thanks for that, you've made my day

Wappygixer

Here it is
I have now looked at a few of these and there seems to be different ways of fixing the seatpost.By the looks of it some had a grub screw, this one pictured has a normal seat clamp but mine definately had a quill fixing post

stevec205gti

My dad's still got his tucked away in his garage - I used to pine after riding it when I was a kid, then by the time I was actually old enough for him to trust me with it I was too tall. I think that was his plan all along seeing as he's a short arse and I was lanky.

Anyway - beautiful bikes, his was a mid 80's one with the Peugeot livery a la Sean Kelly, Robert Millar (I think :oops: ). His has the same standard seat post fitting as you've shown in the image above

golleander

I just bought a frame set called "altec" and can't find anything about it in the internet.
The blue bike shown in your picture looks like a Vitus 979 because the tubes are widened at the ends where they are bonded. Also the ends of the muffles are straight.

i've got some photos from an Empella bike using an Altec frame set... internal rear brake cable in the top tube and interesting seat post fixture
I'm in contact with its owner and he told me this one was a prototype. For sure its the same like it was with Vitus, that they built frames and other producers sold them under their name.

Does anyone know some more information about the shown red frame?

Andreas