rjacob

Any Zeus experts out there? I am trying to identify this bike. It was repainted at some point. The original color appears to have been blue. It has Zeus dropouts front and rear. Zeus Criterium derailleurs, Zeus bottom bracket, Stronglight cranks, Dia Compe Brakes/Levers. The cranks/brakes may not be original. The wheels are 27" but probably not original. The serial # on the bottom bracket appears to be 1085 preceded by a small triangle. The closest bike I have found with similar lug work to this is a Zeus Professional. If anyone has any ideas as to what this may be?

r0ckh0und 

Here's a thread I started about 2 years ago.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...5377-zeus.html

rjacob

What do your headtube/seatube lugs look like? Does yours have a serial # on the BB shell? What is it?

r0ckh0und 

I believe mine is a Zeus Gran Sport '70 or '71. I will try and get some pics tomorrow morning.

There are some Zeus experts here that will surely chime in soon enough.

JohnDThompson 

Is it metric thread BB and steer tube? AFAIK, all Zeus frames were metric thread.

rjacob

I haven't opened the BB or pulled the fork yet. I know the BB is a Zeus. I will take a look at those tonight if I get a chance.

rjacob

I measured the quill stem and it measures about 22mm. It looks like someone took a standard 22.2mm stem and sanded it down to fit.

rjacob

The seatpost is 26.6mm.

daf1009

Not a Zeus expert, and really cannot add...but...enjoyed the pictures of the bike...looks like it will be really nice!

unworthy1

some of those clues (26.6 post and 22mm stem) are promising, but the slot in the seat tube looks mashed up so that post size may not turn out to be the correct one. Any details on the forkcrown (doesn't appear to be a Zeus 2000 model)?

rjacob

I have glanced at it and haven't seen any stamps. Not sure what to look for. I was thinking about pulling the fork tonight to check the steerer for any details. Also to check the threading. And I doubt it would have the Zeus 2000 stuff as the dropouts are not Zeus 2000, but are Zeus Gran Sport which looks like what are on Zeus Professional models.

JohnDThompson 

Old style zeus crowns should have "ZEUS 2000" cast into the side; newer ones have the Zeus stylized "Z" logo cast into the crown shoulder:

rjacob

No, there are no details on the fork crown like that. But looking photos of Zeus Professionals that I have found, the fork crowns on those are plain like mine.

rjacob

Here is another photo of the fork crown on my bike.

juvela

have the same model in original livery. it is opaque powder blue. there were quite a few stock colours for this model. one other i recall is opaque dark green. there was also an apricot at one point.

tubeset likely Durifort.

original chainset Criterium.

original brakeset Alfa centrepull.

original wheels Zeus Gran Sport large flange 36 hole hubs with Akront tubular rims.

original saddle Zeus badged Arius.

the Criterium chainset was just late enough to receive the Zeus oval logo. the hubs were still marked with the Zeus world logo.

U.S. agent: Zeus Cyclery Corp. of New York.

rjacob

I sanded down the repaint in one spot and found this blue underneath. Is this the same powder blue as yours?

juvela

mondo piccolo!

yes that be it.

made some additions to earlier post above.

juvela

first Zeus marked crowns appeared about three years later than machine under discussion.

rjacob

No markings on the steerer that I could find. Threading is 1mm.

juvela

question -

it may be just a photographic effect but the blue on the steerer looks brighter than that on the frame tube. of course the frame tube has been sanded and the steerer not.

do they appear to be the same colour in person?

regarding headset -

normally this model came through fitted with the Zeus Gran Sport headset. machine looks to be wearing something less. this is slightly odd as the headset is usually one of the last things changed when folks play "musical components." always possible they ran out on the assembly line and just fitted an Alfa one to keep things moving along.

serial -

found myself wondering if number on shell a true serial or one made by a licensing agency. noticed that there is the blue paint down in the markings so it must indeed be the manufacturer's serial.

suggestion -

you might try doing a bit of sanding on the seat lug similar to that done on the shell and frame tube. there is a spot on the right side with what looks like a possible marking below the top layer of paint. it may be simply a chip/scratch in a paint layer below the surface but no harm in investigating. iirc my example has no marking on seat lug. licensing agencies sometimes stamp a mark in this location.

rjacob

Difference in lighting and sanding too I think. It could have been replaced. Some of the parts don't seem original. Like the aero brake levers are wrong for the vintage. The stem appears to be a 22.2mm stem sanded down to fit the 22mm steerer. But I thought I had seen some pictures of Zeus bikes with a similar headset, though I am not finding them now.

juvela

yes, these would have been lower models than the one under discussion. they would have come with more or all Alfa fittings.

for example here is a Zeus Alfa bicycle currently for sale on cl.

ZEUS ALFA VINTAGE ROAD BIKE

from what is visible of its headset it would appear that it may be the same one residing in your machine.

rjacob

Googling images of Zeus Competition's, they seem to have a similar headset. Also similar lugwork. But also have chrome work on the stays and forks. I used a little paint stripper in those areas and it doesn't look like chrome. The Zeus Professionals seem to have the whole frame painted.

Here is an example: 1976 Zeus Competition by Mark Hayes | Photobucket

rjacob

But rest of the Alfa is different than mine.

rjacob

Do you have a serial number on yours? I checked the seatlug closely with a flash light and see no signs of any marks under the paint.