Show me your Zeus - bikes and components!
12-06-20, 04:57 PM
#76
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All-Chrome Example of 1971
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Chanced upon this and thought Arregui enthusiasts might like to see it.
Features a mix of Alfa and Zeus badged bits.
Thinking it must hail from right near to 1971 since that was the last year for the Competition model chainset and also the nominal launch time for the Super Alfa 71 brake model...
Ordinary calibre headset & Notario pedals.
Odd that the replica Vittoria Fulmine tubular carrier is marked RAMPAR rather than ZEUS.
Frame likely constructed of Durifort. What was used at this time for some of the mid-level models...
plenty of detail imagery and text description here -
Bikeville thoughts: For Sale: 58CM Zeus chrome road bike
-----
Chanced upon this and thought Arregui enthusiasts might like to see it.
Features a mix of Alfa and Zeus badged bits.
Thinking it must hail from right near to 1971 since that was the last year for the Competition model chainset and also the nominal launch time for the Super Alfa 71 brake model...
Ordinary calibre headset & Notario pedals.
Odd that the replica Vittoria Fulmine tubular carrier is marked RAMPAR rather than ZEUS.
Frame likely constructed of Durifort. What was used at this time for some of the mid-level models...
plenty of detail imagery and text description here -
Bikeville thoughts: For Sale: 58CM Zeus chrome road bike
-----
Last edited by juvela; 12-06-20 at 05:12 PM. Reason: addition
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12-06-20, 05:02 PM
#77
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-----
Chanced upon this and thought Arregui enthusiasts might like to see it.
Features a mix of Alfa and Zeus badged bits.
Thinking it must hail from right near to 1971 since that was the last year for the Competition model chainset and also the nominal launch time for the Super Alfa 71 brake model...
plenty of detail imagery and text description here -
Bikeville thoughts: For Sale: 58CM Zeus chrome road bike
-----
Chanced upon this and thought Arregui enthusiasts might like to see it.
Features a mix of Alfa and Zeus badged bits.
Thinking it must hail from right near to 1971 since that was the last year for the Competition model chainset and also the nominal launch time for the Super Alfa 71 brake model...
plenty of detail imagery and text description here -
Bikeville thoughts: For Sale: 58CM Zeus chrome road bike
-----
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12-11-20, 07:28 AM
#79
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Updated pic - got rid of white bar tape, red cable housing. Different saddle.
(actually just getting around to posting pics from mods of 7 or 8 months ago).
(actually just getting around to posting pics from mods of 7 or 8 months ago).
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12-11-20, 06:27 PM
#80
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1976 Condor Sienna - British marque, made in Italy with Columbus tubing, Zeus dropouts and forkends. Rides beautifully.
Cheers.
Brad
IMG_6655 by bj.stevens, on Flickr
Cheers.
Brad
IMG_6655 by bj.stevens, on Flickr
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Better bike .. Better life!
12-11-20, 09:58 PM
#81
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A well-worn headset/bottom bracket wrench which works great. The best part was that it cost half what people normally charge for the Campagnolo equivalent.
Last edited by philpeugeot; 12-11-20 at 09:59 PM. Reason: Add stuff
12-12-20, 08:26 AM
#82
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Zeus pedal wrench, spoke wrench, crank bolt wrench, freewheel remover:
12-12-20, 08:47 AM
#83
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Zeus 2000 pedals, Criterium track ends, 2000 track ends, 2000 road dropouts, fork crowns:
12-31-20, 10:17 AM
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Thanks very much for sharing this find Don!
You have certainly done a beautiful job with it.
Have not before seen this crown on a Zeus frame.
It was widely employed by Italian manufacturers in the 1950's and 1960's.
Two of the many which made extensive use of it were Olmo and Frejus.
Do not know the maker. Have suspected either BOCAMA or Agrati. Do fork ends match dropouts?
Have a Zeus cycle here I suspect to be the Professional model from about 1973. It has the same lugs, seat stay treatment and ends as your frame but is built with a full sloping crown.
What make are the hammered mudguards you fitted?
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Thanks very much for sharing this find Don!
You have certainly done a beautiful job with it.
Have not before seen this crown on a Zeus frame.
It was widely employed by Italian manufacturers in the 1950's and 1960's.
Two of the many which made extensive use of it were Olmo and Frejus.
Do not know the maker. Have suspected either BOCAMA or Agrati. Do fork ends match dropouts?
Have a Zeus cycle here I suspect to be the Professional model from about 1973. It has the same lugs, seat stay treatment and ends as your frame but is built with a full sloping crown.
What make are the hammered mudguards you fitted?
-----
Sorry for this 2nd answer to an old question, hadn't had my coffee yet! Never checked those dropouts, will try to remember next time I visit son. Don
Last edited by ollo_ollo; 12-31-20 at 10:26 AM. Reason: add info
06-26-21, 10:50 AM
#85
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07-03-21, 12:16 PM
#86
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'73 Zeus Competition
Just finished building up a really pretty Zeus Competition frame/fork I picked up from fender1 . I call it light blue, but my wife insists its gray. One of us is colorblind, but I won't press the issue.
Bit of a challenge to build up with only parts bin stuff, but managed to put something together pretty nice. Running a 47/40 half-step on a 5 speed Dura Ace 14-22 freewheel. Haven't ridden a proper 10 speed/friction shifting bike in a minute. SO...MUCH...TRIMMING on the shifters as I went up and down.
Sewed this little pouch this morning from an old Boy Scouts yucca backpack I salvaged. Holds keys, wallet, phone, and a few tools/repair kit.
Interesting historical piece here, an extremely early Suntour Competition slanted parallelogram derailleur, styled to pass as some kind of Campy NR or Grand Sport, but shifts MUCH better. All steel, and weights about a half a pound (236 grams). One of the barrels inside the jockey wheel was missing, so I filed a chainring bolt receiver down and it fit perfectly. Fun little project to get the derailleur out in the world, doing its thing.
Clearances/Brake reach were surprising. MAFAC Racers needed the pads at the very top of the slot for 700c, and a test-fit of a 650B wheelset I had worked with pads at very bottom of the slot and angled down just slightly. Never had that happen before.
Currently running 22mm tubulars, which is about half the width of my next narrowest tire (42mm). Rides surprisingly nice, though the rims are destined to be removed (saving the smooth Tipo hubs), and a new clincher wheelset built up in the next month or two. Hoping to run some 32s in there (maybe fenders?).
Weirdest part of the build was that I had a recent production Nitto stem which I'd been using on an '83 Trek fit perfectly into a french sized steerer tube. I have 2 other identical stems, and this was the only one that fit. Pretty surprising that it would have left the Nitto factory undersized. A true mystery for the ages. At this point, I'm afraid to pull it back out lest it never fit again. In the words of Michael Scott, "I won't say I'm superstitious, but I am a little stitious".
Bit of a challenge to build up with only parts bin stuff, but managed to put something together pretty nice. Running a 47/40 half-step on a 5 speed Dura Ace 14-22 freewheel. Haven't ridden a proper 10 speed/friction shifting bike in a minute. SO...MUCH...TRIMMING on the shifters as I went up and down.
Sewed this little pouch this morning from an old Boy Scouts yucca backpack I salvaged. Holds keys, wallet, phone, and a few tools/repair kit.
Interesting historical piece here, an extremely early Suntour Competition slanted parallelogram derailleur, styled to pass as some kind of Campy NR or Grand Sport, but shifts MUCH better. All steel, and weights about a half a pound (236 grams). One of the barrels inside the jockey wheel was missing, so I filed a chainring bolt receiver down and it fit perfectly. Fun little project to get the derailleur out in the world, doing its thing.
Clearances/Brake reach were surprising. MAFAC Racers needed the pads at the very top of the slot for 700c, and a test-fit of a 650B wheelset I had worked with pads at very bottom of the slot and angled down just slightly. Never had that happen before.
Currently running 22mm tubulars, which is about half the width of my next narrowest tire (42mm). Rides surprisingly nice, though the rims are destined to be removed (saving the smooth Tipo hubs), and a new clincher wheelset built up in the next month or two. Hoping to run some 32s in there (maybe fenders?).
Weirdest part of the build was that I had a recent production Nitto stem which I'd been using on an '83 Trek fit perfectly into a french sized steerer tube. I have 2 other identical stems, and this was the only one that fit. Pretty surprising that it would have left the Nitto factory undersized. A true mystery for the ages. At this point, I'm afraid to pull it back out lest it never fit again. In the words of Michael Scott, "I won't say I'm superstitious, but I am a little stitious".
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08-30-21, 08:36 AM
#87
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I'm a new member and I just won a silent auction at Cino for a 1976 Zeus. I can't post pictures yet since I don't have 10 posts, but I will when I have 10 posts.
08-30-21, 09:04 AM
#88
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@coug4r congrats on riding Cino and your new bike score.
cheers.
Brad
cheers.
Brad
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08-30-21, 06:25 PM
#89
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Picture Assistance
A Zeus Tandem? Cool.
(If you upload to your Album, some kind soul will convey them over here for you.)
09-01-21, 02:15 PM
#90
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A Zeus Tandem? Cool.
(If you upload to your Album, some kind soul will convey them over here for you.)
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09-01-21, 02:24 PM
#91
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Here's my 1976 Zeus. Thank you to my parents for getting it for me at an auction at Cino.
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09-01-21, 02:25 PM
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The auction also included a box of spare parts:
09-01-21, 03:36 PM
#93
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I gotta say one of my favorite parts of Cino was you show the bike after the day 2 ride to the BF guys 
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Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
09-03-21, 07:15 AM
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Just finished building up a really pretty Zeus Competition frame/fork I picked up from fender1 . I call it light blue, but my wife insists its gray. One of us is colorblind, but I won't press the issue.
Bit of a challenge to build up with only parts bin stuff, but managed to put something together pretty nice. Running a 47/40 half-step on a 5 speed Dura Ace 14-22 freewheel. Haven't ridden a proper 10 speed/friction shifting bike in a minute. SO...MUCH...TRIMMING on the shifters as I went up and down.
Sewed this little pouch this morning from an old Boy Scouts yucca backpack I salvaged. Holds keys, wallet, phone, and a few tools/repair kit.
Interesting historical piece here, an extremely early Suntour Competition slanted parallelogram derailleur, styled to pass as some kind of Campy NR or Grand Sport, but shifts MUCH better. All steel, and weights about a half a pound (236 grams). One of the barrels inside the jockey wheel was missing, so I filed a chainring bolt receiver down and it fit perfectly. Fun little project to get the derailleur out in the world, doing its thing.
Clearances/Brake reach were surprising. MAFAC Racers needed the pads at the very top of the slot for 700c, and a test-fit of a 650B wheelset I had worked with pads at very bottom of the slot and angled down just slightly. Never had that happen before.
Currently running 22mm tubulars, which is about half the width of my next narrowest tire (42mm). Rides surprisingly nice, though the rims are destined to be removed (saving the smooth Tipo hubs), and a new clincher wheelset built up in the next month or two. Hoping to run some 32s in there (maybe fenders?).
Weirdest part of the build was that I had a recent production Nitto stem which I'd been using on an '83 Trek fit perfectly into a french sized steerer tube. I have 2 other identical stems, and this was the only one that fit. Pretty surprising that it would have left the Nitto factory undersized. A true mystery for the ages. At this point, I'm afraid to pull it back out lest it never fit again. In the words of Michael Scott, "I won't say I'm superstitious, but I am a little stitious".
Bit of a challenge to build up with only parts bin stuff, but managed to put something together pretty nice. Running a 47/40 half-step on a 5 speed Dura Ace 14-22 freewheel. Haven't ridden a proper 10 speed/friction shifting bike in a minute. SO...MUCH...TRIMMING on the shifters as I went up and down.
Sewed this little pouch this morning from an old Boy Scouts yucca backpack I salvaged. Holds keys, wallet, phone, and a few tools/repair kit.
Interesting historical piece here, an extremely early Suntour Competition slanted parallelogram derailleur, styled to pass as some kind of Campy NR or Grand Sport, but shifts MUCH better. All steel, and weights about a half a pound (236 grams). One of the barrels inside the jockey wheel was missing, so I filed a chainring bolt receiver down and it fit perfectly. Fun little project to get the derailleur out in the world, doing its thing.
Clearances/Brake reach were surprising. MAFAC Racers needed the pads at the very top of the slot for 700c, and a test-fit of a 650B wheelset I had worked with pads at very bottom of the slot and angled down just slightly. Never had that happen before.
Currently running 22mm tubulars, which is about half the width of my next narrowest tire (42mm). Rides surprisingly nice, though the rims are destined to be removed (saving the smooth Tipo hubs), and a new clincher wheelset built up in the next month or two. Hoping to run some 32s in there (maybe fenders?).
Weirdest part of the build was that I had a recent production Nitto stem which I'd been using on an '83 Trek fit perfectly into a french sized steerer tube. I have 2 other identical stems, and this was the only one that fit. Pretty surprising that it would have left the Nitto factory undersized. A true mystery for the ages. At this point, I'm afraid to pull it back out lest it never fit again. In the words of Michael Scott, "I won't say I'm superstitious, but I am a little stitious".
09-13-21, 08:13 PM
#96
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What are Zeus cranks like for durability? The reputation for Zeus is people get ~ a decade of use out of some components and does not have the durability of other top brands?
09-14-21, 07:38 AM
#97
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I have several Zeus cranks in use currently (two road doubles, one track) that have given me several decades of trouble-free use. The biggest problem is finding chainrings for the unique Zeus bolt-circle diameter. I hope I haven't jinxed myself!
09-16-21, 11:31 PM
#98
Full Member
The only Zeus thing I have I've had for eons, a 25.8mm seatpost. I got it for my first Motobecane, and ... it didn't fit. Too big. It's been moldering away in the parts bin until recently, when I got another Motobecane, and ... it doesn't fit. Too small. But so far it's working with a shim.
As for the post itself, it's reasonably light (236 g), nicely made (though you'd never mistake it for Campag Record), the head and fixing bolt are a bit agricultural but not bad. I like it.
As for the post itself, it's reasonably light (236 g), nicely made (though you'd never mistake it for Campag Record), the head and fixing bolt are a bit agricultural but not bad. I like it.
09-17-21, 07:54 AM
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Still planning on tearing it down for an overhaul this winter.
10-08-21, 02:45 PM
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A bit of an update on Thomas's Zeus above. I was able to contact the original owner of this bike, thanks to mountaindave. He responded back to me, and offered to send this 17x11" promotional document. It is a nice addition to his new bicycle.
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