Vitus Vee 29" v's Vitus Dee-1 26"

dceire

I have my new and old racers for long spins and commuting respectively and I'm now looking for a CHEAP bike for ****s and giggles in and around town and for hitting small trails; nothing more serious than the Phoenix Park or down the canal bank. I've stumbled across these two bikes from Vitus that seem to tick all of the boxes. Both are quite similar and at the same price but the main problem I have in deciding is the frame size; they also have differing wheel sizes and brake types.

Vitus Vee 29" City Bike 2014
Only Available in 16" frame (I'm 5ft 8 and just on the border or their sizing guide; states that the 16" suits up to 5ft 7)
This model has the bigger 29" wheels and V-brakes.

Vitus Bikes Dee-1 26" City Bike 2014
This is available in both 16" and 19" frame sizes.
It has 26" wheels and disc brakes.

I've found some really good reviews on the Vee but no reviews at all on the Dee

I'd probably go for the Vee if they had the 19" frame, but they don't, and I don't want to end up with a cramped bike. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated as I'm hoping to make use of CRC's black friday offer which expires on Monday :rolleyes:

Hauki

I have a Vee-29 for commuting and hacking around town and its an excellent choice for that. I changed the knobbly tires to puncture protected touring-tires, added mudguards and now its about perfect city-bike. I'm 177cm and I went for the 19" and that is probably the size that you should look into as well.

So out of those two I'd recommend Dee-26 with 19" frame.

el tel

Hi have a Dee-1 26" with 19" frame. I'm just over 5'9 and it fits well (though I 've only ridden it about 500m so far!)

The mechanical disc brakes on seem to be weak(as the reviews confirm) and I would have preferred a V-brake version. However, I didn't want a Vee as it has 29" wheels (and as you know, only is available in the smaller frame size at the moment).

As it happens, I'm happy enough with the Dee 1, at £200 I think it's good value. I only want it for farting about on and riding the coastal and bridal paths where I live.

Lumen

I ran a Vitus Vee 26" as a hack frankenbike for a while.

It was a 16" frame and I'm 6'0" with short legs and long torso.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=81316870&postcount=4931

:pac:

dceire

Lumen wrote: »

I ran a Vitus Vee 26" as a hack frankenbike for a while.

It was a 16" frame and I'm 6'0" with short legs and long torso.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=81316870&postcount=4931

:pac:

Oh, so you found the 16" frame to be okay despite your size? Did you have to swap out the seat-post? All thinks being equal, I think I'd go for the Vee 29"; if I thought I'd get away with the smaller frame I would do. I'm 5'8" with a 31" inside leg measurement. Seems to suggest that the 16" frame would suit those up to 5'7" in height and with a 30" inside leg; I'm right one the borderline

fat bloke

Lumen wrote: »

I ran a Vitus Vee 26" as a hack frankenbike for a while.

It was a 16" frame and I'm 6'0" with short legs and long torso.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=81316870&postcount=4931

:pac:

I love that. Would make a great entry crosser!

Planet X

I'd love to get one aswell. Pub / squash club ride.
Are the disc brakes that bad? Was hankering after a Disc brake one.
Lumen?

dceire

Planet X wrote: »

I'd love to get one aswell. Pub / squash club ride.
Are the disc brakes that bad? Was hankering after a Disc brake one.
Lumen?

I'm guessing the disc brakes on the Dee-1 wouldn't be great at that price. My plan with the Vee would be to use the standard V-brakes until the pads wear out, then replace the brakes themselves with some Shimano ones; in and around €15-20 on CRC.

Seeing great reviews for the Vee online (listed as a 'Top 10 city bike' on the UK Independent) but little or nothing on the Dee.

Lumen

dceire wrote: »

Oh, so you found the 16" frame to be okay despite your size? Did you have to swap out the seat-post?

I think the post was near the limit but original. I put a longer stem on.

At 5ft8 I doubt you'd have any problems, but in any case flat bar hack bikes don't need to fit perfectly.

Lumen

Planet X wrote: »

I'd love to get one aswell. Pub / squash club ride.
Are the disc brakes that bad? Was hankering after a Disc brake one.
Lumen?

Mine had V-brakes. IMO discs are unnecessary for a cheap hack bike - keep it simple. Badly adjusted v-brakes are fine. Badly adjusted discs are awful.

dceire

Right, so I've ordered the Vee 29" as of last night. Not sure how long it'll take them to deliver it but I'm hoping to get my hands on it by Friday. Looking forward to dishing out some abuse to it now

bluem00n

How did you go with the sizing on the V29 frame? Im the same size as you and am wondering if the 16" 29er would be too small.