1985 Orbit Gold Medal rescue.......

[sherlylock]

Spotted on fb marketplace earlier in the year......a very sorry looking Orbit.

Now - I was aware of the brand but not in any great detail - but was pretty sure they made good, light touring bikes, so I made inquiries. Haggled and agreed on the price before looking at it (not sure why I did it that way round on this occasion) and went to collect.

Was given a postcode and a house number but no street name for collection - didn't question it - thought that was enough info to find the buyer. Turns out not - and I ended up knocking on the wrong door on an adjacent street - much to the initial confusion and then amusement of the old boy in the string vest whos evening I had clearly disturbed.

Didn't really check over the bike......handed monies over and chucked it in the boot of my car and headed off home.

I'd essentially offered what I thought the frame was worth - anything else would be a bonus right?

Got it home - checked it over a found a busted hub axle and worse - a cracked rear dropout.

Bit deflated - I set about stripping off all the busted/tatty/knackered stuff........

It was clear at this point the bike had had a hard life. But I like a challenge.......

 

[Gtpulse]

Orbit Gold Medals always seem to have a hard life! Every one I’ve come across has probably started life as a tourer and has been retired as a shagged out commuter!

 

[sherlylock]

Orbit Gold Medals always seem to have a hard life! Every one I’ve come across has probably started life as a tourer and has been retired as a shagged out commuter!

Shagged out commuter is probably the best way to describe it. Probable scenario - run into the ground with no maintenance......rear axle has snapped, rear wheel's gone all wobbly, buy another cheap bike, stick old Orbit in the shed and forget about it.......

 

[sherlylock]

Cracked dropout - dammit. I guess related to the snapped rear axle.......

Stripped the bike down to bare frame and fork. Bottom bracket was a weird cartridge affair with a lock ring at either end. All seized and knackered....most of it crumbled and cracked away with corrosion so it didn't put up much of a fight.

Stem was seized in the fork so I sacrificed it, cut the top of it to allow the fork (and remaining stuck stem) to be removed from the frame.
Then got the fork up on the Bridgeport and milled out the remains of the stem........

Dropped the bare frame round to the fabricators next door to work who welded up the dropout. Not sure whether this is the right way to go (as opposed to brazing in a new dropout) - time will tell.

It put up a bit of a fight but it was nice to get it to this state - all the niggles overcome and a nice bare frame ready to clean up and build up.

 

[sjcprojects]

Yes, this is making my restoration look very easy by comparison!

 

[sherlylock]

Yes, this is making my restoration look very easy by comparison!

Ha! I like bringing them back from the dead. Very rewarding. Looking forward to riding this I must say - reckon it'll fly. Looking at bare frame weights its the same frame size as my Gran Sport yet 250g lighter.

Gave the frame an initial t-cut and polish - the photos are quite flattering - the paint is not all that great and very battered.

Bought some stickers from HLloyd.....

Cleaned up the front Wolber rim......

Brush finished the alu randonneur bars......

Fitted some 90's MTB (Marin-Style) Cantis that I've had for years. Thought these might be quite cool.....(obviously been set up correctly since I took the pic!)

 

[sherlylock]

Finally got my act together earlier in the year and got this back on the road (after 18 months of neglect). The 90's cantis were proving troublesome to set up properly - and some broken plastic components pushed me into using the original cantis that came with the bike.

First ride was OK apart from a klunky noise from the rear wheel/cassette whilst pedalling. I had rebuilt the hub using a new axle as the bike came to me with a snapped axle/snapped drop out.

Swapped the wheels out for a spare set of grey Mavics laced to Campag hubs and all is well.

Lovely to ride, it's the right size for me and just glides along, nice and quiet.

Photographic location this morning seemed appropriate......

 

[highlandsflyer]

Brilliant. THAT is a great rescue. When you milled out the stem did you need to ream it or did the remnants all come away?

 

[sherlylock]

Brilliant. THAT is a great rescue. When you milled out the stem did you need to ream it or did the remnants all come away?

Wasn't any need to ream it - just offset drilling into the aluminium stem, gradually increasing the offset. As soon as enough material had been removed the stem remnants came loose and could be removed. Proper satisfying! In fact I have a peugeot frame with a stuck stem in line to do the same again if I can't shift it.

 

[highlandsflyer]

I've got some forks plugged with severed stem queued up, but I need to source a new milling motor/controller. I was considering drilling it but that is not the proper job!