1989 Overbury’s Tange Prestige Pioneer

[Tsundere]

Wish I'd weighed mine when it was stripped down. Built up with full XT and with mudguards it weighs 13.2 kg.

Oddly, I have another Columbus Pioneer that was converted to 700c, also mainly XT except XTR v brakes, boosters, drop bars, barcon shifters and a front rack - and that weighs 12.1 kg also with bigger wheels and mudguards.

No idea where the 26ers extra kg is coming from.

 

[Si_33]

Is the inside of the steer tube fluted/rifled, I think this is common on a tange prestige fork.

Sorry Lee - I missed this question. I’ll have a look and report back

 

[Si_33]

No fluting/rifling inside the steerer @retrobikeguy. Steerer looks to be stamped TANGE 8C. Anyone know if that’s a date code? 8 representing 1988 maybe? A few fork photos;

 

[Rod_Saetan]

March 1988 I believe Si.

 

[Si_33]

Meant to add - fork weighs in at about 685 grams

 

[Rod_Saetan]

Meant to add - fork weighs in at about 685 grams

Thats pretty light, nice!

 

[Si_33]

I should have thought to check our own Retrobike archive before. New (to me) Overbury’s catalogue dated March 1989.

It shows tubing options as Reynolds 531/Columbus mix, Columbus O.R, Tange Prestige or Max O.R.

 

[pwebb]

I should have thought to check our own Retrobike archive before. New (to me) Overbury’s catalogue dated March 1989.

It shows tubing options as Reynolds 531/Columbus mix, Columbus O.R, Tange Prestige or Max O.R.

View attachment 858093

Anecdotally, there were also all 531AT variants of early pioneers as well as some mongrels made from a variety of tubes that were left over. The variety of frame tubing and forks used account for the variance in weights between individual bikes, but more significant would be the added weight of lower grade groupsets often specced on pioneers when ordered new, but gradually upgraded later on. I know that I did this to keep initial outlay affordable. Apart from the fork crowns it is hard to tell what the original tubes are by visual inspection, especially if decals have been changed. The exception would be the more exotic ovalized Max OR tubes, but I only ever saw one of those, being wheeled along the platform at Temple Meads by a chap with a mohican back in the day.

 

[Si_33]

The exception would be the more exotic ovalized Max OR tubes, but I only ever saw one of those, being wheeled along the platform at Temple Meads by a chap with a mohican back in the day.

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I love this! Overbury’s appeal to me as Bristol is close to home. Your story there encapsulates the feeling that Overbury’s appealed to a wide audience at an exciting time in MTB history. Thanks for sharing that

 

[TimGeorge]

This is amazing , thanks Si for letting me in on this … my old bike … brilliant . I never knew it would be so interesting , although at the time it was unusual . And it did climb like a mountain goat