1989 Overbury’s Tange Prestige Pioneer

[narcotitlan]

Great bit of documentation there, I think I prefer how the the frame looks now - colours have mellowed out a little,

 

[JCS]

Pioneers have so much character.
I bet that climbs like a mountain goat!

 

[Si_33]

Had a chance to have a proper look at the frame today. Definitely want to keep the original paint. The colour sections are good. The black paint is pretty tired in places so will have to decide later on how to address that.





Found the serial number under the bottom bracket - #2221. The other Pioneer I had years ago was #2226.



Build wise - thinking first generation six speed XT. 126mm OLD. I’ve been calling this a 1989 Pioneer based on the original invoice sale date… February 1989. But to all intents and purposes this will be a 1988 build.

 

[narcotitlan]

Zinging!

Three Overburys pioneer updates this bank holiday Monday

 

[slackboy]

According to the bank of England inflation calculator £810 is £2,070.89 in today's money.

I think you'd struggle to get an equivalent spec bike for £2k today , let alone one built in the UK!

 

[pwebb]

great thread - loving this and especially the original film camera pics and invoice from the irascible Enid Powell ;-) you might consider shedding some excess weight along the way by speccing lighter stem, seatpost and wheels ( but still of the period naturally) than Overburys ever fitted. The unicrown fork ( versus more common 'lugged type) makes this pioneer a little more special, your choice of XT groupset will also be lighter than the original mix that it had IMHO. I love pioneers but they were always a tad heavy.

 

[Si_33]

Thank you @pwebb - some good points there. A couple of photos to demonstrate your comments about the fork. Firstly, my old Pioneer with Columbus tubing - the lugged fork you discussed;



And the unicrown fork on this one… Tange tubing;

 

[retrobikeguy]

Found the serial number under the bottom bracket - #2221. The other Pioneer I had years ago was #2226.

Mine is 2225, had a exage mountain from derailleur which to me dated to 1988.

I like the colours, Rad!

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

 

[doctor-bond]

Thank you @pwebb - some good points there. A couple of photos to demonstrate your comments about the fork. Firstly, my old Pioneer with Columbus tubing - the lugged fork you discussed;

View attachment 856414

And the unicrown fork on this one… Tange tubing;

View attachment 856415

Ha! I’ve had a couple of these frames and the best way to reduce weight must be to find one in Tange Prestige (so rare and cool; that fork …. Is this a first for this site?) They come in other flavours but aren’t always superleggera …

 

[Si_33]

Thanks @doctor-bond! I’m not sure if mine will end up ‘super light’ but it would be interesting to compare frame weights between a Columbus Pioneer, a Max OR one and this Tange Prestige one. I’ve yet to find another example in Prestige - you have to assume Andy would have made more than one though.