1994/5? Litespeed Ocoee/Obed Update

[hamster]

It makes me wonder if they did a typo and they meant a 1999 not 1990.

The snake stays and top tube cable routing all look later to me (also it appears to have a metal headtube badge, these came in from around the late 90's.

 

[ratbane]

Litespeed

Steve Dunn at Litespeed reckoned the frame number was 1990 Obed, and rare. Having done some homeworks, I reckon he's wrong. Frame number is 1144 ZS.

- As noted previously, they did not use model names in 1990, in fact it's not till 1993 that they use the name Ocoee. No Obed.

The 1990 and 1991 Mountain Bikes have canti bridges, and straight stays, and non-riveted cable guides.

1993 Ocoee and Obed have the noodle thing on the seat tube.

Obeds and Ocoees with S stays appeared in 1994. With polished option.

I reckon it's an Ocoee from between 1993 and 1997, so he's at least 3 years out. I reckon there's a number missing on the frame, and if you add a 1 at the start it dates it at around 1996/7 I think.

 

[Caramba Kid]

Re: Litespeed

Steve Dunn at Litespeed reckoned the frame number was 1990 Obed, and rare. Having done some homeworks, I reckon he's wrong

Yeah he dated my Merlin XLM as 1993 when they weren't produced 'til 95/96.

TBH though it's only a number (unless you're trying to do an exact catalogue build) & doesn't detract from the fact you've got a beautiful Ti frame

 

[ratbane]

Re: Litespeed

Steve Dunn at Litespeed reckoned the frame number was 1990 Obed, and rare. Having done some homeworks, I reckon he's wrong

Yeah he dated my Merlin XLM as 1993 when they weren't produced 'til 95/96.

TBH though it's only a number (unless you're trying to do an exact catalogue build) & doesn't detract from the fact you've got a beautiful Ti frame

I've been told that Litespeed don't hold info on frame numbers prior to 1995 anyway!!!!

 

[john]

Looks like this thread is generating interest elsewhere

Anyhow frame does look like my 1997 ocoee with the exception of the cable mount on the rear seat stay (mine is underneath) and headtube badge. My serial is 25494.

Did you try to remove the stickers to see if anything remains of the original decals?

 

[ratbane]

ocoee

Looks like this thread is generating interest elsewhere

Anyhow frame does look like my 1997 ocoee with the exception of the cable mount on the rear seat stay (mine is underneath) and headtube badge. My serial is 25494.

Did you try to remove the stickers to see if anything remains of the original decals?

Haven't removed the stickers yet. Will do when I clean the frame.

Interesting what you say about the rear stay cable mount. The 97 catalogue shows mounts underneath the stay.

Some of the earlier models have mounts above the stay.

I'm convinced the serial number needs to include the faint (1), and thus is 11144.

 

[ratbane]

Re: ocoee

Looks like this thread is generating interest elsewhere

Anyhow frame does look like my 1997 ocoee with the exception of the cable mount on the rear seat stay (mine is underneath) and headtube badge. My serial is 25494.

Did you try to remove the stickers to see if anything remains of the original decals?

Haven't removed the stickers yet. Will do when I clean the frame.

Interesting what you say about the rear stay cable mount. The 97 catalogue shows mounts underneath the stay.

Some of the earlier models have mounts above the stay.

I'm convinced the serial number needs to include the faint (1), and thus is 11144.

Stickers are off. The Downtube Litespeed font looks like separate letters, much like the 1997 catalogue.

Difficult to make out the Ocoee on the main tube, though I can see an "e" at the end on one side.

I'm rebuilding her now, after nearly selling on.

 

[Anthony]

Aside from working out what decals to get, my main concern about the date would be what it implies for the geometry. If it really was a 1990 frame, it might handle best with a short rigid fork, whereas anything from 94 onwards ought to be good for suspension. Did you test out what the bb height is with a rigid fork? I would generally reckon that whatever length of fork makes the bb height 30cm must be pretty much what it would have been designed for.

 

[ratbane]

.

Aside from working out what decals to get, my main concern about the date would be what it implies for the geometry. If it really was a 1990 frame, it might handle best with a short rigid fork, whereas anything from 94 onwards ought to be good for suspension. Did you test out what the bb height is with a rigid fork? I would generally reckon that whatever length of fork makes the bb height 30cm must be pretty much what it would have been designed for.

Thanks. I'll be tinkering with the front end on the weekend. I'll check on the BB height then.

My kila is up for sale to fund this build.

 

[ratbane]

..

Popped to LBS to pickup a demo bike for the weekend, and got them to weight the bare frame for me.

3.43lbs, or 3lb 7oz in old money.