Another P7…. was a 1995 racer, will be a PMX [Xmas Update]

[markoc]

So, I did another Orange thing….

I’ve been keeping an eye out for a small Orange frame to have a bit of a play with, and have ended up spending a bit more than I wanted - however the spec on this should see a few quid returned to the Kitty as I transform it over the next few months.

It’s going to be a PMX. Single ring up front, but geared at the rear. Possibly some silly front forks, and definitely BMX bars.

I was drawn in by the Onza brakes - which I thought would be perfect for my incoming GT (from South Africa, a whole different story) but always a gamble with these, and the fronts are toast. I bid a decent amount on eBay and got it for a pretty reasonable amount. Then drove a 350 mile round trip in a thirsty V8 to pick it up from a really lovely guy who had bought it from his boss. His boss was either a wannabe racer, or specced a very nice bike - lots of British kit and shiny stuff from 1995 era. It doesn’t look like it’s had too hard a life. Frame has a sticker from Psycho bikes in Battersea I think but need to have a proper look. I’m guessing it was specced off the shelf as a frame and a bespoke build.

This pic is as I collected it (having put it back together after taking it to bits to get it in the boot of my thoroughly impractical transportation)



So here’s the spec. Some bits will need to find themselves in the for sales to fund its transformation - so if there’s anything you like, let me know

Frame: 1995 Orange P7

Fork: Manitou Mach 5 SX, moves and stanchions look decent

Headset: Shimano LX
Stem: Control Tech with an Xlite cap
Handlebar: Club Roost GoFast - cut down (why?)
Grips: Onza Ules, clear - in good nick
End Caps : XLite

Brake Levers : DiaCompe SS5/7 with XLite barrel adjusters
Brake Pads: Kool Stop
Cantilever cable hangers: Onza Chillpill
Brakes : Onza HO (front cracked obvs, rear good). Front XLite purple bolts, annoyingly worn. Correct Onza straddle wires (!)

Shifters: Shimano LX triggers, XLite black pods
Front Derailleur: Shiny Mavic something or other - need to investigate
Rear Derailleur: Equally shiny Mavic something or other. Stamped “made in France”
Cassette: Shimano
Chain: Knackered
Cranks: Cook Bros
Crank Bolts: Self extracting but not sure what?
Chainrings: Pace x3 with very little wear
Bottom Bracket: Hope
Pedals: Shimano
Cage : Ringle H20

Hub Skewers: Hope mk1
Rims: Mavic 230 tib gold
Hubs: Shimano STX
Spokes: DT Swiss
Tyres: Continental Falling Apart

Saddle: Flite Ti (1995 stamp)
Seatpost: Control Tech
Seatpost Binder: XLite


Let the games begin!!

 

[minor_LEGEND]

dibs on the Cooks! LOL

That's a good basis for a wee build. Looking forward to the progress.

 

[jonnyboy666]

odd mix of bits, i'd say the front mech is stx or stx-rc as opposed to mavic though, i think i have a spare nickel stalk post around if you want a hint of originality.

 

[7Speed]

I raced a Matt black P7 when I was a lot younger. Really loved the fit on it. Is it me or are those cranks quite long? Could just be the angle of the photo…

 

[markoc]

Cooks (175mm) are already gone to an RB'er as they're too good for what I have planned (ratty build), and the Onza brakes have too as I have other plans in that respect. A few other bits will probably be sold to fund the rest of the plan (stem, bars, post)

The front mech is indeed STX, but I'll be moving to a 1x setup (not sure is singlespeed yet).

In truth it's too small for me as an XC rider, but as a PMX fun bike it should be able to be thrown around a bit.

 

[markoc]

odd mix of bits, i'd say the front mech is stx or stx-rc as opposed to mavic though, i think i have a spare nickel stalk post around if you want a hint of originality.

Thanks, I'll be putting a BMX short stem on this one - it's going to be a fun build!

 

[sheppf1000]

Interested in the post...whats the size please?

 

[markoc]

@sheppf1000 its 26.8 and uncut so about 320mm but I’ve not measure length

 

[markoc]

Update - Christmas Eve!

So the little PMX has had most of its bits taken off. Some have gone onto other bikes, and a few bits have made their way to RB'ers to keep the cycle of parts flowing and also generate a few quid towards sprucing up my cross bike in the spring. It is absolutely going to be a parts bin special, and to that end I've picked up a few bits and pieces on here that will be subject to a clean up (as needed) once the weather warms up and the garage isn't like a freezer. My beer is staying cold though, so that's good.

Headset - Cane Creek (black) switching up from threaded to ahead to fit the Vectors
Brakes - Tektro cantis (black) to keep the stealth look, though the hangers are silver - which is noting a squirt or two of hammerite can't fix
Post - Kalloy, I think, not too heavy, but importantly is black (can you see where this is going)
Wheels - LX 531 black hubs. Rims are silver and worn, but for a pub bike will be fine. These have been sitting in a corner far too long.
Forks - The elusive Girvin Vectors. These are very, very blue. Guess what colour they will be...?

I've always wanted a bike with Vectors (thanks Jez Avery in Dirt...) and at a point in time, I think Orange themselves were putting Vectors on P7's as an option. Probably not in 1995 though...

So here we have it - and my next post will cover the obvious issue.

 

[markoc]

Sooooo.... here's the Vectors, along with aaaaaaaall the steerer tube in the world. Bought on here for a reasonable price and have had a few homes so may look familiar.



First up a tip. Anyone planning to take a set of Vectors apart, do take lots of photos before you decide to do it. Thankfully I did, but not enough. Lots of very similar bolts, not all inserted from the same side. Some move, others don't. Unless everything is aligned, it ain't gonna work. Plus there's a definite order to doing stuff up, as if you don't do it in the right order, things will be in the wrong place - ie the shock. It's like lego without the instructions.

So, there are a three main issues.

The first issue is that they are very very blue. The previous owner @johndeverill had a go at polishing a section - and I'm pretty sure they'd come up beautifully if the whole forks were done, as I'm almost certain this isn't factory paint (although at one time Proflex were doing some garish front/rear end combo's as they tied in with Animal). Likely an easy fix, and as it is a ratty build I'll just need to find the right paint and then patience to not do a rubbish job of it.

The second issue is, as you can see, they are from a bike that clearly had a lot more headtube. I'm going to need about 1.5 inches of spacers (maybe more) - which is going to look a bit funky. Also probably puts more stress on the headtube than is likely sensible for riding offroad, but this is going to be a pavement basher that ventures to the tap room and back - so the occasional wheelie or kerb hop isn't going to be too much of a problem. On the plus side though, the stack height means that if I run a stubby BMX/DH stem, the original Club Roost risers will likely be at a decent height that I'd likely have achieved with a low rise BMX bar. We shall see.

The third issue (see pic) is that when Proflex designed these they decided in their infinite wisdom that the bottom crown would need to be 1 1/8, yet the steerer is 1 inch. I'm yet to fathom why, and if anyone knows then please shout. I have a 1 inch aheadset fitted, and clearly this won't work. Probably used some sort of cup on the top to build it back up to 1 1/8. As such I need to find someone with a lathe to turn the 1 1/8 piece down to the 1 inch steerer width. That way it should slot straight into the 1 inch headset with a normal crown race. The ride height will then raise about another 0.5mm (bring on the spacers). Task #1 for the New Year will be to find a small engineering firm in Essex that can do it for me as so far none have bothered to reply even with a courtesy "no". It'll also mean taking the forks apart (again) and I will be following my own instructions to take lots of pics.

So, there we have it. The PMX is progressing slowly. The pile of parts is getting larger.

Next step for 2025 is to sell off some bits that have been hanging around for too long and that I'm just not going to use as my cross bike needs more purple bling. So if you're into Brit kit (Xlite, Pace, USE, Middlburn) then tune in next year!

Happy Christmas RB'ers.