10 years on retrobike... This is the bike that bought me here in the 1st place! The one bike I'd never part with.
After a long absence broken by getting my Pace RC100 finally finished, I'm planning to get 4 builds finished this year. I'll be documenting each of the builds here in the Readers MTB -->1997 thread. So.....
Introducing build #3 (or should that be build#1?)
My 1991 Orange aluminium "O" (June '91)
Here's a link to the original 'old' thread
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21887
A brief history of this bike....
Way back in 1990, just as my interest in mountain biking was taking off in a big way.
My bike was a heavily modified Bickerton 'Mean Green' .... DX chainset/ Avocet Gel Flex / Tange switch blades / Madison Stem, that was used as my rider to school and off road round the routes of Colchester at the weekend.
It was this new found interest in biking that had lead to my GCSE grades slipping in my mock exams, that my Dad deemed it sufficient enough to offer me an incentive to improve my grades.
"Get at least 6 GCSE's at grade C or above, and I'll get that mountain bike frame for you that you've been continually pestering me about!"
At the time, I didn't know what mountain bike frame I actually wanted - but I knew that I desperately wanted to upgrade the 'Mean Green ' and swap the components over to something that was better sized and considerably lighter! - To make matters worse, My brother's bike was stolen and he'd topped up his insurance payout the get a 1990 Marin Bear Valley... I won't say I didn't 'borrow' it without permission on several occassions! :twisted:
The Incentive worked!! - but I couldn't get the object of my desires until August '91
Now I had to decide what I wanted....
The 1991 bikes were out and my Dad's work colleague had just taken delivery of a spanking new DX equipped Orange Aluminium "O" in Orange and white fade. I was smitten, that was what I wanted..... I religiously read through that tall, gate fold catalogue - planning specs... Which colour? Silver or Orange and White fade?
Decision made - we went to Channels in Chelmsford to order an Orange white fade in 17", steel forks and Custom stalk.
"3 months lead time for them at the moment " was the reply - " We'll take a deposit today and give you a call"
3 months went incredibly slowly - then it became 4, then 5
I passed the time funding component purchases funded by my part time job. DX on Mavic MA40's wheelset, Suntour XC pro chainset, Mavic 840 rear mech, Syncros seat post, Flite Titanium.... longingly waiting for that phone call.
When it did - Lester Noble rang my Dad and told him - apologies for the delay, we're out of both colourways you wanted. We've just done 6 in black - would you like one of these? We'll throw in a helmet cover a T-Shirt as compensation.
Naturally, It was a Yes from me.... I couldn't wait any longer! 2 weeks later we took delivery and my build plans were underway. Although it wasn't finally rideable until a couple of months later as I'd blown the budget on fancy components and hadn't the funds in place of essentials like cables / headset / chain / front mech / shifters / brake levers.
3 years later, it was off to University. The "O" naturally came with me, although I'd changed the colour scheme by then and had began to upgrade with anodising. It was then that it got stolen.... :cry:
Fast forward to 2006.
Retro bike tent at Mountain Mayhem. Memories of the "O" come flooding back.
My Dad had passed away by then, I this was the perfect idea to recapture those 6th form days whilst having something that reminded me of Dad. It had to be in the original 'Satin Black' and have the obscure parts mix that I had built the original to.
eBay offered up a 17" frame that needed complete refurbishment. It also allowed me to source all those components to build the vision. Fully stripped of paint, the frame was inspected for any cracks or damage. It was then painted at work. Colleagues helped me recreate the decals, and the build came together slowly as missing parts were sourced.
The 1st 'proper' ride came at a Retrobike rideout at Thetford forest - those Pristine Panaracer Magics and Flite were then promptly 'worn' by the Thetford 'grinding paste' slime.
I was once again Smitten.
The build went though several changes to get it more 'period' correct - Amberwall Panaracer smokes, 425mm Syncros Seat post, Ritchey WCS grips, Syncros bar.
I never did score the 1 1/4" custom stalk, but by then, I felt the Syncros cattleprod suited the feel of the build better.
It's been raced at Mountain Mayhem, Ridden most high and dry days around the off road trails of Colchester / Suffolk / Laindon. It's been crashed, taken to Berlin and Stuttgart to be used as my commuter bike, Become the bike to attach the child seat to round the lanes of Suffolk, and most recently it became an after work 'road hack' - better suited muddy / slippery and Icy roads.
The time has now come to start the restoration process over again.....
I'll be posting progress as we go!
Meantime, He's some pics of where we've been and what it's currently state.
A full strip down and repaint is planned.
Here we go again!
boy"O"boy
After a long absence broken by getting my Pace RC100 finally finished, I'm planning to get 4 builds finished this year. I'll be documenting each of the builds here in the Readers MTB -->1997 thread. So.....
Introducing build #3 (or should that be build#1?)
My 1991 Orange aluminium "O" (June '91)
Here's a link to the original 'old' thread
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21887
A brief history of this bike....
Way back in 1990, just as my interest in mountain biking was taking off in a big way.
My bike was a heavily modified Bickerton 'Mean Green' .... DX chainset/ Avocet Gel Flex / Tange switch blades / Madison Stem, that was used as my rider to school and off road round the routes of Colchester at the weekend.
It was this new found interest in biking that had lead to my GCSE grades slipping in my mock exams, that my Dad deemed it sufficient enough to offer me an incentive to improve my grades.
"Get at least 6 GCSE's at grade C or above, and I'll get that mountain bike frame for you that you've been continually pestering me about!"
At the time, I didn't know what mountain bike frame I actually wanted - but I knew that I desperately wanted to upgrade the 'Mean Green ' and swap the components over to something that was better sized and considerably lighter! - To make matters worse, My brother's bike was stolen and he'd topped up his insurance payout the get a 1990 Marin Bear Valley... I won't say I didn't 'borrow' it without permission on several occassions! :twisted:
The Incentive worked!! - but I couldn't get the object of my desires until August '91
Now I had to decide what I wanted....
The 1991 bikes were out and my Dad's work colleague had just taken delivery of a spanking new DX equipped Orange Aluminium "O" in Orange and white fade. I was smitten, that was what I wanted..... I religiously read through that tall, gate fold catalogue - planning specs... Which colour? Silver or Orange and White fade?
Decision made - we went to Channels in Chelmsford to order an Orange white fade in 17", steel forks and Custom stalk.
"3 months lead time for them at the moment " was the reply - " We'll take a deposit today and give you a call"
3 months went incredibly slowly - then it became 4, then 5
I passed the time funding component purchases funded by my part time job. DX on Mavic MA40's wheelset, Suntour XC pro chainset, Mavic 840 rear mech, Syncros seat post, Flite Titanium.... longingly waiting for that phone call.
When it did - Lester Noble rang my Dad and told him - apologies for the delay, we're out of both colourways you wanted. We've just done 6 in black - would you like one of these? We'll throw in a helmet cover a T-Shirt as compensation.
Naturally, It was a Yes from me.... I couldn't wait any longer! 2 weeks later we took delivery and my build plans were underway. Although it wasn't finally rideable until a couple of months later as I'd blown the budget on fancy components and hadn't the funds in place of essentials like cables / headset / chain / front mech / shifters / brake levers.
3 years later, it was off to University. The "O" naturally came with me, although I'd changed the colour scheme by then and had began to upgrade with anodising. It was then that it got stolen.... :cry:
Fast forward to 2006.
Retro bike tent at Mountain Mayhem. Memories of the "O" come flooding back.
My Dad had passed away by then, I this was the perfect idea to recapture those 6th form days whilst having something that reminded me of Dad. It had to be in the original 'Satin Black' and have the obscure parts mix that I had built the original to.
eBay offered up a 17" frame that needed complete refurbishment. It also allowed me to source all those components to build the vision. Fully stripped of paint, the frame was inspected for any cracks or damage. It was then painted at work. Colleagues helped me recreate the decals, and the build came together slowly as missing parts were sourced.
The 1st 'proper' ride came at a Retrobike rideout at Thetford forest - those Pristine Panaracer Magics and Flite were then promptly 'worn' by the Thetford 'grinding paste' slime.
I was once again Smitten.
The build went though several changes to get it more 'period' correct - Amberwall Panaracer smokes, 425mm Syncros Seat post, Ritchey WCS grips, Syncros bar.
I never did score the 1 1/4" custom stalk, but by then, I felt the Syncros cattleprod suited the feel of the build better.
It's been raced at Mountain Mayhem, Ridden most high and dry days around the off road trails of Colchester / Suffolk / Laindon. It's been crashed, taken to Berlin and Stuttgart to be used as my commuter bike, Become the bike to attach the child seat to round the lanes of Suffolk, and most recently it became an after work 'road hack' - better suited muddy / slippery and Icy roads.
The time has now come to start the restoration process over again.....
I'll be posting progress as we go!
Meantime, He's some pics of where we've been and what it's currently state.
A full strip down and repaint is planned.
Here we go again!
boy"O"boy
