cherrybomb
Old School Grand Master
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I love this bike- always have. it's ace.
I'm looking forward to see the next incarnation.
I love this bike- always have. it's ace.
I'm looking forward to see the next incarnation.
boy"O"boy's 1991 Orange Aluminium "O"
- Thread starter boy"O"boy
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Stick Legs
Gold Trader
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I'm pulling up a chair for this.
Great story, great bike.
Great story, great bike.
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Cheshire1980":1f4k22kp said:Great story. and looking forward to your next instalment
Always like your bike threads, are you going to refurbish it in black again?
The bikes we have owned as teenagers are often the most influential, special, and fond moments we have had as bike riders. For me its the Clockwork in that era, my oldman helped me buy my first proper MTB, a seondhand Clockwork from Don Skene Cycles in Cardiff in 1993, we would regularly cycle together back then, endless rides on trails, towpaths, country roads, just great memories!
I appreciate seeing the often unloved Aluminium O on here, the Orange Elite always seems to get more attention with it being the lighter cousin and premier bike. I know when I was 11-12 years of age I always lusted after the Matt Silver Aluminium O's, would happily browse through the Orange 1992 brochure and wish to own one at some point! Fast forward to 2015 and I managed to get hold of one in the matt silver. I currently have 2 Matt O's, one rigid forked, the other donning Pace Rc35s, which is actually used as my main mountain bike! I also have 4 other Aluminium O frame & forks in the garage, one in fact you have refurbish in the orange white fade, its a 19 inch frame, you sold many years back as you preferred the ride of a 17 inch O!
I'm not sure the Alu-O has had a lot of love on here, being the first and all that of the frames and the one a lot of us (at the time near the start of retrobike) was the bike.
The Elite was sidelined by reader and builders and the E2 a mysterious mythic bike people hadn't yet realised was actually made. The commoner E3's 4,5,678...'s all but new and nice bikes. But just that a generic Orange Ex bike bit like Marins.
The Alu-O is the one.
A bit heavy, not the best to ride of them all, two quite different frame geometries and a nice evolution in just 4 frame types in one year of production.
Re:
Cheers Ed! .... In a way, I'm sort of glad I've got to refurb this all over again! - I've got to enjoy it immensely since originally restoring it in 2006. It's probably my signature build!....I've tried to add a bit of individuality into all the the projects over the years.... Just enough to look factory spec until you look close up and see the difference.
Thank you! - There's a few threads appearing where folk are adding there personal history to a particular bike. I love a good story...
Cheers Calum! - Yes, Satin black all the way! - just how it was 1st time around. I seem to remember the original make over before it got nicked at Uni was themed like a 'Caloi Aluminium' - Polished with orange painted forks. The black suits this best!
Loving your work on your Aluminium "O" (s) - the Matt Silver was a great understated colourway in contrast to the Orange white fade. My old 19" frame was repainted from another black one. The respray was nowhere near as bright as the original though...the orange was almost luminescent! The 17" frame I had with RC35's rode nicely, but this one (even with the extention of seat post!) feels spot on! ... the 19" frame for me is just not as agile. What do you think?
brocklanders023":1kisq9ph said:Yes, yes, we like this
Great to see the old girl getting a makeover.
Cheers Ed! .... In a way, I'm sort of glad I've got to refurb this all over again! - I've got to enjoy it immensely since originally restoring it in 2006. It's probably my signature build!....I've tried to add a bit of individuality into all the the projects over the years.... Just enough to look factory spec until you look close up and see the difference.
randomdan":1kisq9ph said:Nice bit of history - and a very unique build, love it.
Thank you! - There's a few threads appearing where folk are adding there personal history to a particular bike. I love a good story...
Cheshire1980":1kisq9ph said:Great story. and looking forward to your next instalment
Always like your bike threads, are you going to refurbish it in black again?
The bikes we have owned as teenagers are often the most influential, special, and fond moments we have had as bike riders. For me its the Clockwork in that era, my oldman helped me buy my first proper MTB, a seondhand Clockwork from Don Skene Cycles in Cardiff in 1993, we would regularly cycle together back then, endless rides on trails, towpaths, country roads, just great memories!
I appreciate seeing the often unloved Aluminium O on here, the Orange Elite always seems to get more attention with it being the lighter cousin and premier bike. I know when I was 11-12 years of age I always lusted after the Matt Silver Aluminium O's, would happily browse through the Orange 1992 brochure and wish to own one at some point! Fast forward to 2015 and I managed to get hold of one in the matt silver. I currently have 2 Matt O's, one rigid forked, the other donning Pace Rc35s, which is actually used as my main mountain bike! I also have 4 other Aluminium O frame & forks in the garage, one in fact you have refurbish in the orange white fade, its a 19 inch frame, you sold many years back as you preferred the ride of a 17 inch O!
Cheers Calum! - Yes, Satin black all the way! - just how it was 1st time around. I seem to remember the original make over before it got nicked at Uni was themed like a 'Caloi Aluminium' - Polished with orange painted forks. The black suits this best!
Loving your work on your Aluminium "O" (s) - the Matt Silver was a great understated colourway in contrast to the Orange white fade. My old 19" frame was repainted from another black one. The respray was nowhere near as bright as the original though...the orange was almost luminescent! The 17" frame I had with RC35's rode nicely, but this one (even with the extention of seat post!) feels spot on! ... the 19" frame for me is just not as agile. What do you think?
Re:
Cheers! - hopefully the next instalment won't be far away!
Cheers! - Thanks for the kind words! .... The next incarnation will be more of an evolution of where we've already been. A few parts specced to function better, a few to bring it back to 1991/2
Take a seat.... I'll open a nice red.
I tend to agree with FluffyChicken's take on this.... The Alu-O was several people's 1st love, and a bike that many were waiting for (including myself) with eager anticipation when it was launched. I remember when mine was 1st built up, joining in with a club ride for Epping Forest MBC. At high beach, with all the exotica on display... a few people came up and asked 'what does it ride like?' .... 'how light is it?' .... Then someone rocked up on a Pace RC100 and I was blown away!
I've had/restored an Elite and although it's a great bike in both ride and looks, for me, the 'O' is the one for me. I think when I did the 'make over' before it got nicked a uni - I was after the looks of the elite with the ride of the 'O'. A riding buddy BITD had the 'elite' and when I rode that one....I always thought mine was better! ...The other guy had the 704XT!
Mine is A10602 - the second Jun '91 model made, and as Fluffychicken rightly states - there were 4 frame evolutions over the Aluminium 'O' life span.
boy"O"boy
Once A Hero":2qk06c41 said:Great write up, and history.
Lovely looking bike then, during, and hopefully again soon
Cheers! - hopefully the next instalment won't be far away!
cherrybomb":2qk06c41 said:I love this bike- always have. it's ace.
I'm looking forward to see the next incarnation.
Cheers! - Thanks for the kind words! .... The next incarnation will be more of an evolution of where we've already been. A few parts specced to function better, a few to bring it back to 1991/2
Stick Legs":2qk06c41 said:
Take a seat.... I'll open a nice red.
FluffyChicken":2qk06c41 said:Cheshire1980":2qk06c41 said:Great story. and looking forward to your next instalment
Always like your bike threads, are you going to refurbish it in black again?
The bikes we have owned as teenagers are often the most influential, special, and fond moments we have had as bike riders. For me its the Clockwork in that era, my oldman helped me buy my first proper MTB, a seondhand Clockwork from Don Skene Cycles in Cardiff in 1993, we would regularly cycle together back then, endless rides on trails, towpaths, country roads, just great memories!
I appreciate seeing the often unloved Aluminium O on here, the Orange Elite always seems to get more attention with it being the lighter cousin and premier bike. I know when I was 11-12 years of age I always lusted after the Matt Silver Aluminium O's, would happily browse through the Orange 1992 brochure and wish to own one at some point! Fast forward to 2015 and I managed to get hold of one in the matt silver. I currently have 2 Matt O's, one rigid forked, the other donning Pace Rc35s, which is actually used as my main mountain bike! I also have 4 other Aluminium O frame & forks in the garage, one in fact you have refurbish in the orange white fade, its a 19 inch frame, you sold many years back as you preferred the ride of a 17 inch O!
I'm not sure the Alu-O has had a lot of love on here, being the first and all that of the frames and the one a lot of us (at the time near the start of retrobike) was the bike.
The Elite was sidelined by reader and builders and the E2 a mysterious mythic bike people hadn't yet realised was actually made. The commoner E3's 4,5,678...'s all but new and nice bikes. But just that a generic Orange Ex bike bit like Marins.
The Alu-O is the one.
A bit heavy, not the best to ride of them all, two quite different frame geometries and a nice evolution in just 4 frame types in one year of production.
I tend to agree with FluffyChicken's take on this.... The Alu-O was several people's 1st love, and a bike that many were waiting for (including myself) with eager anticipation when it was launched. I remember when mine was 1st built up, joining in with a club ride for Epping Forest MBC. At high beach, with all the exotica on display... a few people came up and asked 'what does it ride like?' .... 'how light is it?' .... Then someone rocked up on a Pace RC100 and I was blown away!
I've had/restored an Elite and although it's a great bike in both ride and looks, for me, the 'O' is the one for me. I think when I did the 'make over' before it got nicked a uni - I was after the looks of the elite with the ride of the 'O'. A riding buddy BITD had the 'elite' and when I rode that one....I always thought mine was better! ...The other guy had the 704XT!
Mine is A10602 - the second Jun '91 model made, and as Fluffychicken rightly states - there were 4 frame evolutions over the Aluminium 'O' life span.
boy"O"boy
Re:
So...... The rework of my Aluminium 'O' is finally underway.
The frame was stripped back in Feb and has sat in the shed since then awaiting attention.
I began to strip the Pine Mountain of it's paint at the same time as the 'O'
I got disheartened with how long it was taking to strip the paint using today's Nitromors (vs the old stuff I'd used in the past which was far more effective) - that the project was shelved for the summer whilst other 'garden projects' took over.
Last month, I decided to drop it in at a local power coaters and get the job done.
This is were I'm at the moment. Gil_M will be doing a fresh set of decals.
The 'new' Syncros stem ( the one with the noodle) is in the paintshop at the moment.
A 'Red Label' flite has been bought to top off the Syncros post.
more....
So...... The rework of my Aluminium 'O' is finally underway.
The frame was stripped back in Feb and has sat in the shed since then awaiting attention.
I began to strip the Pine Mountain of it's paint at the same time as the 'O'
I got disheartened with how long it was taking to strip the paint using today's Nitromors (vs the old stuff I'd used in the past which was far more effective) - that the project was shelved for the summer whilst other 'garden projects' took over.
Last month, I decided to drop it in at a local power coaters and get the job done.
This is were I'm at the moment. Gil_M will be doing a fresh set of decals.
The 'new' Syncros stem ( the one with the noodle) is in the paintshop at the moment.
A 'Red Label' flite has been bought to top off the Syncros post.
more....
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Re:
Autosol polishing has begun in earnest.
- XT 'band-on' front mech already done
- MT60 Canti's are underway.
- Suntour XC pro Microdrive cranks done.
I had begun polishing these sometime back, but stopped due to work commitments.
Thinking I might not get time, eBay offered up another great condition chainset so I thought -'I'll have that!!'
Same with the Mavic 840 rear mech.
Suddenly. I've got 2 of each. :roll: ..... when I put the two next to each other to photgraph, I realised my originals were not in the bad condition afterall. Considering I'd ridden these over the 8 years from the previous restoration, they haven't faired too bad at all. The bolt on the 'new' Mavic rear mech is obviuosly correct so I'll probably use that one.
Either chainset will work well - alway good to have a 'just in case' one though!
More progress to follow as soon as the build starts.
Cheers all
boy"O"boy
Autosol polishing has begun in earnest.
- XT 'band-on' front mech already done
- MT60 Canti's are underway.
- Suntour XC pro Microdrive cranks done.
I had begun polishing these sometime back, but stopped due to work commitments.
Thinking I might not get time, eBay offered up another great condition chainset so I thought -'I'll have that!!'
Same with the Mavic 840 rear mech.
Suddenly. I've got 2 of each. :roll: ..... when I put the two next to each other to photgraph, I realised my originals were not in the bad condition afterall. Considering I'd ridden these over the 8 years from the previous restoration, they haven't faired too bad at all. The bolt on the 'new' Mavic rear mech is obviuosly correct so I'll probably use that one.
Either chainset will work well - alway good to have a 'just in case' one though!
More progress to follow as soon as the build starts.
Cheers all
boy"O"boy
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Cheshire1980
Orange 🍊 Fan
Loving the Mavic..
Re:
Hi All.
Small update....
Assembly has started. Decals from Gil_M have arrived and are spot-on.
So far.....
i) Repainted Syncros 1 1/4" with Noodle installed. Awaiting decals - This replaces the Syncros without noodle that had a separate cable hanger beneath to solve the problem.
ii) Later XT canti's replaced with Shimano MT60 Cantilevers. Although this might seem like a 'retrograde' replacement, I'm aiming to get this 99% accurate to my original 'O' that was stolen from Uni all those years ago.
Which brings me to the next bit.... Some may say trying to see the best from a bad situation!
I went to install the Mavic derailleur.... then realised there was absolutely nothing there to hold it in. As I'd dismantled the bike myself prior to Media blasting and powder coating
(note to self - next time leave a bolt in to protect it!!) - I've realised that the process has knocked out what was obviously a heli - coil that had been fitted.
Now, I've ordered some correct Heli-coils and a fitting kit, and have had experience in this so it shouldn't be a problem ( fingers crossed!! )
It's got me thinking. Maybe it's a slim chance,but.....
All those moons ago, I had an incident on my original frame where the rear mech got pulled out of the frame. The 2 early iterations of the Aluminium 'O' (Feb '91 and Jun '91 batches) had non- replaceable rear mech hangers. This was revised for the '92 batches with a replaceable version.
On this occassion, the hanger was unbent but it's threads were stripped, so I took it to a local engineering firm, Scared as hell that they would give a 17 year old a load of grief or tell me that it couldn't be done. Probably more worried though that I'd have to explain to my dad what I'd done with my brand new, very expensive frame!!
To my relief, they explained it could be sorted with a Heli coil... so that was what happened.
I know this frame is definitely 2nd batch, as was my original. Could this be my old frame?
Maybe... but without verifying the serial number of the original, the paper work and indeed the dealer long gone, it's all but a long shot.
Still.... What If?!! (even if it is only another Heli - Coil repair :roll: )
Either way.... I've still got that object of desire from years ago coming together nicely!
Cheers.
boy"O"boy
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=90591&start=20
Hi All.
Small update....
Assembly has started. Decals from Gil_M have arrived and are spot-on.
So far.....
i) Repainted Syncros 1 1/4" with Noodle installed. Awaiting decals - This replaces the Syncros without noodle that had a separate cable hanger beneath to solve the problem.
ii) Later XT canti's replaced with Shimano MT60 Cantilevers. Although this might seem like a 'retrograde' replacement, I'm aiming to get this 99% accurate to my original 'O' that was stolen from Uni all those years ago.
Which brings me to the next bit.... Some may say trying to see the best from a bad situation!
I went to install the Mavic derailleur.... then realised there was absolutely nothing there to hold it in. As I'd dismantled the bike myself prior to Media blasting and powder coating
(note to self - next time leave a bolt in to protect it!!) - I've realised that the process has knocked out what was obviously a heli - coil that had been fitted.
Now, I've ordered some correct Heli-coils and a fitting kit, and have had experience in this so it shouldn't be a problem ( fingers crossed!! )
It's got me thinking. Maybe it's a slim chance,but.....
All those moons ago, I had an incident on my original frame where the rear mech got pulled out of the frame. The 2 early iterations of the Aluminium 'O' (Feb '91 and Jun '91 batches) had non- replaceable rear mech hangers. This was revised for the '92 batches with a replaceable version.
On this occassion, the hanger was unbent but it's threads were stripped, so I took it to a local engineering firm, Scared as hell that they would give a 17 year old a load of grief or tell me that it couldn't be done. Probably more worried though that I'd have to explain to my dad what I'd done with my brand new, very expensive frame!!
To my relief, they explained it could be sorted with a Heli coil... so that was what happened.
I know this frame is definitely 2nd batch, as was my original. Could this be my old frame?
Maybe... but without verifying the serial number of the original, the paper work and indeed the dealer long gone, it's all but a long shot.
Still.... What If?!! (even if it is only another Heli - Coil repair :roll: )
Either way.... I've still got that object of desire from years ago coming together nicely!
Cheers.
boy"O"boy
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=90591&start=20
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