New purchase 1998 Orange E4

[Alan_wsm]

So I impulse bought a new bike tonight after clearing some space up by selling some other bikes over the last couple of months. This popped up on a Facebook group I'm in and I had to have it. As far as I can see it's a 1998 Orange E4, seems to be the right colour and have the right stickers, with the exception of the one on the down tube. It seems to be mostly original and it came with what I believe to be the right stem, to replace the one that's on there now. I haven't done anything to it tonight except set up the saddle height and put the brakes the right way round. I couldn't find much on here about them, the search function doesn't like "E4" as it's too short, and i don't know very much about them. As far as I can gather, they're quite rare and as I discovered on a quick blast earlier, fun to ride. How many of these did they make?

Anyway, pics.

 

[mk one]

If you type Orange E4 into search and specify bike chat 1998 or readers bikes 1998 then there are a few posts Also google will throw up some results and links back to here or other less informed sites

You could also look here: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/M ... atalogues/

This site has a wealth of information on most things in its deep vaults, just a case of hunting it out

Mark

 

[cherrybomb]

Re:

This is my old one, which I had from new....

They build up into stunning bikes. As far as I can remember there were very few made (I seem to recall 200 frames, but it's been a while). There is a thread on here of my restoration, but all the photos are on photobucket so have disappeared.

 

[Alan_wsm]

Re:

That is stunning.
I did come across your thread, it's a shame about the pics. If I have one of 200 made, than that would be amazing. I plan to keep mine as original as possible or at least in keeping with the time period. I still haven't had the chance to bring it to work and go over it all properly yet. It's a bit chaosy at work just now as Sweden's biggest MTB race is this weekend so I've been at it hammer and tongs in my workshop with that. Anyone got suggestions for a good saddle from the period? I've got a Selle Italia Turbo on my Prestige which I love, something similar to that would be good.

 

[Alan_wsm]

Re:

Managed to track down a Judy XC service kit today, so that's ordered and on it's way to me. Can't wait to get this up on the stand and get it working as it should.

 

[Kell]

I almost bought an E4 in 99/2000. But the funds just couldn't stretch to it.

I ended up with a P7, but still wonder 'what if'.

 

[Anthony]

Yes, it's a 1998 E4, Cherrybomb's being a 99, slightly different.
Yes, they made 200 each year, the frames were £599 I think.
Although this design was the fourth E model, it was actually the first to be made with Easton Elite, at that time the best aluminium tubeset available. The E did stand for Elite, but it was actually named to mark Orange's victory in the Elite series of the national XC championship, for 1991 I think it was.