Orange E4 info anyone ?

[terminator]

Hi Guys
I was wondering if any of you Orange owners could supply me with any more background information about the E4 model, which currently stands at about ziltch.

I am suddenly the proud owner of this almost-roadworthy :roll: E4, which I bought on eBay.
(The Bottom Bracket had 'play' and inexplicably the pawls AND springs were missing from the rear hub ! :evil: ).
It was sold to me as one of THE 200 Limited Edition Easton Elite bikes, and bears the Frame Number: 00007
(So she's almost a DOUBLE Agent ! )

(Sorry. Must have 5 Posts before allowed to show you photo )


The Original (I believe) Manitou forks, have been replaced with Marzocchi Bomber ones, but whether this was done to allow the (Fitted) Hope G2 Disc Brake I have no idea, but following tasty examples I've seen on this Forum, I'm seriously considering swapping these for a set of Pace forks, even if it means returning to ALL V-Brakes.
(What do you think ?).

Any valuable information about Orange models, including old Catalogues, is now missing from the internet, and unavailable to owners, according to the Halifax factory, as a direct result of a 'hacking' attack.
They cannot say if ever, or when, this missing information will be republished.
Any info from present or former owner's, would be very welcome.
Cheers
terminator

 

[sylus]

Welcome to the site

if you use the search you will find quite a lot

example here is one

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=55066

second one is oranges catalogue for 1998..it's a pdf so give it a minute to load

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/mai ... 633b311a6c

 

[terminator]

Thanks very much, sylus, for your very quick reply, and your 'links'
I've downloaded the photos for future reference, and any other shots of E4's.
Of particular interest is your Catalogue, although only reproduced in part, it intriguingly mentions the 'top routing of a hydraulic hose' on the E4 write-up.
Did the E4 have a V-Front brake as Standard, or was it in fact a Hydraulic Disc Front and a V-Brake Rear ?

Curiouser and Curiouser :?

This one's mine.

Cheers
terminator

 

[sylus]

The way the catalogue reads it looks like hydraulics as standard but done in a way that v's could be retro fitted?

however..there are some really expert orange people in here and I'm sure one or two will pop in over time

 

[Anthony]

My 1998 E4 has hose guides because it was designed for Magura rim brakes.

Your bike could be a 2000 E4, but to be honest it looks more like a 2000 evO2 in that picture. The down tube decal is the same as on the 2000 evO2, but if they made some of the 2000 E4s in black (which I wasn't aware of), maybe they used the same decal. The picture of the E4 in the 2000 catalogue shows it in orange and no sign of any option colour. The picture of the evO2 is polished, with a black one shown as an option (see Archive section). That does look like an Easton Elite sticker on the seat tube though, I must admit, so if that is original it is an E4.

More detailed photos might help to identify it (in particular, the dropouts). Also the full serial number, as the number you quoted isn't the serial number.

 

[terminator]

Hi Anthony
Many thanks for your input.
I would certainly like to know if it is genuine or not, without removing the BB paint, especially as the seller barefacely claimed he had ridden it, the week before sale, in spite of the cassette freewheeling in BOTH directions, on arrival. :shock:

He also implied in his eBay advert. an Octalink BB, subsequently found to have play, was not only recently fitted, but a positive plus point ! :roll:

It did occur then that the Frame numbering then was a little TOO convenient, but having said that, the stamping seems extremely regular and well-spaced, and not like you'd get from some Herbert with a hammer in his garden shed.
This is the only number I can see :
(ignore the 'ding')

I'll upload some pics:

Looking at the Catalogue 'link' kindly supplied by sylus, I see what you mean that somebody could 're-badge' an O2, as they are nearly identical in dimensions, the E4 being a little lighter.
The O2 has pannier bracket lugs, which mine doesn't, but as they could have been ground off, I'll have to measure the seatpost diameter which would be impossible to 'fake' and should be the clincher.



Cheers
terminator

 

[Anthony]

OK, that is definitely a 2000 E4.

The serial number should be just visible along the non-drive side of the bb shell, sometimes easier to read if you shine a torch at an angle. I doubt whether it's going to indicate anything terribly special though - the 200 thing is just that there were only ever 200 E4s made each year (1998-2000 model years), and with the frames selling for £599 a piece that may have been just as well.

PS
I'm not sure if 'ignore the dent' is totally wise advice there, but at least it's in the butted part of the tube!

 

[terminator]

Cheers Anthony
Ive just been out to the bike now and it's definately a 27mm seatpost
(to my eyes and tapemeasure)
Hope things ok in Hove. My dear Mum used to live on Portland Road

terminator

 

[Anthony]

That's about half a mile from where I sit. Seat post ought to be a 26.8 I think. Certainly mine is and the Orange data said that, right up to the E8 (the e-six and E8 were made of Easton Ultralite, which is very similar to Easton Elite and paradoxically no lighter, e-six 2001-2002, E8 2002-2005).