Orange P7 1996ish

[development_cycle]

I've always thought the sticker should be at the back, but am happy to be corrected by someone who knows.

Of course, you are right, they can go either way.

 

[OrangeRetro]

I took the P7 out for its first test ride this afternoon and I am pleased to say that the wheels are still intact!! In fact they are still true after a bit of a hammering.. :shock: Maybe this wheel building thing isn't so hard after all! Only time will tell I suppose.

Overall I was amazed at the way it rode! I am use to modern "light weight" bikes and had forgotten how quick and responsive a mid nineties bike is. It flew uphill, the gearing just seems so right!

I am also pleased to report that with a bit of fettling the Manitous are working OK, the rebound is a bit slow though. I'm going to give them a service when I get the time!

Heres some pics..

 

[i-am-iron-man]

We've got the same bike.

How did this happen? I even have the same stem, seatpost and sharkfin. Mine is built with RC-30's, a titanium X-Lite handlebar, Middleburn RS7 duo, Hope ti-glide/DT rims and a relatively modern XTR groupset. I even have the same saddle as you, but on a different bike.

I did loads of un-retro things to mine though: I removed the canti-hanger, ditched the seat binder and the rack mount threads prior to it getting powder coated.

Creepy, eh?

 

[TSC.]

That P7 is simply stunning!! Thats how a proper XC bike should look in my opinion.

Nice work!

TSC.

 

[OrangeRetro]

Whats even more creepy is I have the same TV and microwave in my kitchen.. :shock: Only joking!

Your P7 looks great, IMO matt black is just right for the P7! I'm sure it was never done in black originally BITD.

It looks like you have chosen all the right parts, maybe we are long lost twin brothers or something? :shock: Shame about the canti hanger though!

 

[Timmy]

wow that P7 is quality! Nice job, how much you spend? (hope you dont mind me asking?)

 

[i-am-iron-man]

P7

Haha, which one???

 

[cherrybomb]

I should be picking my Clockwork up tomorrow after a satin black powder coat treatment.

It's ended up costing me nothing too! :shock: The powder coaters stuffed up and I'm getting it done gratis.

I've got another frame to go to them now as well. Wonder if that one will be as cheap?

Both the P7's are lovely bikes, seems black is the new orange. Um? :?

 

[i-am-iron-man]

Your P7 looks great, IMO matt black is just right for the P7! I'm sure it was never done in black originally BITD.

It looks like you have chosen all the right parts, maybe we are long lost twin brothers or something? :shock: Shame about the canti hanger though!

Well - this is my second P7, my other one I bought new in '01 or '02-ish, the black bike came from ebay and arrived looking like this:

After stripping the red off I found that it had been rusting away under the paint and the original colour was black. I had to do a lot of work with emery tape on the corrosion.

Like I said, I did a fair bit of un-retro things to the bike and and the parts are not really in keeping with the vintage of the frame. My thinking was along similar lines as to that of Bob Morton in Paul Verhoeven's 1987 classic Robocop: as the frame belonged to me now I could do whatever I wanted to it. Just as OCP removed Alex Murphy's one good arm, I removed the canti-hanger as I have no intention of ever running cantis. I ditched the seat binder as I specifically wanted to use my X-Lite clamp. I don't own a rack so I removed the mounts and I plugged up all the threads.

I have put a loud-looking set of wheels on it now, red Mavic X517 and red Hope Ti-Glide hubs. I am selling the wheels in the picture if anyone wants them...

 

[OrangeRetro]

Nice one, the before shots look nasty, such an amazing diference now!well done for saving it.. I'll let you off with chopping bits off!

Here's a before shot of mine. The photo flatters it, it was a lot worse in real life! No rust though!