Orange Prototype Aluminium O

Anthony - I can't find any serial number on the frame.

If I were to go back to the cantilever brakes, would there be a performance drop from the XT I have at moment?

I was thinking. If I wanted to preserve the original decals, as they are, does anyone know any light lacquer or sacrificial protective film that I can use?

Cheers all,
 
I think the decals are original and it looks like a prototype for the Elite. If this is correct then you've got a very interesting and rare Orange imo. The Elite came out around 1992 so that would date yours around 90/91.

Might be worth looking at the Orange Formula thread from a few weeks back and getting in contact from the chap from Orange that posted on the thread. He might be able to get more info from the Orange Big Wigs ;)
 
I remember looking through my old MBUKs and in a 1991 Mike Cookson ad there was an orange Alu 'O' with 'Prototype' decals, so there must have been some which would have been available to the public? Depends on where the OP picked it up from of course.

As others say, deffo an 'Elite' - strange how there's no serial number though - unless the 'Prototypes' deliberately didn't have them, perhaps only releasing a few before they then became widely available?
 
If it's a prototype, It could be anything and I believe only the tubing would tell you.
While the seatstay does look elite is, it is obviously a test design and that may well have changed.
IT's certainly in the early 1991 era as the 1992 frames ('Alu-O' built end 1991) and the Elite had replaceable drop-outs.)

Weight the frame on it's own
 
Dossa":1h86m5wz said:
strange how there's no serial number though - unless the 'Prototypes' deliberately didn't have them, perhaps only releasing a few before they then became widely available?
It must be a possibility that prototype frames were built in Halifax and that only the A-Pro built frames had serial numbers.
 
I've contacted Michael@Orange to see what he knows. Lets wait and see..

Does anyone know what sort of performance difference there would be between the cantilever brakes and v-brakes, if I were to restore them to original spec?

I think it's sad to have those brackets there on the frame without using them as they were intended.
 
onion":3qd4ww7f said:
I think it's sad to have those brackets there on the frame without using them as they were intended.

Spoken like a true RetroBiker!! :D

V's are better than cantis - but then I've only recently fitted V's to a bike for the first time this year. Up until then I used cantis - and managed to stop in time usually.

Kinda depends what you want to do with the bike. I have disks on my full sus XC - V's on a circa 1998 bike - and cantis on the old'un.

That said, the old AluO with cantis has been out to the Alps and strapped to a chairlift BITD.
 
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