Please Help me identify this bike: Possibly Orange

[mini.cabrera]

Hi! I have bought this frame with some Specialized decals... but I'm almost sure it is an Orange (very similar to the 1991 Aluminium O), but it has a small little difference (or more) as the cable stops of the top tube are on the right side and not left. It has a 1 1/4 headtube and some kind of press-fit BB. Sorry in advance, English is not my mother tongue!

 

[Cheshire1980]

Yes certainly agree has most of the characteristics of an Aluminium O, but yes the cable guides are on the right, which is odd, and obviously the extra braze ons the rear. The forks are different. However has the same boxed rear end. Looks like a 17 inch frame. And it shares the same 1 1/4 head tube. Has it any numbers on the bottom of the bottom bracket. Perhaps that might shed some light. Anyway very interesting!

 

[Cheshire1980]

Am wondering weather they damaged the original cable guides and had some more put on the opposite side, with the additional braze on to the rear. Possibility.

 

[legrandefromage]

Not an Orange, not if its a press fit BB, there were others that had very similar stays and these are far larger than an 'O'.

Fisher had press fit BB and 'evolution' 1 1/4 head tubes around this time.

Orange used top route cabling too whereas this uses bottom pull

 

[legrandefromage]

In fact the more I look, the more i see a Gary Fisher

IGNORE THE FRAME FOR A SECOND!

Look at the forks, not around the forks, look at the forks - you're back in the room!

 

[legrandefromage]

These forks are pretty good quality with nice drop outs

 

[mini.cabrera]

Yes certainly agree has most of the characteristics of an Aluminium O, but yes the cable guides are on the right, which is odd, and obviously the extra braze ons the rear. The forks are different. However has the same boxed rear end. Looks like a 17 inch frame. And it shares the same 1 1/4 head tube. Has it any numbers on the bottom of the bottom bracket. Perhaps that might shed some light. Anyway very interesting!

Thank you, Cheshire! Yes, I think we will have some fun figuring this out hehe. I have some images of the serial number A91013963 (not sure about the second "1" could be "7") and an extra small code also in the BB difficult to read. And those horrible braze ons... they look like a modification with poor welds finishing. The paint job is, I suppose, not the original if those brazes are a modification.

 

[mini.cabrera]

Not an Orange, not if its a press fit BB, there were others that had very similar stays and these are far larger than an 'O'.

Fisher had press fit BB and 'evolution' 1 1/4 head tubes around this time.

Orange used top route cabling too whereas this uses bottom pull

Thanks! I'm still thinking it could be an Orange Aluminium O 1991 or some other Orange, but I will investigate other brands.

Look, here is an Aluminium O 1991: download/file.php?id=81367
This one is similar, also the seat post is identical. The one you have posted I think is 1992, or?

 

[mini.cabrera]

In fact the more I look, the more i see a Gary Fisher

IGNORE THE FRAME FOR A SECOND!

Look at the forks, not around the forks, look at the forks - you're back in the room!

Could be! My fork is an Axisu E28, does that tell you something? I don't know if it is the original fork.

 

[Cheshire1980]

Well the number embossed is a 91.
I have 2 aluminium o’s with similar numbers. A91020125 and A91020025, so your A91013963 certainly fits the bill. If you look on the other section on here, my Aluminium O thread on Readers Mtbs-1997, it shows some 17 inch aluminium O frames, the frames are identical apart from the cable guides and the braze ons near the seatpost. The above picture of the o in orange white fade is not ideal being a 19 inch alu o. Anyway I thinks it’s an o with modifications, the forks are not orange, probably another make in the size 1 1/4.