sirbicycle
Retro Newbie
Hello,
I believe I have an Orange E2/E3 bike from the 1990s, originally purchased by my father. He recently passed it down to me, and while I intend to keep the main parts of the bike original, I want to upgrade its mechanics to modern standards, making it a more practical and contemporary ride.
I plan to update components such as the sprockets, rear derailleur, front derailleur, chainwheel, chain, cabling, bottom bracket, bearings, and any other recommended parts.
A few additional points to note:
The wheels currently have 26x1.95 tyres, which I've found difficult to source in decent quality. I am interested in fitting cross tyres (like gravel tyres) to ride both on and off-road. Should I change the wheels to accommodate different tyres, or can I fit larger tyres on the existing 559x17 wheels?
I prefer to use Shimano components for the upgrades if possible, but this isn't essential.
I've noticed that many vintage Orange E2/E3 bikes feature front suspension. Was this an original upgrade from Orange? If so, which front suspension was used, and if I want to add front suspension, what would you recommend?
My budget for these upgrades is £1,000, and I plan to purchase both new and secondhand parts in excellent or new condition.
Lastly, I must confess that I know very little about bikes, so please pardon any novice errors. I simply seek advice on how best to upgrade this bike.
Thank you.
I believe I have an Orange E2/E3 bike from the 1990s, originally purchased by my father. He recently passed it down to me, and while I intend to keep the main parts of the bike original, I want to upgrade its mechanics to modern standards, making it a more practical and contemporary ride.
I plan to update components such as the sprockets, rear derailleur, front derailleur, chainwheel, chain, cabling, bottom bracket, bearings, and any other recommended parts.
A few additional points to note:
The wheels currently have 26x1.95 tyres, which I've found difficult to source in decent quality. I am interested in fitting cross tyres (like gravel tyres) to ride both on and off-road. Should I change the wheels to accommodate different tyres, or can I fit larger tyres on the existing 559x17 wheels?
I prefer to use Shimano components for the upgrades if possible, but this isn't essential.
I've noticed that many vintage Orange E2/E3 bikes feature front suspension. Was this an original upgrade from Orange? If so, which front suspension was used, and if I want to add front suspension, what would you recommend?
My budget for these upgrades is £1,000, and I plan to purchase both new and secondhand parts in excellent or new condition.
Lastly, I must confess that I know very little about bikes, so please pardon any novice errors. I simply seek advice on how best to upgrade this bike.
Thank you.