A call for advice

Gorbs

Retro Newbie
Hi All
First time here so nice to meet you all.

OK Here's the deal. Waaaaaaay back in '92 I used to go tearing around on a Clockwork Orange Deore DX. I stopped riding seriously in '95 and apart from the occasional blast, it has sat in my Garage.

I started riding again earlier this year and not even thinking for a second about my Orange (Mea Culpa) got a Speciaized HardRock sport, just to get back into things without blasing out too much cash (being married with a family has that effect...)

Anyway, as I've gotten more and more back into things, I've started thinking about bringing my Orange out of retirement. Condition wise it's not bad. I put a new bottom bracked and headset on it about three years ago. Biopace front cogs are a bit worn and the rear derailleur is a bit beaten up and could probably do with swapping.

I fancy bringing the bike back up to a condition where I can use it in anger again so I guess I'm looking for some advice on where to start and to what extent is it possible to refurb old bikes.

cheers
 
Welcome. This is the place for that project. Your amongst like minded people. Getting vintage Shimano shouldn't be hard. Alas i don't have any except black DX front brakes.
 
just look at any of the garage queens in the BOTM competitions to see how far you can go!

I'd chuck some of the period stuff that worked and isn't uber rare (orexpensive) on it and ride it like you stole it!
 
Sounds like getting it rideable will be (relatively) straightforward although how far you go after that will depend on budget, time and how much you love it.

And it's only fair to offer a warning - you are about to embark on an enjoyable but very slippery slope!
 
Coming here for that kind of advice is like sliding into an opium den and saying you are looking for a buzz! Yes we can help, no you will never leave! :D :LOL:

Welcome fellow O-ranger, lets see some pics of your machine!!
 
First point is surely that the Clockwork is a timeless classic and a high-quality bike, so of course it should still be in use. As you've got the Hardrock as well, it gives you the opportunity to spec them for different purposes - e.g., I would update the Clockwork, but I wouldn't put a suspension fork on it, a. a modern fork would ruin the geometry, b. the Orange rigid forks were great.

I've got a C16R which I think is from 95 and I left it rigid, but fitted it out for commuting with V-brakes and 7-speed STX, more for anti-theft purposes really, not as a retro touch, and light non-disk wheels are a huge upgrade and don't cost much. I found the bare frame weighed 4.2lbs, which is pretty damn light for steel. It's great fun and plenty fast as a commuter, and it's also still a blast cross-country as it's so light.

I'll bet you'd find the Clockwork in that kind of configuration would be faster than the Hardrock over almost any given course, owing to the weight advantage outweighing the lack of suspension. Let's face it, the R in C16R stands for racing and it was a genuine poor man's racer in its day, and that means it's still a great bike, it's just that it's rigid.
 
Thanks all
Your comments are most welcome. I suspect budget may be a slight issue. I'm still trying to justify to my wife why I've had to go out and buy a set of Lumicycle lights :LOL:

As for Anthony's advice regarding keeping the original forks or not, I guess this is one of my biggest areas of concern as I don't know whether to keep it original as much as possible or not. Some front suspension would be nice, but will it spoil the geometry/look of the bike? Also can I still get forks to fit it?

I really have a driving desire to make this bike my primary one. It seems to me that in the last few years, yes there have been a lot advances in the technology of mountain bikes, but as always, while some has been genuine improvement/evolution, some of the change has been cosmetic/fashion driven.

My Hardrock is nice and modern. Suspension (all be it fairly lackluster forks) is a comfort and disc brakes a revelation...but it ain't got the feel and soul of my Orange...

I'll get some piccys up soon

cheers
 
Gorbs":1rnxpaey said:
just to get back into things without blasing out too much cash (being married with a family has that effect...)

Welcome :D
I know the above feeling well :LOL: :LOL:
Slipping a set of front sus from the mid 90's would look great and shouldnt effect the set up too much at all. Have a look in the For Sale thread, Jez always seems to some forks for sale ;)
Over time you'll have a great rig.
 

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