Orange 18" ALUMINUM Elite **INFO REQUIRED** nice pics i

Hi All!

Firstly all i can say is WOW what a great site! i would never have thought there was a market out there for older bikes but it all looks like big business

This is my first post on the forums here, i have just turned 30 and searching through all the pictures here of the objects of desire from my youth is wonderful !
I have spent many hours reading and looking of these things of yesteryear
It has brought back many fond and happy memories of my teens and early 20s

As life, job, mortgage etc have taken hold, my Orange Elite of many years fun has sat unloved back of my lock up for too long gathering dust and unridden

I am hoping some retro'ers on here can hopefully help me with some meaningful advice as to what should be my best course of action

So my situation and questions are,

I am about to turn 30 and no longer mountain biker at all, i am totally alien to the moutnain biking world and have been for last 8/9 years, the last big thing i remeber was the introduction of V Brakes !!
I am now a regular at the gym and want to take mountain biking back up now i work from home

So i am in a wondering, what is best to do,

1.Should i restore my orange elite to its former glory?
I like the bike and its a good ride and has many happy memories from it


2. Has mountain biking techology came on so far that i should honestly look at buying a brand new modern bike

3. If i were to sell my Orange Elite, what would you forum mebers estimate the approx 2nd hand value to be about ? i am not greedy just but would just look to get a fair price for it

4. There were many objects of desire in the moutain biking world in my teens (Yetis, Kleins, Paces, Cannondales, DOGZ BOLLOX etc)
Am i best getting rid of my Orange Elite and getting one of my dream machines of my youth ? Do dream come true when this happens ?? lol

5. Is it much more fun to build an entire PROJECT from scratch? to your own entire spec? ie a fully PURPLE mtb? a ridiculously light beast that you can lift with your pinkie ?

I am a decent enough mechanic so can build a bike from scratch no problems and have about £2000 budget in total

and lastly,

6. From the pics supplied can some tell me what year it is and what the original specification should be for it ?
and lastly,

7. Should i choose to sell my Orange Elite, would anyone on here be interested in it? I am based in North East England, about 10 miles from Newcastle

Thanks everyone
PAULUSS

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SPEC

Frame: Orange 18"
Forks: Pace RC35s
Wheels: XT hubs DT swiss spokes MAVIC 231CD rims with continetal tyres
HandleBar: X Lite G Force 7005 anodised red DH bar
Shifters: X Ray gripshifts
Levers: DiaCompe
Brakes: Shinamo XT v brakes
Shifter F: Suntour
Shifter R: Deore XT
Seatpost: USE
Saddle: Xlite
Chainset: Pace full chainset
Chain: Shimano XT
Cluster: 7 speed
Pedals: Shimano XT SPDs









Pace chainset

dont think ive ever seen pace forks that collasped before,


id strip the bike, remove the decals, polish the whole thing to a nice finish, get some replacement decals made, see gil_m

then use the parts that are in good condition and source some nice trick replacement parts.

and have fun doing it.

You seriously need some new elastomers (rubber springs) in those Pace forks!

I'd also consider replacing the seatpost. Other than that, if everything is in working order then just ride it.

By the way, the chainset isn't Pace - just the chainrings. Cranks look like Suntour (it will be stamped on the backs of the arms)

Hello.

Nice to see another Ally Orange

First off, your Orange should build up into a very nice bike with not a lot of cash and is more then capable of holding it's own against modern bikes.

You could do a completely retro build or a modern one, or if it's to be in regular use maybe a bit of both.

With the kind of budget you're talking about you could easily resore the big O and still buy a new bike for every day (maybe a new big O to match ) If you wanted to.

Finally, for £2000 you could get hold of a good example of any of your dream bikes, maybe a couple of the 'cheaper' ones.

Oh, and if you did decide to sell up and start again. You'll make much more selling it as parts.

thanks for the advice on the pace forks - to tell the truth they have been like that since the winter of the bikes exile many years back - funny the forks ride like rigid forks now ! lol

i do have a bit of a soft spot for the orange and it still does ride well so may do the retro refit - if anyting it will be fun and the end product will be my work of art !

given the cash i have set aside for a bike or indeed bikes, i am still out of touch as to what is good bad and ugly

Of the retro classic is there a general consenus as to what is the ULTIMATE retro bike ? or BEST retro bike ?

I always used to stare with jaw dropped at Kleins whenever i saw them ride by or in magazines

I know it is a bit like finding trhe holy grail, but is there a PERFECT retro dream bike out there ?

Cor blimey!!

Questions like that could start fights round here!

You certainly shouldn't have to look to hard for a Klein with your budget

Actually, most stuff is going to be within your reach if you're patient.

the best retro bike is yours. No, not an orange ally elite with stuffed Pace forks - the best retrobike is the one you've owned and loved and has taken you on all those rides over the years.

as pretty as some of these kleins are, they'll never be the best.

Gotta say I agree.

You've got a great starting point.

Classic Orange frame and Pace forks (in need of some TLC!), you can't go far wrong really.

If I was you, I'd be building a VERY nice Aluminium O and then riding it everywhere. (and saving a huge wedge of cash too).

speak to pace and get those elastomers ASAP, seriously messed up angles with the forks that collapsed. (or speak to justbackdated on these forums- he can probably help)