My 1989 Formula Orange....

Any developments on the bike? I only ask as I had my memory jogged while flicking through an old MBUK - May '91 - and there was an article with the identical Formula to yours, as owned by Graham Longstaff (NEMBA big-wig as then).

Quote: "...when I realised what I wanted out of a mountain bike I got my head together with my old mate Lester at Orange and designed a Prestige Formula which I am still riding now."

Some images:

Brilliant!

I bet the mrs is now bedding down in the garage, whilst the Formula is tucked up under the duvet every night.

What was the price of this BITD? I appreciate that each one was an individual spec.

Good luck with the build.

This is great, old classic tucked away, wonder what lies waiting to be discovered in other sheds and garages around the uk!

Man Alive!! Can't wait to see how this turns out...just hope the owner makes the right choice but if he wishes to let someone else do the work i'm sure their will be a sizeable queue....

Getting a truly stuck seatpost out without damaging the paint is tricky.
Sheldon Brown's page has some great tips for starters, but the hacksaw method is risky and doesn't always work (for me anyway!). Using caustic soda to dissolve the seatpost is dangerous to both your health and the paint, but will work.

A method that's worked for me is to use adjustable hand reamers to shave out the seatpost from the inside. It is a massive arse pain! Takes at least 4 hours of toiling away, then finally either the seatpost is eaten to tinfoil or it turns in the frame and is free at last!

I've reamed out 4 terminally stuck seatposts, and after each one I've said never again! This would definitely tempt me out of retirement

I'm sure a well equipped machine shop could run a nose-cutting reamer down the tube and destroy the seatpost with ease...

:cry:

All this has gone quiet unfortunately, hasn't it...?

Sorry to bump it back up but I'm itching to know any developments, what a bike

me too, joining the que for updates............

Yes, given the interest in the latest eBay one... I wonder how this is coming along - or has it found a new home?

Saw the one on eBay last week, makes sense now why it looked a fortune for an old orange........

Damn that's cool. Never even heard of these before this thread.... I must admit it opening it thinking it was one of Deb Murrells old bikes.... Little did I know !