boy"O"boy's 1991 Orange Aluminum "O" #2

[boy"O"boy]

Well this thing f**ks, doesn't it?

A mean looking machine.

And a lot to like about that.

Cheers Phil. It's looking stealthy without it's decals. Most likely going with Orange as #1, but tempted to try something different, maybe pewter to match the accents?

Small progress, but brakes now fitted.
Black Shimano M734 XT - new brake blocks from Disco. As this one's a rider, the original XT branded ones have been put aside for the Iceman prototype.

Rider wheels added too. Mavic M281CD's on black Deore hubs. 1.9 IRC X1 Amberwalls
These wheels have been on several of my riders and were one of the 1st wheelsets that I built....still going strong!

Here's some update pics.












More to come after 1st ride...
Cheers
boy"O"boy

 

[pw_pw_la]

Love it!

 

[TreaderSteve]

Yep, pretty darn sweet!

 

[boy"O"boy]

So... haven't been able to take the "O" for it's initial ride yet, but whilst the wife is out and the kids are happy playing.....why not use the facilities!

I've got 2 pairs of NOS amberwall tyres but they are blooming. This thread from @regan_ev has interested me. Will it work? Do I have the bravery to stick my NOS tyres in the oven?

NOS tyres

Having recently seen some NOS tyres both in the FS section and elsewhere on the interweb for sale with descriptions such as "Still has factory wax coating" or "Still has white mould release agent" et cetera, that, I'm afraid to tell you, this is factually incorrect. When a tyre is new, it won't...

www.retrobike.co.uk

.....let's give it a go!


NOS Panaracer Smoke Lite Compe 1.9" in full 'bloom'

Oven set to 75°C - 10 mins. It's a fairly new oven so quite efficient.


1 done, 1 to go....cooling off outside


Quite a contrast.


Result! Let's try the Mud Dawgs


A perfect pair!

Really pleased with the outcome.

Time to get them on the rims.....

boy"O"boy

 

[boy"O"boy]

Let's get 'em fitted.

I've already tried the black onza porcupines on the Atek/Bullseye wheels...these are the same wheels with the Panaracer Smoke Lite Compes.





Next up....let's try the NOS Tioga Mud Dawgs.
Put these on a really nice Mavic Paris Gao Dakar wheelset- the gunmetal hubs suit the other pewter accents really well. Just for show again though....these are destined for the Iceman "O" resto. Nice to play around with different themes though.







Then get it set up in rider mode...
Lock -on grips replace the ODi attacks.
Added later Tioga power stud 6's - really like the feel of these bar ends....proper old school narrow spacing of the thumbshifters and levers though!



Also scored another Orange Jersey to go with my Been Bag one. Didn't know there was 2 variations of the early spotted Jerseys. I take it the Been Bag version with the Orange text across the front is the later of the 2?

Cheers all.
boy"O"boy

 

[pw_pw_la]

Smoke Lite Compe version is literately perfect! I wouldn't change a thing. And being the idiot I am would ride it daily exactly like that!

(OK, I'd pop on some modern whatever's tires after the photos, but still...)

This bike is such a beast, I love it.

Desperate for a reason to bake some tires myself at some point too! Results always look so satisfying when posted on here.

 

[pw_pw_la]

Not sure how it's gonna ride without pedals tho?

What are you going with?

Get some on and this thing submitted in March's BOTM when the time comes!

 

[boy"O"boy]

Not sure how it's gonna ride without pedals tho?

What are you going with?

Get some on and this thing submitted in March's BOTM when the time comes!

Cheers Phil.

Got some shimano XT 'soapbar' spd that are for this rider... proper scuffed up! Although I'll bang some NOS ones on for the 'glamour' photos.
Noticed too that the crown on the Manitou look blue....that's just a rare capture of blue sky on the top surface!
Needs the decals too...
I'm really tempted to enter this into a BOTM but absolutely covered in mud! - and keep the 'clean' pics just for this thread!

boy"O"boy

 

[pw_pw_la]

Yes!

100%

Mud adds at least three bonus votes.

 

[boy"O"boy]

Yes!

100%

Mud adds at least three bonus votes.

Finally got to test out the 'rider spec' on a weekend ride. Problems with the Mavic derailleur not keeping tension on the chain (got to investigate this further) meant I swapped it out for a long cage Suntour XC pro. The flite was also swapped out for one that is a bit more 'weathered' .....read broken in.
Everything worked well, the spring kit in the Manitou's allowed that 1" of travel up front to be used to it's fullest!
As I prefer the ride of the 17" Aluminium "O" to the 19" - this rode with the familiarity of "O" #1
I run puncture protection strips in these rider wheels....and good thing too! 5 thorns were removed from the front tyre on the post ride clean up.

So. Here's pics of the "O" at it's filthiest!
Decals to come at some point although at the moment I quite like it without.


















Cheers
boy"O"boy