Whats the year of this Orange Prestige??

Got this off eBay last week and was wondering about the year it was made. I've used the way most people seem to date Orange frames by using the first number after the A as the year made. It's an 8,so would that mean it's an 1988 model? If so,would that make it one the first Prestige's Orange produced?

It's definitely a Prestige due to the rear brake boss plus,all the tubes have that lovely ting when you flick them that Tange Prestige makes. Also i hadn't realised that Orange used Prestige tubing throughout,because even the seat stays and chain stays make that ting when you flick them.

The whole serial number is A8912 then maybe an A or a 4 then 511 if that's any help.

Also what's the correct way to measure the size of an Orange frame?

Your initial thoughts may be close. The frame shape and brazings resembles those produced 89 to 92. Your frame looks exactly like my Clockwork frame which dates from somewhere in the early end of that era, except mine was Tange Infinity badged. The frame has that lovely ting which makes me wonder sometimes. There are several threads devoted to Orange frame dating and numbering on here and I'm sure other Orange owners will be able to help advise...

No one has really nailed the pre 1990 dating yet but 8912 would suggest December 1989 to me. Certainly fits in with the frame design. I could be wrong but thought the Prestige didn't turn up until 89 so not an 88?

Is it pink or orange? if pink then I'm pretty sure they only offered that colour in 89/90 like my yellow Clockwork.

FYI, the early Clockworks had the same design rear brake boss.

brocklanders023":wvinxqkl said:

No one has really nailed the pre 1990 dating yet but 8912 would suggest December 1989 to me. Certainly fits in with the frame design. I could be wrong but thought the Prestige didn't turn up until 89 so not an 88?

Is it pink or orange? if pink then I'm pretty sure they only offered that colour in 89/90 like my yellow Clockwork.

FYI, the early Clockworks had the same design rear brake boss.

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Spot on as always...

brocklanders023":3fy51j0s said:

No one has really nailed the pre 1990 dating yet but 8912 would suggest December 1989 to me. Certainly fits in with the frame design. I could be wrong but thought the Prestige didn't turn up until 89 so not an 88?

Is it pink or orange? if pink then I'm pretty sure they only offered that colour in 89/90 like my yellow Clockwork.

FYI, the early Clockworks had the same design rear brake boss.

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That makes sense about it being a clockwork brocklanders. The frames pink but also the more i look on the net for pictures and compare it with mine,the orange and prestige stickers seem the wrong way round. I've hardly found any with the Orange sticker on the top tube,there normally on the down tube and vice versa for the prestige sticker. Plus the Tange Prestige sticker looks to new compared to the battered paintwork. I'll just have to keep looking for one of the first Prestige's then

Don't worry Spanky, I'm pretty sure it is a Prestige. All I was saying was that the rear brake boss was the same on early Clockwork's and Prestige, not that it marked yours as a Clockwork. The decals are fine as well because the early Oranges were that way round. They changed to 'model' on top tube, 'Orange' on down tube around 1991 then slightly changed the decal design in 1992.
Colour wise I used my Clockwork as an example of the paint they offered back then. As far as I am aware the yellow/white and pink/white were offered on either the Prestige or Clockwork but only in 1989/90 if that makes sense?

It'll be a Prestige and nowt to add that hasn't been said already other than have a read through the many Orange threads, some good info in them of style to serial numbers, frame weights probably, colour, sticker and how they played around with stickier design because they could.
Thing where not quite yearly, more whenever a batch came in. It's annoyingly difficult to tell clockwork from prestige, I would assume if serials where collected then the number would bring a pattern out of which batches where which. I know 92/3 are easier to tell apart.

Two examples of Orange on top tube, Clockwork on down tube. Both 89's.

Nice to see a pic of the white stalk on the bike in those colours too..

brocklanders023":1av1d2yf said:

Two examples of Orange on top tube, Clockwork on down tube. Both 89's.

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Liking both of these fine examples – nice to see a yellow one. Remember seeing the classic orange fade one against the old dry stone wall whilst researching frame restoration and it got me hooked on RB. The white Stalk looks great on it. Looking at both of yours, I'm now more certain mine's an '89 frame.