Fillet brazed off road adventure bike of unknown origin.

Finally pulled the trigger on this frameset, it's been listed on ebay for months and I'm sure some of you also had it on your watch list...



Possibly an Overbury's, although it has at least a couple of details that I've never seen on other Powell bikes, but then my knowledge is limited compared to some of you here.

Alternative potential makers include Dave Lloyd, Roberts, Dave Hinde and Orbit among others who built similar frames, or it could be a one off custom job made by a completely unknown frame builder.

I've got a few ideas about what to do with it, but a lot is riding on whether or not a positive identification is possible. If it does turn out to be a particular model then that opens up the possibility for some kind of restoration. Otherwise it's a blank canvas.

Once it arrives I'll be able to take a closer look, check for a frame number, weigh it and maybe learn some more about it, in the meantime thoughts and guesses are welcome.

I thought Overburys soon as I looked at it - I've probably had a dozen or more, and we probably see one every few weeks for fixing.
Just the vibe though, and a few details. there are quite a few around with surprising details - I suspect they became more standard a bit v later, when it was a bit of a production line.

Lamp boss on the fork? And a Hite Rite boss on the seat lug? Its a funny one for sure.

Rod_Saetan said:

Lamp boss on the fork? And a Hite Rite boss on the seat lug? Its a funny one for sure.

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I was racking my brains about what that was on the seat tube, obvious now you said it

bikeworkshop said:

I thought Overburys soon as I looked at it - I've probably had a dozen or more, and we probably see one every few weeks for fixing.
Just the vibe though, and a few details. there are quite a few around with surprising details - I suspect they became more standard a bit v later, when it was a bit of a production line.

Click to expand...

Agree that it's the most likely option. I have two Pioneers, an 89 and 90, so will be able to make some direct comparisons. Although mine are both 18'' where this is described as 18.5''.

Rod_Saetan said:

And a Hite Rite boss on the seat lug?

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Is that the step in the seat post tube just below the top tube? I have several photos of Roberts Roughstuff and three of them have the same, the seat stays are similar as well but the frame number should tell if it is a Roberts. I have been keeping an eye on it but it is too big for me, looking forward to seeing it progress.

It has a fair few things in common with my Yates, but there are also quite a few differences and I don't think it is. Plenty of custom options available at most builders though, so it might be difficult to determine 100%!

Hite-rite was a spring loaded seat position adjuster -

I thought the lamp boss looked like a brazed-on wheel nut.
Some features could be custom.
Some could be later additions.

Overburys' shop bike rack is in my barn, doing the business

Nice project, will scrub up well. Someone should be able to identify the unusual seat post clamp arrangement there, I thought Tom Bromwich at first so Orbit would be close, but all the braze-ons and fork would point towards a more modern build -late 90s and the dropouts are more modern than early orbit etc. FD cable route appears to be bottom pull so I am imagining this is pre 97 when everything went top pull and canti bridges disappeared for v brake. I think it is the original fork since the mountings for the canti bosses are similar square constructions front and rear - should be a fun mystery working out its origin. I cringe when people drive odd screws into the bottle cage holes but I suppose its better than letting water get in.

pwebb said:

Nice project, will scrub up well. Someone should be able to identify the unusual seat post clamp arrangement there, I thought Tom Bromwich at first so Orbit would be close, but all the braze-ons and fork would point towards a more modern build -late 90s and the dropouts are more modern than early orbit etc. FD cable route appears to be bottom pull so I am imagining this is pre 97 when everything went top pull and canti bridges disappeared for v brake. I think it is the original fork since the mountings for the canti bosses are similar square constructions front and rear - should be a fun mystery working out its origin. I cringe when people drive odd screws into the bottle cage holes but I suppose its better than letting water get in.

Click to expand...

The braze on at the rear of the seat tube was identified by @Rod_Saetan as being for a Hite Rite, which might point to an earlier year, perhaps 88-92. Drop outs seem to match my Pioneers (89 and 90), I'll do a side by side comparison when it arrives.

Agree about the screws, definitely better than nothing.