1990 Orange Aluminum "O" prototype - The Iceman returns.

[brocklanders023]

Lovely stuff mate, coming on well. Pretty sure I also owned this at one point!

 

[sq225917]

If it's genuinely the proto bike then it was probably a Kevin Sabiston's fresh out of the workshop. Don't recall him ever being called ice man tho.

 

[boy"O"boy]

Lovely stuff mate, coming on well. Pretty sure I also owned this at one point!

Thanks Ed. The Iceman has probably been in the hands of a few Orange Fanatics on here!

If it's genuinely the proto bike then it was probably a Kevin Sabiston's fresh out of the workshop. Don't recall him ever being called ice man tho.

It's definitely an Orange Aluminum "O" prototype
- The '91 Catalogue is one of them but 19" frame size
- The MBi May '91 magazine article is another 19" one but with different decals/graphics
- The Iceman is a 17" prototype . This is most likely the only one they made in this size.
- There was/is probably a 21" frame Prototype out there too.
As for Kevin Sabiston's bike - this pic from the '92 Orange Catalogue (probably taken in the '91 season) shows him on a 19" frame... Although it does say it's a disguised Aluminum Elite

Maybe this is better...


As you rightly say....he wasn't known as the 'Iceman' either. Maybe it's one of this line-up (pic taken from 1991 Catalogue)
The guy standing in the open door with the white hair? - could he be the Iceman?



Cheers all.
Any info on the Iceman/ Orange team riders welcome

boy"O"boy

 

[markoc]

Checking in as an Orange fanboy and to follow this awesome thread!

 

[Cheshire1980]

Can confirm it’s not Kevin Sabistons, as I had an online conversation with him regarding my Orange Formula I had at the time, and mentioned and showed him the icemans o, and it definitely was not his. Unfortunately he was not able to shed any light on this frame. As for the frame, it was found dumped in a garden with other bits and bobs for along time, which I bought off Shinobi on here.. so it is one of the few frames that’s not passed through many owners.

 

[d8mok]

Wasn’t Iceman a cycle race or event in USA ?

 

[minor_LEGEND]

The back story with this thing is awesome. Page 1 was a roller coaster of emotions LOL.
I look forward to seeing her with decals on.

 

[brocklanders023]

Ah, yeah, it was a similar condition Clockwork I had with a Prototype decal.

@sinnerman can probably shed light on the team riders?

 

[boy"O"boy]

Checking in as an Orange fanboy and to follow this awesome thread!

Cheers @markoc
The build is well underway. Finessing the details. Still in shock that it actually returned after being lost for 2 years.

Can confirm it’s not Kevin Sabistons, as I had an online conversation with him regarding my Orange Formula I had at the time, and mentioned and showed him the icemans o, and it definitely was not his. Unfortunately he was not able to shed any light on this frame. As for the frame, it was found dumped in a garden with other bits and bobs for along time, which I bought off Shinobi on here.. so it is one of the few frames that’s not passed through many owners.

@Cheshire1980 Nice bit of info/ confirmation right there Calum. It's too small to be Kevin's bike...which I thought anyway.
Interesting this was found dumped in a Garden.
Like the #15 "O" I bought from @stoney_god1975 that you had originally saved from a Welsh Garden, it's really satisfying to bring these "O"s back from neglect to rideable/ show off condition.
Black "O" #2 still gets regular use....my go to retro ride.

Wasn’t Iceman a cycle race or event in USA ?

I've had a look. It's a 30 mile point to point race held each year in Northern Michigan every November. Been running since 1990 - Entries still available for this year if you're keen! - maybe the Iceman has a connection.. . Nothing is known though.

The back story with this thing is awesome. Page 1 was a roller coaster of emotions LOL.
I look forward to seeing her with decals on.

@minor_LEGEND
Cheers. 100% invested in this....back story amazing. Who Iceman actually was only adds another twist in the tale. As it's definitely a prototype... This is the direction I've taken it, but with homage to it's previous identity.

With decals? - well you're in luck!
I've managed to trace my old emails with @gil_m and Gil has been amazing with recovering the old proofs and picking up the project again. A super fast turnaround and this turned up today ..


Too impatient to wait.... here's the result.



The orange looks brown in the pics but is very much orange! The orange of the paint that Komraid had colour matched from the area under the front mech is so fluorescent that it's difficult to capture on camera.
Gil's decals for this are amazing quality. A lot of effort has gone into this to match against original dimensions and pictures prior to repainting.




Cheers
boy"O"boy

 

[boy"O"boy]

So. A couple of details to sort before final build.
The seat post clamp needs a repaint. This is a genuine one from an aluminium "O" ...so it's correct fitment for the age.
The XT Q/R had been 'borrowed' from the Serotta Off-road Pro-flex prototype project. A nice new one/ VGC will be sourced instead.


The custom stalk needs a repaint in gloss black to match the 1991 brochure picture. No decals this time. Orange text is a perfect match for Gil's decals though!


The keen eyed will notice the Ice Man's "O" decal. Late addition to Gil's decal proof....homage to the original top tube decal that has given this "O" it's alter ego!
Like the original.... it's only been added to the top tube on the drive side. The Iceman name lives on!

Cheers all.
boy"O"boy