Is this frame made by Orange Bikes, or Marin??

[lefty.rosenthal]

I bought this frame on eBay thinking it was a 1995 Marin Indian Fire Trail, as advertised.

After close inspection, I believe it could be made by Orange Bikes.

The first clue is the cable stops on the top tube. My frame has 3 stops on the top tube (drive-side) and 0 on the bottom tube. Marin has made no such frame with 3 cable stops on the top tube. They usually have 1 on the down tube.

The second clue is the serial number. The first 4 characters "A309". This means it was manufactured by A-Pro in Taiwan in the year 1993, and the month of September? An argument against it being a Marin is Marin serials do not start with an "A".

A third clue is the rear dropouts and rear derailleur. It is similar in design to an Aluminium Elite. Strangely enough, they are similar to a Fire Trail as well.

At first I thought it was a 1993 Aluminium Elite, but images of Elites I've seen have 3 cable stops on the upper top tube and not the drive-side.

One thing that's bizarre is the beefy bottom tube. Orange Bikes from the 90's don't exhibit such thick bottom tubes. However, the Indian Fire Trail has a beefy bottom tube similar to my frame.

Do I have an Orange frame? If yes, why is it that I can't find images of my frame anywhere on the web, including the Orange Bike catalogs on this site.

I find it so strange my frame shares characteristics from both Marin and Orange.

 

[legrandefromage]

A very generic far east frame badged by loads of companies. Nothing special but nothing bad either. Builds into a perfectly usable bicycle.

Oranges of this era have wishbone rear ends and/ or flat oval stays and I'm sure 1 1/4 head tubes too.

 

[james1985]

I'm pretty sure its the same frame as my 93 Merlin. looks very familiar. Will try and get some photos later as its in the loft.

 

[Pipmeister]

I'm pretty sure its the same frame as my 93 Merlin. looks very familiar.......

Yeah, for a while I was thinking that it may be an Ormskirk Merlin. My (now decommissioned) 1996 M.A.L.T. II has a serial number AT6K01094, with a 27.2mm Seat Post and a 31.8mm Seat Tube.

The Gear Hanger is different on the frame above, but other features are similar, such as the cable routing and the Rear Canti Bridge.

Crikey, until I dug out this picture, I had forgotten that I had blinged mine up so much :shock: .


Merlin DS Hi by Philip Mock, on Flickr

Pip.

 

[james1985]

Pipmeister that is awesome. What hubs and rims are they?

 

[Pipmeister]

Re:

Cheers - Looking back at the picture this morning, I was thinking that perhaps it was a little too much, but when you start fitting out a frame with red anodised components, you just can't seem to stop .
Wheels:
Rear: Mavic 517 Red on Hope Ti Glide Red c/w DT Revolution 2/1.7mm & Red Alloy Nipples.
Front: Mavic 517 Red on Hope Suspension Ti Red c/w DT Revolution 2/1.7mm & Red Alloy Nipples.
(Built by Merlin Cycles)

Pip

 

[james1985]

Re: Re:

Cheers - Looking back at the picture this morning, I was thinking that perhaps it was a little too much, but when you start fitting out a frame with red anodised components, you just can't seem to stop .
Wheels:
Rear: Mavic 517 Red on Hope Ti Glide Red c/w DT Revolution 2/1.7mm & Red Alloy Nipples.
Front: Mavic 517 Red on Hope Suspension Ti Red c/w DT Revolution 2/1.7mm & Red Alloy Nipples.
(Built by Merlin Cycles)

Pip

I have never seen red 517's before. Nice.
Funny that, today I fitted a spare set of Ti Glides and 517's to my Offroad.

 

[dyna-ti]

Re: Re:

I have never seen red 517's before. Nice.
Funny that, today I fitted a spare set of Ti Glides and 517's to my Offroad.

My disc versions. (Rampage on here ano'd the spiders for me)

 

[lefty.rosenthal]

Thanks for the much needed info pipmeister! Gorgeous chariot of a bike you have there. I'm disappointed my frame ended up not being an Orange, but after seeing your Merlin, the frame has potential. Cheers!