Orange Aluminium Elite

[christiankay]

I've just stripped down my 1992 Orange Alu Elite. It's a gold anodised colour and looking a bit faded. I was hoping to re-paint it a matt black and turn it into a urban city bike with new forks and components. However, now I've actually stripped it I've noticed the tubing is thin and the headset is oversized (the opposite of new bikes), the seat post is oversize and is an Orange Stalk, the headset and stem are not Aheadset and the CQP crankset and bb was seized solid so we had to hacksaw it off. I need to know can I fit a modern pair of suspension forks, aheadset headset and stem and what size components will fit. Also a friend told me becasue it's anodised I can't paint it or re-spray it? Any help advice or suggestions would be greatly received.

 

[clockworkgazz]

I assume you mean the headset is 1 1/4 inch, if so you can buy a shim that will alow you to run 1 1/8 forks and a aheadset too, the stem will then be 1 1/8th. Whats wrong with the current set up?

 

[Dave_H]

I've got some 1 1/4" Rock Shox Quadra 10s in great condition that would fit in nicely.

 

[clockworkgazz]

now thats a thought right size and they would look the part too

 

[christiankay]

Thanks

Thanks for the replies Gaz and Dave - I know the Pace forks look amazing with their carbon stanchions but they only move about 2cm thanks to elastomer technology.

When I bought the bike it had Pace hard forks that I converted to RC35 with a conversion kit - I always loved the backwards brake which always made more sense as the unit pressed into the forks as the wheel turned forward BMX style.

I guess my plans to turn this Orange into a modern urban city bike goes against the whole retrobike thing ... but we've come on so much since the early 90's especially shifting and brakes.

 

[jimihendrix]

Your main problem is the 1 1/4 headtube size, stems and headsets turn up occasionally for this size though, just a case of looking and waiting, Chris King still do new 1 1/4 A-headsets, they are not cheap but are superb and virtually last a lifetime, CK also do a Devolution A-headset for fitting 1 1/8 forks into a 1 1/4 headtube, this would increase your fork options, the shims Gazz mentioned can be used but i dont think these are available new and you could wait long enough to find a secondhand pair, there is also shims to fit a 1 1/8 headset into a 1 1/4 headtube but these also aren't really common, using a Devolution headset will also allow you to use a more common 1 1/8 stem.

aspirevelotech.com do new CK headsets.

Also you need to watch the length of fork you use on the front, 80mm is the absolute limit (60 being preferable), any more and you will upset the handling and the bike may look odd.

Anodized frames can be painted but the anodizing will need to be stripped off, this is best done using drain cleaner (B&Q sells it), normal paint stripper like Nitromorse wont work on anodizing, plenty of examples on how to do this if you do a search, what about stripping the anodizing off and polishing it up ?

Nothing wrong with using modern kit on the frame if you intend to ride it lots, call it a Retro-Mod

 

[Xesh]

......what about stripping the anodizing off and polishing it up ?

That's the way to go! My Elite I had, bitd, was a polished one and it looked lovely. I wish I still had it. :cry:

 

[northerndave]

Try these guys for reducers

http://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk ... T+REDUCERS

Not used them myself, but came up when I was looking to reduce a Cannondale headtube.

D

 

[Corduroyboy]

the CQP crankset and bb was seized solid so we had to hacksaw it off.

:shock:

 

[boy"O"boy]

......what about stripping the anodizing off and polishing it up ?

That's the way to go! My Elite I had, bitd, was a polished one and it looked lovely. I wish I still had it. :cry:

Still ongoing with my 'elite'..... on the 2nd tube of Autosol now!

Was the 'elite' available in a gold anodised finish?.... would love to see a pic of one if it was. I thought they were all polished aluminium finish?

Here's some progress pics of mine.... long way to go yet

Cheers,
boy"O"boy