Orange clockwork dilemma

[ChrisFerg]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice please! A while ago I bought a 1992 orange clockwork frame from someone on here for £70, with the hope to build it up as a touring bike for my upcoming tour. It'd been painted by Argos a while ago but needed a repaint, so I took it to my local guy, who also offered to add some bottle mounts under the down tube and add some braze ons for a front rack. However, when he stripped the paint off it turned out the chainstay was pretty full of holes, which had obviously been fixed by Argos but which had gotten quite a lot worse, and there was a big blob of brass under the bottom bracket suggesting repair work there too. He said if he fixed it up it'd probably be fine and safe for everyday use, but that he probably wouldn't advice cycling from the UK to Japan on it..

Now my question is what to do with it. He charges £85 to powder coat the frame, though he'd do it cheaper if I don't care about the colour and wait to bung it in with the next frame he paints. Is it worth getting it fixed and painted to resell on? I assume probably not? Tbh I don't have much use for it - I'm about to leave the country for 18 months, and have all the bikes I need for when I get back!

Any thoughts much appreciated!

Cheers,
Chris

 

[2manyoranges]

Re:

I have had a couple of frame failure on the chainstay and it’s not disastrous, but if internal corrosion has set in inside a clockwork then there could paper thin sections everywhere. And failure will happen at the time the frame is most stressed - ie precisely the time you don’t want it to. It’s worth putting framesaver inside a steel frame if it’s new of in good nick.

What size frame are you needing? I have more Oranges here than an fruit stall - some steel, some alloy. And in different sizes. I know its best to save a frame if you can - I ride a Cannondale Badboy as my commuter and you should see the dent in the drive seat stay - vicious, but then I am only riding it locally, and monitoring the frame for cracks. But a frame breaking terminally on a long tour is no fun....

Let me know...

 

[ChrisFerg]

Re:

Thanks, that's really useful! I think I've found a replacement frame that will do thanks, but if anything turns out wrong with that too I'd be looking for a 17"...

 

[rwm1962]

I've a spare 93 Clockwork frame & fork in 17". New black powdercoat & decals about 3 years ago & never assembled since.

 

[ChrisFerg]

Re:

Thanks, but I think I'm sorted for a frame now. If something turns out to be wrong with that one I'll be in touch! How much would you want for it out of interest?

Think I'll probably end up scrapping the frame tbh unless anyone wants it? Doesn't seem financially worth repairing and painting it if I can't be sure how safe it'd be to ride, and wouldnt want to sell it to someone who isn't fully informed about the risks.

 

[rwm1962]

No problem. £90 plus post. Inc forks