Orange. . . . .Formula?????

[GT-Steve]

I've got to say I'm with Jerky on this one. (apart from the bit about an original bike having soul - bikes don't have soul, they're welded metal, we can't be anthropomorphic about inanimate objects).

To many, a holy grail of (UK) mtb, yes, but really what has the formula contributed? I'm not 100% on the history of Orange, and in particular the formula, although this (and other recent threads) have enlightened me somewhat.

Yes it's a very rare and sought after piece of kit. yes it's worth saving, and yes it's worth every penny of the price it's at, but this is museum piece pricing now, for me anyway.

What we should all be thankful for, is that it's currently in the hands of someone that had no idea what they had (until the RB massive were drawn to it) and it could've easily found it's way to the scrap metal merchant.

Scary thought that.

 

[taffy]

It is historic and part of UK MTB history. but it's really a frameset for a grand with the possibility of about the same to restore clean up and make good. If it were very original it would be worth the £1k (IMHO) but as it not really.

Personally my Orange unicorn is a really nice 94 Clockwork with a nice cooking speck STX or Deore LX gruppo (sad i know...)

I suspect that there are 2 or 3 (or 4) people who really want it and logic has gone out the window. likely too that not all bidders will have seen this thread or even be on RB so maybe unaware of the highlighted frame issues.

 

[brocklanders023]

Agree that the price makes your eyes water but if I was minted I'd pay the money. To some people £1000 is small change. To a mad Orange nut with money to burn this is probably the only chance they'll get to own one. Could well be that this one and the other on the site are the only examples left on the planet.

I can't believe the price some bikes go for. People don't seem to think twice about dropping a couple of grand on a tidy Klein which when it comes down to it is a mass produced bike with nothing really outstanding or rare about it. The amount of money some people chuck at old bikes is off the scale but as I said before, to them £1000 is the same as £10 to me. Pocket money.

As a huge Orange fan I'd prefer to have this over 99% of the bikes on retrobike. Saying that, I'd prefer the monostay version as it looks better imo and was actually built by the chaps at Orange. Also, as taffy said, I'd prefer a showroom condition 1992/3 Clockwork or Prestige to this Formula in this condition. Horses for courses and all that. Just hope in ends up on this site.

 

[sylus]

Well 5 pages says this bike/frame is drawing attention for whatever reason.

I think sometimes we forget that although we are the largest retro bike community within the u.k., that we are not the only fans of older bikes.

As a point of history it has won no races, not been owned by anyone famous or been a techno breakthrough. What it is however is one of the most important bikes, even more so given you can count in single figures the amount made, from one of the u.k.'s pioneers of british mountain cycling so if that is your drive to buy this then it makes sense and maybe a bit of a bargain(even allowing for the huge spend to bring it back to mint).

percentage wise how often have we seen mass produced bikes go to a price were most of us have thought wtf? so in those type of terms is this overpriced? I don't think it is. Sure it would not be a bike I personally would pay that much for but then I have less money than a honest politician

As the bikes we love become older and rarer then events like this will happen more I feel..not the mass prodecued konas, oranges etc but specific rare models will hit the big buck. As to nevadas comment to the seller that it could reach a grand..turns out he knew more than most of us

We all have that one special bike that if we had the cash we would buy no matter what the cost and on this one it seems several people are thinking the same thing so good luck to them and the seller

For me the important thing is that 1 of the 8 has been found and is likely to have a new lease of life and that can't be a bad thing

 

[JeRkY]

What it is however is one of the most important bikes, even more so given you can count in single figures the amount made, from one of the u.k.'s pioneers of british mountain cycling

Why is it important exactly?
(It obviously means a lot to some...hence the crazy bids, but I don't understand why)

From what I gather it isn't made by Orange but outsourced to a custom builder. It is late 80's, dragging years behind the pioneers, lots of bikes were made by custom frame builders as one offs, many bikes were made in single figure quantities (again I refer you to my trials specific RC100, 1 of 1) £1000 for a knackered frame requiring lots of hard work to get it back to good health, I'm sure I'll end up admiring the finished article but I'd still question the buyers sanity.

 

[sausagefingers]

The eBay ad needs updating.if I'd turned up with 500 to pick the bike up I'd be dishing out some harsh words,if I turned up with a 1000+ then I'd be dishing out some knuckle butties.
Someone could be bidding on it competely unaware of this thread expecting a bike that just needs bit of a service with very minor surface rust - "nothing major".
I agree about comparing it to the price of Kleins then it doesnt look too pricey for something so rare but the ad is misleading to say the least

 

[sausagefingers]

whhhoooaaahhh,what just happened???

back down to £485!!!

 

[legrandefromage]

I reckon heads will clear and the price will drop back a bit, my guess to a strong £600 - £750...

Ooooh I'm clever...

 

[sinnerman]

whhhoooaaahhh,what just happened???

back down to £485!!!

Now you want to email him, tell him you are aware of the issues, seatpost etc, tell him you are prepared to take a chance, and pay the current price without seeing it yourself.

This might encourage him to wash his hands and be thankfull for what he has in hand.

You dont need to buy NOS, just resurrect old period correct, you could have it finished and shop floor new at £1000.

And that would be a cool ending.

 

[pete_mcc]

I should point out that my comments weren't saying that it shouldn't be restored but more regarding the cost...sure people have restored worse, but never at that price.

It would be fun to restore a bike like that, replace a tube here, reweld there, new paint, new decals....but at what point is it no longer a Formula and just a resprayed Donohue? Surely the value in these bikes is in originality and completeness. Respray it and that is gone, cut a tube out and you've lost 'it' and along with it the auction value.

Yes, this is a fab fixeruper, but only at a fixeruper price. £1000 for a frame that will need £200-300 on fixing only to end up with a pastiche of the original frame that itself was just an outsourced frame that was already readily available under a different name?