Overbury's Pioneer 1991 - 650BP Project

[mrkawasaki]

Opening a topic on the refurbishment of a newly acquired, one-owner Pioneer. I already have one from 2007 that I painted and messed around with, but couldn't get it to actually fit me. I resolved to buy a larger one but didn't reckon on it taking ten years! It seems proven, to me at least, that the Pioneer rarely came along in larger sizes.

Plans are to have a modern paint job with a retro flavour. I can't think of many standard Pioneer paint jobs that I like, exceptions being LGFs and a green/limon one I saw on RB, but can't find this evening - so I'm starting with this modern Longitude scheme as my palette. I will flout traditionalist practise by having both a crest and the rather clumsy modern type graphics - jury is out on the apostrophe.

As this version was originally specced as a tourer with the more rugged Cromer OR (* read: heavier *), extra bottle bosses and Jim Blackburn racks front and rear, I intend it to be more than capable of a little hipster bikepacking come the summer months. I'm probably going with a painted set of bull moose bars and those racks, might even add a pair of painted gorilla-style cages on the fork blades.

First stop the strip and powder coat.

 

[Vinevo]

Re:

I saw this on the bay, sigining up with interest to see how it pans out

 

[Malcmck]

Re:

Looking forward to seeing this one come together

 

[The History Man]

Re: Overbury's Pioneer 1991

A bit 'dazzle ship'? Interesting paint. Checking in.

 

[legrandefromage]

Re: Overbury's Pioneer 1991

I liked your other one and emulated it with an Orbit cross a few years ago (ironically too small as well!)

Really miss mine but it paid for a mortgage payment

 

[mrkawasaki]

Re: Overbury's Pioneer 1991

My willow-flavoured one will be hitting the market next week to help pay for the refurb.

Now I've stripped the OR one I have to admit to it being damn heavy! Tables show it to be 500g more than a MAX OR.

 

[The History Man]

Re: Overbury's Pioneer 1991

Well if it's too heavy..............

 

[legrandefromage]

Re: Overbury's Pioneer 1991

It will be the braising.

 

[mrkawasaki]

Re: Overbury's Pioneer 1991

Frameset and bits now at the painters - frame and fork - RAL 7032 Pebble Grey; bull moose bars/front and rear racks - RAL 2003 Pastel Orange.

Decals already here - in a pastel orange.

For my twisted contemporary bike packing vision, I think I'm going for a 650b build with some polished Velo Orange 'Zeste' 'v-but-not' cantilever brakes, a dynamo front hub with charger and a NOS SunTour MD chains and 7 or 8 speed rear, running on either some WTB Horizons or some sort of Compass or Panaracer gravel tire - either way, it'll be gum walled..

 

[was8v]

Re: Overbury's Pioneer 1991

Did you move the brake pivots? Or will those brakes allow for the 12mm or so difference?