retro(ish) Orange 223 DD build

sam264

Retro Guru
So I'm a sucker for oranges, I currently ride a 2006 Rocky Mountain Slayer for my general XC/AM/DH adventures (does everything brilliantly), but I fancied a full on downhill bike, I love Oranges and had tried a 224, which I really liked, but couldn't really afford. I managed to get an orange 223 DD (the rare one with 1.5" head tube and front mech cable routing) relatively cheap. I think it's a 2003/2004 model, so fairly retro to me! It has relatively modern geometry though for a bike of it's age, so hopefully it should ride pretty well! I've bought most of the components used and also used a lot of stuff that I had lying about, so the full build hasn't exceeded £600 I don't think. Just waiting for the fork to turn up now (monday) and then I should be good to build it all up!

Here's a photo after I fitted the cranks/chain guide. I'll post some more up once it's built.

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Also, here's the Slayer, if anyone is interested.

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Yeah same here, £15 for a set of pivot bearings from Orange vs ~£80+ for the same on my Slayer (which is only a linkage driven single pivot anyway)...
 
Ouch thats pricey!

Its a well know fact that single pivot = perfect for uk conditions.

This is nice, the slayer deserves its own thread too though.
 
Pricey? You mean the bearings for the Slayer? That thing definitely wasn't designed for UK slop, there's barely any mud clearance. It rides so nicely though!
 
Yeah thats it, for that price youd expect them to last years! Which i doubt they do?
 
Well, this is for enduro max bearings, which would (hopefully) last a while? It doesn't help that I blasted mine with a jet wash though... :roll: Last time I do that...
 
sam264":39udf3f5 said:
Well, this is for enduro max bearings, which would (hopefully) last a while? It doesn't help that I blasted mine with a jet wash though... :roll: Last time I do that...

Hahaha! Woopsie, you live and you learn, first i have heard someone do that in some time now though!
 
Lol, you should go to Llandegla/ Coed y Brenin, set of bearings ruined there every five minutes (literally). Bucket and sponge when I get home for me from now on.
 
So I just saw someone's 222 on pinkbike, and he's had some aftermarket stickers made up in the 224 splatter style. Quite fancy having some made up in white for my 223, but a bit closer to the original 224 design, what do you guys reckon?

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