My new (to me) Orange Clockwork

[mickle]

My beloved uncle eventually accepted that he won't ever ride it again, so offered me his 1990 Clockwork Orange. It was white and orange from the factory and he had it repainted after adding new braze-ons for racks and cages. He used it to tour Eire and the highlands and Islands over many summers. Its hung in his garage unused for the last 15 years or so.

I've been pining for an early steel, rigid mountain bike but haven't been in a position to buy one, so I'm really chuffed with it. Its a bit older that I'd have preferred, being about the last generation of MTB to have an horizontal top tube, inch steerer and 21speed pre-compact, but I shall cherish it nonetheless.

I've had a lovely pair of Panaracer tyres just waiting for the right bike to come along. And a ratty old Flyte.

How it looks today:

How it looked on Sunday:

The seatpost moved freely, but the crank caps and pedals are *very firmly attached*, so that's a job for another day.

 

[mickle]

The suspension stem is not as terrible as i imaged - after cranking the preload up to 11

 

[raleighnut]

Nice

 

[Jameshow]

Nice and even nicer with the sentimental value too! 👍❤️

 

[TheDoctor]

 

[biggs682]

@mickle that looks fantastic enjoy

 

[mickle]

** Friendly reminder to folks recommissioning old bicycles.

Strip and regrease the hubs!

Grease is basically oil mixed with soap or similar carrier to hold it in place. After thirty years all of the volatile compounds will have evaporated off leaving cold hard gunk. If you spin the wheel itll feel smooth and as nicely adjusted as it was 30 years ago. But there is no lubricant protecting the bearings. Ride any distance on them and the ball bearings will munch the races. When i opened up the front hub it was rock solid in there, like tar. Ive seen loads of wheels ruined like this over the years. At the very least, if theyre crappy wheels and/or you cant be arsed, drip some machine oil into the bearings.

Here endeth todays etc

 

[raleighnut]

** Friendly reminder to folks recommissioning old bicycles.

Strip and regrease the hubs!

Grease is basically oil mixed with soap or similar carrier to hold it in place. After thirty years all of the volatile compounds will have evaporated off leaving cold hard gunk. If you spin the wheel itll feel smooth and as nicely adjusted as it was 30 years ago. But there is no lubricant protecting the bearings. Ride any distance on them and the ball bearings will munch the races. When i opened up the front hub it was rock solid in there, like tar. Ive seen loads of wheels ruined like this over the years. At the very least, if theyre crappy wheels and/or you cant be arsed, drip some machine oil into the bearings.

Here endeth todays etc

Yep that was the concept behind 3 in 1, a weekly couple of drops into the hubs and cranks kept the grease 'supple', sadly this went out of fashion in the 70's

 

[dicko]

** Friendly reminder to folks recommissioning old bicycles.

Strip and regrease the hubs!

Grease is basically oil mixed with soap or similar carrier to hold it in place. After thirty years all of the volatile compounds will have evaporated off leaving cold hard gunk. If you spin the wheel itll feel smooth and as nicely adjusted as it was 30 years ago. But there is no lubricant protecting the bearings. Ride any distance on them and the ball bearings will munch the races. When i opened up the front hub it was rock solid in there, like tar. Ive seen loads of wheels ruined like this over the years. At the very least, if theyre crappy wheels and/or you cant be arsed, drip some machine oil into the bearings.

Here endeth todays etc

I remember the good old days when you slid a circular sliding piece wrapped around the hub to reveal a hole which you then dripped 3-In-One oil into the bearings of the front wheel then on the rear hub was a little plastic oiler thingy.