Orange e2

[Cold]

I was given an Orange e2 this morning from a friend of my wife, I've had a look online and all I can't find much about them other than it's from the early 90's.

Does anyone know anything about them?

 

[OskarTennisChampion]

I remember these bikes fairly well,and I remember them being a bit more expensive than the cro-mo Oranges.
Alloy tended to be classed as better than the steel back then.It has went full circle since.
Good spec for that generation,and as with all Orange bikes,well built and would have handled well.
I had a loan of a Clockwork for a week or so back in 92,when my own was being serviced.
I honestly didn't want give it back.Seriously.

 

[Drago]

What does it ride like? Old alloy can be funny stuff cos of ductility differences over steel, and can feel dead and uninspiring if hammered hard for a long time. If it feels lively and rides well then you've got yourself a very nice machine, worth riding and enjoying and taking care of.

 

[Cold]

I've not had the chance to ride it yet as the seat post was damaged and it's taken me a few days to remove it.
It has some paint damage but other than that it is in really good condition and all the parts are in good working order.
I'm thinking of maybe getting it resprayed back to it's orginal look but not sure yet.

 

[OskarTennisChampion]

What does it ride like? Old alloy can be funny stuff cos of ductility differences .

This is key.
Ride it and see what you think of it.Every bike and bike rider are different.
I don't count the Giant Escaper in my previously owned list,as I had it a matter of weeks and hated it.
I moved swiftly on to a Marin Bear Valley SE,which was a million miles from the Giant.
But ask a lot of Giant MTB owners,and they will tell you they would never part with theirs.
The old alloy comment is right too,so give it a once over to check for cracks,bevels etc.
A well looked after alloy bike should last you years,as it's tough.
It also makes for a livelier ride,due to the rigidity,but a good sus fork sorts a lot of the trail buzz out.
I like the idea of restoring it to the original look,and I would source original old/new stock parts for it.
Not that you should do that,that's just me

 

[Cold]

I like the idea of restoring it to the original look,and I would source original old/new stock parts for it.
Not that you should do that,that's just me

I think this is what I'm going to do, I can get replacement decals and I will speak to a local alloy repairer and see if they will respray the bike so it looks like the dull silver alloy colour that they use as that's what the bike currently looks like.

 

[OskarTennisChampion]

retrobike would be a good source of info for you,should you go down the original build route.
Just to see what actually came with it.
Mountain biking has changed a lot since I took it up in '92,and for the better in most cases.
The modern HT has largely been designed for aggressive XC ,jumps and taking on a fair amount of downhills.
But I managed absolutely fine on skinny tubed steel bikes with a( what would be classed as a basic suspension unit) Rock Shox Judy XC ,back in the early nineties.