New arrival: Orbit 531 road bike

[DCLane]

This afternoon I picked up a 531-framed Orbit from Sheffield, won yesterday via eBay for a nominal sum.

Good points; 531 frame/forks albeit needing a respray, a rear Mavic Module 4 wheel, drillium chainrings on a Stronglight crankset.

Bad points; the frame has more paint off than on, front wheel's a Vuelta Airline 2, basic other components.

Plans?

Strip and see whether the frame can be re-sprayed first.

 

[Drago]

Original paintwork? If so a powder rcoater could match that for half the cost of paint.

Watching with interest.

 

[Spiderweb]

Lots of Orbit decals available from H Lloyd should you decide to repaint.
https://h-lloyd-cycles.myshopify.com/pages/search-results-page?q=Orbit
I’ve had an Orbit Thompson for over 25 years, lovely bike to ride.

 

[DCLane]

Lots of Orbit decals available from H Lloyd should you decide to repaint.
https://h-lloyd-cycles.myshopify.com/pages/search-results-page?q=Orbit
I’ve had an Orbit Thompson for over 25 years, lovely bike to ride.

Thanks - the downtube decal is more of a hand script one that I've not seen before. The others should be OK to match.

Once stripped I'll have a closer look at the frame.

 

[DCLane]

Having tried to get the seatpost out - without success and managing to snap two tie-down 5ton straps in the process - I've given up with this. Everything, and I do mean everything on it was seized.

The result is it's not a usable frame and I've salvaged the odd part from it.

 

[Paulus]

Having tried to get the seatpost out - without success and managing to snap two tie-down 5ton straps in the process - I've given up with this. Everything, and I do mean everything on it was seized.

The result is it's not a usable frame and I've salvaged the odd part from it.

Shame, it had the potential to be a nice bike.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I wouldn't be scrapping a nice 531 frame because it had some seized alloy parts stuck in it. If need be, I'd dissolve the things chemically if no other less drastic method would work.

 

[otherself]

I like the "shabby" look. Tells you it's history as a touring workhouse, like Ian Hibell's blue Argos.

 

[Illaveago]

Having tried to get the seatpost out - without success and managing to snap two tie-down 5ton straps in the process - I've given up with this. Everything, and I do mean everything on it was seized.

The result is it's not a usable frame and I've salvaged the odd part from it.

Put it on the back burner for a while .
You could try making a reservoir out of a plastic bottle , putty or plasticine to seal the gaps and mix up some caustic soda to dissolve the corrosion between the seat post and tube .
I had one which wouldn't budge, but after a soaking it freed up .
Wear protective gloves and goggles though.

 

[DCLane]

True. I've done what I can and have simply left it onto someone else who's going to try as well with the view of turning into a fixie. Thanks all - it's a disappointment but these things happen.

I've ended up with a rear wheel, some shifters and the RH crank with drillium chainring. Everything else was seized or rusted solid.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

True. I've done what I can and have simply left it onto someone else who's going to try as well with the view of turning into a fixie. Thanks all - it's a disappointment but these things happen.

I've ended up with a rear wheel, some shifters and the RH crank with drillium chainring. Everything else was seized or rusted solid.

That's a shame, but we can't win them all.