Orbit Gold Medal

[philtalksbx]

Another project began during a visit to the MiL over the weekend. Something came up on eBay and after a bit of offer ping pong I bought it, collected it and got it home.

It’s an Orbit Gold Medal from the late 80s. Apparently made in Sheffield 58cm in 531c throughout (according to the seat tube decal).

It felt a bit heavy and draggy when I first rode it and it weighed in at about 11.3kg. Not that bad but still room for improvement so I looked first at the wheels - nutted hubs 700c with 28mm touring tyres. Out of curiosity I had a Mavic Aksium with a 25mm road tyre and slotted that in at the front as shown in the pic. Immediately down to 10.8kg. Nice, and clearly more to come from the rear wheel and maybe better quality brakes, saddle, stem, bars etc.

More curiosity (and a new hanging scale) so I weighed the others for comparison:
Raleigh Record Ace - bigger 61cm 531c frame in 1x7 with downtube shifters - 10.7kg
Claud Butler Criterium - 60cm in standard 531 in 3x9 with downtube shifters - also 10.7kg

That is really interesting because both the Raleigh and the Claud have decent wheel sets on and yet the Orbit matches up with some savings still to be made. I'm thinking of getting to 10kg and seeing how I get on with the more compact frame - the Raleigh has always felt just a bit too big.

Research suggests the Orbit is a touring geometry, for some reason made in 531c and then down specced with lesser components. That sounds like a great project recipe to me so here goes. It has a six speed freewheel with a huge long-cage Shimano RD.

Also it has a nice Stronglight 48/36 chainset - not quite a compact but could be interesting.

The brakes are shocking so will go very soon. I have some 600 Tricolor parts in the box and may snipe on eBay for some more to make the set.

There's a bit of surface rust so I may strip and powder coat, but that's a decision for another day. The frame has some nice details like the embossed seat stays so I'm looking forward to seeing how this comes up.

Exciting times - if anyone has more info on Orbit and the Gold Medal model then please share as I haven't found too much out there. Thanks for reading this far, I'll be back with more as the project rolls on.

 

[dan_bo]

Don't know a lot about that particular model but I had a 653 crosser from that stable and it was proper ace. Until I fecked it racing the bugger.

 

[Spiderweb]

I have an Orbit Thompson, built I presume by their top frame builder Andy Thompson, posts on here as @Featch i think. It is a lovely bike to ride. I understand the Orbit bikes branded Thompson were more race oriented machines and the ones like yours, Gold Medal or Silver Medal we’re geared more towards the touring market

 

[Baldy]

I have an Orbit Expedition, their touring bike.



I've just tried googling their website but it looks like they aren't trading, such a shame.

 

[philtalksbx]

I have an Orbit Thompson, built I presume by their top frame builder Andy Thompson, posts on here as @Featch i think. It is a lovely bike to ride. I understand the Orbit bikes branded Thompson were more race oriented machines and the ones like yours, Gold Medal or Silver Medal we’re geared more towards the touring market View attachment 595405
View attachment 595407

View attachment 595408

Now that looks very smart, and confirms the 600 choice. I think the touring geometry might suit me better (age, back, flexibility etc.) whilst still being light and responsive if it works out that way. Nice paintwork and finishing by the way.

 

[raleighnut]

Nice

 

[philtalksbx]

It didn't need to be this hard....but that's what weapons of mass destruction are for.

The crankset and bottom bracket were a bit of a challenge. Non-drive side crank arm was a mess and ended up being taken out with an angle grinder. Behind that the lockings were seized, one come off ok but the other didn't. The inserts were also seized and with a lot of help from a vice and a cold chisel it all came out without damaging the threads. Took about four hours and a lot of swearing.

 

[T4tomo]

It didn't need to be this hard....but that's what weapons of mass destruction are for.

View attachment 595748

The crankset and bottom bracket were a bit of a challenge. Non-drive side crank arm was a mess and ended up being taken out with an angle grinder. Behind that the lockings were seized, one come off ok but the other didn't. The inserts were also seized and with a lot of help from a vice and a cold chisel it all came out without damaging the threads. Took about four hours and a lot of swearing.

you might need new one, there is a limit to what a rubdown with an oily rag and new grease can accomplish
On the plus size, the axle length is easy to measure now

 

[philtalksbx]

But it was all worth it in the end. With everything cleaned down and a big raid on the parts bin and other donor bikes it came up beautifully.

Currently running:
531c frame in 58cm
DA 7700 nine speed RD with 11-30 and 7700 downtube shifters
Campag Veloce triple crankset 50/42/30 - this combination gives me a fantastic range, makes for a very comfortable middle-ring potter and saves my old legs when the going gets tough.
Shimano 105 (I think 5800) brakes swapped front and rear to overcome the drilling for nutted brakes using a coupling nut inside the fork aperture with a cut down bolt to extend a stud through the back face of the fork.
Wheels are a pair of Mavic Aksium that I had, may not keep them but they are quite light.
Charge spoon tan saddle and matching bar tape.

All up weight is bang on my 10kg target - very happy.

A few shake-down rides planned over the weekend to see how the configuration works on the road.

 

[philtalksbx]

you might need new one, there is a limit to what a rubdown with an oily rag and new grease can accomplish
On the plus size, the axle length is easy to measure now

I had a BB waiting with the crankset to go on so I wasn't too precious how it came out - was more worried about the frame but that came through ok.

 

[philtalksbx]

And now we are riding. This bike is just lovely and fits so well - just proves that the Record Ace was too big after all.
It took a bit of fettling to get the rear mech set up and I will have to get a new chain as the one I'm using was robbed, along with the cassette and mech, from the 1x9 commuter setup on the Claud Butler. It's not long enough to cope with the 50-tooth big ring but I'm doing most work in the 42-tooth middle and haven't needed to use the granny ring at all yet but there are some steeper ramps to come.

On a closing note, the Raleigh Record Ace frame will now need a new home. The build thread is in my footer so PM me if you would like to know more before I advertise it.

 

[rogerzilla]

Made on the Peartree Industrial Estate, Dudley. Not Sheffield - that was later.

I picked up a new Orbit America from there in 1992.

 

[Juan Kog]

I have a Dudley built Orbit I bought new in 1992 ,a Gold Medal in 531 ST. Now reduced to a frame hanging on the garage wall . After 12 years of happy touring it drifted into retirement and become a parts donor, the wheels were first, they went on a winter bike .

 

[Gillstay]

Just sold this one. Was superbly confident going down big hills in Massif centrale in the wind and rain, when my previous Specialised Cirrus would have been all over the road. Very well made bike.

 

[philtalksbx]

Made on the Peartree Industrial Estate, Dudley. Not Sheffield - that was later.

I picked up a new Orbit America from there in 1992.

Thanks, I knew they had moved from Dudley to Sheffield but couldn't place when. I used to work in Dudley so that's quite a nice bit of closing the loop.