Project: turn an Orange P7 mountain bike into a dedicated touring bicycle.

Orange Bikes: a British company, circa 1988.

I purchased my Orange 🍊 P7 in 1998. The forks, I upgraded to Marchozzi bombers ( front suspension) and Magura hydraulic brakes before departing for southern Africa in 2003 to attain my Commercial Pilots Licence.

She happily endured many a single-track through the South African forests of Knysna and rugged bedrock of the Namibian bush. A testament to a superb design and a well constructed frame.

Now, with the onset of more leisurely cycling in the pipeline. I objected to purchase a dedicated built tourer, on the grounds of the cost ♻ I hope to reincarnate my trusty ‘P7’ into a home-built touring bicycle of my own.

The frame and seat post are the only two things that have survived from the original mountain bike.

The frame is a heat-treated custom double-butted series 8 cromoly tube set, with a beautiful nickel finish. Most importantly, very light, but incredibly strong.

The design of the frame is very much of an expedition heritage, making it a worthy canvas.

The frame had a lacquer, but started de-laminating over the years. After a bit of research 📣I found a suitable paint stripper (one that would not blacken the nickel). Carefully taking her back to, just the nickel layer.

The two big additions; been the forks and saddle.

I had to import the Kona Project Two forks from the USA to accommodate the 1’’ steerer. It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to find 1” steerers, as most bikes and forks are now made 1 1/8”.

The saddle, is the classic Brooks B17 , a real thing of beauty. And eventually comfort!

I’m very pleased with the finished article. But as they say, ‘the proof of the pudding is in the eating’!

My first tour will be onto and around Bodmin Moor ⛺ Then I’ll have a good idea of how she handles with full days riding her laden.

Rebuild components

Rigida – Sputnik touring rims (handbuilt by Spa Cycles, Harrogate)

DT – Swiss spokes

Shimano – XT hubs

Shimano – Deore chainset and cranks

Shimano – SPD/flat touring pedals M324

Schwalbe – Marathon tyres 1.5″

SRAM – X7 grip shifters and groupset

Magura – Hydraulic brakes

Tubus – Ergo front rack

Blackburn – EX2 rear rack

Brooks – B17 saddle

Ergon – GP1 grips

Exotic – CNC machined 6061 T6 aluminium adjustable spacers

System EX – Adjustable stem

Titec – Long bend bar ends

Sigma – BC1606L commuter

Kona – Project Two triple butted forks 1″ steerer (Bikeman, USA)

SKS – Chromoplastic mudguards

Topeak – Turbo Morph pump

Tacx – Bottle cages