Into Orbit? Orbit Gold Medal 531C Touring frame
07-05-19, 08:15 AM
#1
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Into Orbit? Orbit Gold Medal 531C Touring frame
Any knowledge, (interest even) on BF for Orbits?
The Orbit Gold Medal was made for many years.
The Orbit America 450, 105 etc. was sold in USA in the late 80s.
Not famous, but deserves to be better known IMO.
This one an impulse buy on Ebay a few weeks ago, with no prior knowledge about Orbit.
I knew it was English & Orbit made Tandems... That's it!
A 531C frame is always interesting, isn't it? Ebay main pic above.
This one was made 1985ish, in Birmingham. Original Stronglight 99, Leotard pedals, CLB brakeset, Suntour DT levers & FD.
RD was probably Suntour too, but here with a Shimano long cage for some reason. 5 speed Regina block. Pelissier hubs with (probably) Alesa 27"rims. Wrights leather saddle. Looked OK overall & I collected it, put it in the car without much scrutiny: ) (Was concentrating on his other items...)
Closer scrutiny at home was 'interesting'!
Paint quality is poor, but decals still 85% perhaps. I was intending a rebuild/refinish, so not too concerned really.
Stripping it down I discovered the LH crank extractor threading was stripped...
Also discovered a previous (excellent) repair on the lower ends of the chain-stays, of all places.
But I was still OK with it because the usable parts would refund my expenses.
First idea was to build it up & see how it rides before making any major decisions.
First one here:
Orbit sold these as Tourers.
531C for a Tourer frame? A load carrier in 531C, instead of 531ST, which was made for the job!?
Seems odd to me. But a 531C frame with relaxed tourer angles might be very good for a Town bike/SS/Fixed even?
It's also built for 27" wheels, with plenty of clearance for guards, so 700s don't look right in this frame. Maybe with oversize 700 tyres?
Build quality for a 531C frame is not the best.
No reinforced seat-stay bridge for example.
Chain-stay bridge is equally basic. (A Raleigh 20s CS bridge would be an improvement)
Haden lugs, with the heart shaped cut-outs look good to my eye. But they never saw a file before they were finished on this frame.
So this one, for me, is a superb rider, after some miles trying it. Light & manouverable, definitely a one off. But, let down by details.
Weighs 21.6lbs as below with Allrounder bars, road ready. Very cool for a Commuter/Town bike I reckon.
Looking a little blurry in the suns Stronglight: )
A great format for this frame I believe.
It's got promise this one.
Opinions very welcome!
The Orbit Gold Medal was made for many years.
The Orbit America 450, 105 etc. was sold in USA in the late 80s.
Not famous, but deserves to be better known IMO.
This one an impulse buy on Ebay a few weeks ago, with no prior knowledge about Orbit.
I knew it was English & Orbit made Tandems... That's it!
A 531C frame is always interesting, isn't it? Ebay main pic above.
This one was made 1985ish, in Birmingham. Original Stronglight 99, Leotard pedals, CLB brakeset, Suntour DT levers & FD.
RD was probably Suntour too, but here with a Shimano long cage for some reason. 5 speed Regina block. Pelissier hubs with (probably) Alesa 27"rims. Wrights leather saddle. Looked OK overall & I collected it, put it in the car without much scrutiny: ) (Was concentrating on his other items...)
Closer scrutiny at home was 'interesting'!
Paint quality is poor, but decals still 85% perhaps. I was intending a rebuild/refinish, so not too concerned really.
Stripping it down I discovered the LH crank extractor threading was stripped...
Also discovered a previous (excellent) repair on the lower ends of the chain-stays, of all places.
But I was still OK with it because the usable parts would refund my expenses.
First idea was to build it up & see how it rides before making any major decisions.
First one here:
Orbit sold these as Tourers.
531C for a Tourer frame? A load carrier in 531C, instead of 531ST, which was made for the job!?
Seems odd to me. But a 531C frame with relaxed tourer angles might be very good for a Town bike/SS/Fixed even?
It's also built for 27" wheels, with plenty of clearance for guards, so 700s don't look right in this frame. Maybe with oversize 700 tyres?
Build quality for a 531C frame is not the best.
No reinforced seat-stay bridge for example.
Chain-stay bridge is equally basic. (A Raleigh 20s CS bridge would be an improvement)
Haden lugs, with the heart shaped cut-outs look good to my eye. But they never saw a file before they were finished on this frame.
So this one, for me, is a superb rider, after some miles trying it. Light & manouverable, definitely a one off. But, let down by details.
Weighs 21.6lbs as below with Allrounder bars, road ready. Very cool for a Commuter/Town bike I reckon.
Looking a little blurry in the suns Stronglight: )
A great format for this frame I believe.
It's got promise this one.
Opinions very welcome!
07-05-19, 09:44 AM
#2
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I always say that if you're wanting to run a "flat" handlebar, best use a bike like this one having relaxed frame angles! With the wider grip stance, you wouldn't want the steering to feel too "light".
This frame is a bit like a Trek 720 frame, same tubing but looks to have a sportier chainstay length. I would expect a comfortable ride from this frame.
What sort of repair was done at the chainstay?
The bike looks great at this point, I suspect you'll consider leaving the finish as-is(?).
With the mud guards back in place, the 700c wheels should look like a perfect fit.
This frame is a bit like a Trek 720 frame, same tubing but looks to have a sportier chainstay length. I would expect a comfortable ride from this frame.
What sort of repair was done at the chainstay?
The bike looks great at this point, I suspect you'll consider leaving the finish as-is(?).
With the mud guards back in place, the 700c wheels should look like a perfect fit.
Last edited by dddd; 07-05-19 at 09:49 AM.
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07-05-19, 10:45 AM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
@dddd
You are on it! Yes. Flat bar, easy angles makes for a great 'town bike' in my head.
And this one is so light I think my scales are wrong. (They are not: )
The repair on the seat stays isn't much, but it's just unbelievable when you look at it. I try a pic of it here:
You can see a bit of 'spatter' yet the original paint is only gone from an inch or so either side. Minmum heat input therefore, and a good job done. (Apart from cleaning it properly, but you can see the angle grinders tracks where he/she? tried)
I have no idea as to what caused it. I never saw the like before.
The rear triangle is in line & the wheel fits straight.
And it rides really well, so I don't mind using it.
I won't sell it like this, but I'll enjoy it, I'm certain.
The paint remains of course, because the decals are pretty good, & I just do my best to prevent further deterioration.
Remove the rust scabs, Kurust & then Turtlewax is my method.
Using 700s is not straightforward in my head. As you see it above with flat bars, it has Weinmann 730s on the 27"/630 wheel.
Lots of clearance, but another 4mm down, those arms are at max & I wondered how good the braking would be?
It's a long drop with 700s...
I got a 700 Mavic wheelset with 25s on it (+ 7 speed which fits in the rear, just) but they just look odd in the frame to me, & the braking not so good.
Still a cool project though: )
You are on it! Yes. Flat bar, easy angles makes for a great 'town bike' in my head.
And this one is so light I think my scales are wrong. (They are not: )
The repair on the seat stays isn't much, but it's just unbelievable when you look at it. I try a pic of it here:
You can see a bit of 'spatter' yet the original paint is only gone from an inch or so either side. Minmum heat input therefore, and a good job done. (Apart from cleaning it properly, but you can see the angle grinders tracks where he/she? tried)
I have no idea as to what caused it. I never saw the like before.
The rear triangle is in line & the wheel fits straight.
And it rides really well, so I don't mind using it.
I won't sell it like this, but I'll enjoy it, I'm certain.
The paint remains of course, because the decals are pretty good, & I just do my best to prevent further deterioration.
Remove the rust scabs, Kurust & then Turtlewax is my method.
Using 700s is not straightforward in my head. As you see it above with flat bars, it has Weinmann 730s on the 27"/630 wheel.
Lots of clearance, but another 4mm down, those arms are at max & I wondered how good the braking would be?
It's a long drop with 700s...
I got a 700 Mavic wheelset with 25s on it (+ 7 speed which fits in the rear, just) but they just look odd in the frame to me, & the braking not so good.
Still a cool project though: )
07-10-19, 01:04 PM
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It's a more of a sport touring frame than a loaded touring frame. Note the lack of rack mounts, which explains the lack of 531ST. The blurb for 531ST specifically mentions pannier loads and the chart description gives "heavy duty touring" whereas 531c is recommended for sport touring. https://kuromori.home.blog/reynolds-531/#80s
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07-11-19, 04:50 AM
#7
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Thread Starter
It's a more of a sport touring frame than a loaded touring frame. Note the lack of rack mounts, which explains the lack of 531ST. The blurb for 531ST specifically mentions pannier loads and the chart description gives "heavy duty touring" whereas 531c is recommended for sport touring. https://kuromori.home.blog/reynolds-531/#80s
I've had Galaxy & Dalesman 531STs & they are classic Tourers in my book.
Also had Claud Butler/Holdsworth 531C frames, but they did not have the relaxed 'tourer' angles.
The Orbit 531C with its relaxed angles just makes it different & great for my purposes I reckon. Long wheelbase, plenty of clearances especially with 700 rims. A light & nimble town bike/light tourer.
It could fit a light rack on the guard mounts, & I'm just wondering right now if the damage to the seat stays could have been caused by rack stays?? (It does puzzle me still: )
07-11-19, 05:07 AM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
@ Chuckk.
I never saw those lugs before!
These Orbits continue to surprise me.
I never saw those lugs before!
These Orbits continue to surprise me.
Last edited by Bicyclz; 07-11-19 at 05:08 AM. Reason: typo
07-11-19, 06:27 AM
#9
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We tried to cold set a crashed team frame once. Put it on the alignment table and had at it with the Big Levers. The frame kept bouncing back to the original set as we applied more and more force. Then the down tube crumpled at the lever bosses.
05-11-20, 01:27 AM
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I recently bought an Orbit Gold Medal frame and forks on ebay for £13, which I thought was very good for a 531c frameset. They are not a well known bike even here in the UK, but among the touring community they are well respected as a very nice rider, if not the pinnacle of quality. The one I got was a bit rusty, but I stripped all the paint right off and buffed away the rust with a brass wire brush head on my angle grinder. Everything was only superficial and the frame was actually in very good condition. I have re-tapped the bottom bracket and resprayed, just awaiting the original decal replacements to arrive in the post before I apply the clear coat and rebuild it.
I was also worried about the look of the 700c wheels. When you consider that the difference is only 4mm I imagine the main reason why they look a bit small is that this bike would have been designed for full mudguards, so there's quite a bit of space between the tyre and the fork crown. I bought some 28mm tyres to try and fill the space a bit and long drop brakes to accommodate the gap. I hadn't been documenting the rebuild, but I will take some photos from this stage onward.
I was also worried about the look of the 700c wheels. When you consider that the difference is only 4mm I imagine the main reason why they look a bit small is that this bike would have been designed for full mudguards, so there's quite a bit of space between the tyre and the fork crown. I bought some 28mm tyres to try and fill the space a bit and long drop brakes to accommodate the gap. I hadn't been documenting the rebuild, but I will take some photos from this stage onward.
05-11-20, 08:00 AM
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I recently bought an Orbit Gold Medal frame and forks on ebay for £13, which I thought was very good for a 531c frameset. They are not a well known bike even here in the UK, but among the touring community they are well respected as a very nice rider, if not the pinnacle of quality. The one I got was a bit rusty, but I stripped all the paint right off and buffed away the rust with a brass wire brush head on my angle grinder. Everything was only superficial and the frame was actually in very good condition. I have re-tapped the bottom bracket and resprayed, just awaiting the original decal replacements to arrive in the post before I apply the clear coat and rebuild it.
I was also worried about the look of the 700c wheels. When you consider that the difference is only 4mm I imagine the main reason why they look a bit small is that this bike would have been designed for full mudguards, so there's quite a bit of space between the tyre and the fork crown. I bought some 28mm tyres to try and fill the space a bit and long drop brakes to accommodate the gap. I hadn't been documenting the rebuild, but I will take some photos from this stage onward.
I was also worried about the look of the 700c wheels. When you consider that the difference is only 4mm I imagine the main reason why they look a bit small is that this bike would have been designed for full mudguards, so there's quite a bit of space between the tyre and the fork crown. I bought some 28mm tyres to try and fill the space a bit and long drop brakes to accommodate the gap. I hadn't been documenting the rebuild, but I will take some photos from this stage onward.
You won't be able to post them until your post count is up to 10, so comment on a few other threads and you'll be at 10 pretty quick.
Brent
02-04-21, 11:53 AM
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Orbit Brakes
Apologies,
I've joined this thread late, interested to hear there are so many Gold Medal Extras still out there! I bought my mine in 1984 and its still going strong. Well, almost...I use it as one of my "nostalgia rides", and last summer the front brake caliper snapped when I wasn't even braking. I went over a small pothole - the securing bolt sheared in half - and I could never retrieve all the parts.
Do you think it is worth upgrading to a more modern, efficient front brake, and if so, what do you recommend? I still had the original Weinman side-pulls from 36 years ago, and obviously the front one said "enough". There are plenty of retro brake sets on ebay, but I don't have the model number, length, etc, so can't be sure I would be buying the exact fit in any case.
Your comments would be appreciated!
Thanks.
I've joined this thread late, interested to hear there are so many Gold Medal Extras still out there! I bought my mine in 1984 and its still going strong. Well, almost...I use it as one of my "nostalgia rides", and last summer the front brake caliper snapped when I wasn't even braking. I went over a small pothole - the securing bolt sheared in half - and I could never retrieve all the parts.
Do you think it is worth upgrading to a more modern, efficient front brake, and if so, what do you recommend? I still had the original Weinman side-pulls from 36 years ago, and obviously the front one said "enough". There are plenty of retro brake sets on ebay, but I don't have the model number, length, etc, so can't be sure I would be buying the exact fit in any case.
Your comments would be appreciated!
Thanks.
02-14-21, 01:09 PM
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Seatpost diameter?
Hello all, lovely photos and great to hear about other orbit owners!
I have a gold medal like the one in OPs images. I'm not optimistic about anyone seeing this before I buy some calipers, but if so, could anyone tell me the seatpost diameter for this frame?
Cheers!
I have a gold medal like the one in OPs images. I'm not optimistic about anyone seeing this before I buy some calipers, but if so, could anyone tell me the seatpost diameter for this frame?
Cheers!
09-22-22, 09:45 AM
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I think I have a 1985 Orbit (probably Gold Medal), but I'm not 100% sure as it has no decals and I'm not sure about frame numbers. The number on mine is 851115 - it looks to be similar to the one the OP Bicyclz posted, but with braze-ons for canti brakes. Can anyone tell me the frame number of their Orbits to see if the format is the same? I can't upload a photo as I'm a new member, but it's just the frame number I'm interested in anyway...
Thanks!
Thanks!
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