Recent find in my brothers garage in London - what looked liked a rough old steel road bike with cheap nasty components and a horrible aerosol paint job.

Closer inspection showed the frame had threaded rear axle adjusters, proper deraileur hanger, nice lugs and name plates brazed to the seat stays at the seat tube interface with the name "ORBIT" stamped into them.

Dismantled the bike and interested to find that the frame and forks (with headset but no bottom bracket or anything else) weighs about 3.5lbs (by bathroom scales).

Internet search shows Orbit is a manufacturer of Audax/touring typoe bikes in Sheffield, England. Asking at an LBS in London I was told that ORBIT started in early 80's in England but has gone through a number of changes of ownership, and that they made some veryt nice frames (but also some very ordinary ones).

Wondering if the frame is worth repainting and building up. Also, anyone know what tube it may be constructed from.

Thanks to all.

Well, they appear to be a relatively small outfit and still in business. I suspect that if you contact them with the serial number, they can give you all the particulars. It's worth a shot. The website is https://www.orbit-cycles.co.uk/ .

Have just recently seen an orbit randonneur (parking at the street in .de). Very fine craftmanship. R531 tubing, iirc. If your is of the same quality, it is definitely worth to be restored.

They have used a number of differet frame workshops. The quality is variable from rough to most excellent.
If the braze and lugwork of your frame look OK and the alignment is good*, then it is a definately worth building up. It may not be a collectable vintage but it is a high quality commuter/training bike.

*Note that some high-end Orbit frames used an offset rear traingle to reduce the wheel dish required. The dropouts were placed assymetrically, shifted 6mm to the driveside.

Thanks Michael. I contacted orbit with serial number to get details but due to ownership changes they were not really interested in the older bikes. Would you have any idea if it is likely to be 531? I was told by Bicycle Workshop in London W7 that they thought the Orbit frames with name plates on the seat stay tops were 531. If I repaint it I'd like to put the appropriate stickers on it.

The high end Orbits were built from all maner of high end tubesets including 531, 753 and Columbus Nivacrom.
There is a review of an Orbit of your vintage at
https://www.bretonbikes.com/gm.htm

Sounds like an Orbit "Gold Medal". I have one hanging in my shed covered in spiders webs. 531 frame and forks, with suntour groupset. Was a nice touring bike in it's day.

the gum is good.