84 Saracen ATB

[Mod-Master]

My my that looks new. I was begging to see the finished product from the start!

 

[Synthiaks]

and the bars work well....good choice.

 

[Tootyred]

The bars are good. Makes for a nice position...nice to be head up on a bike rather than the other way round.

Todays trip was lovely...good view, nice and steady, back roads and bridleways....its perfect for that.

Thanks again for passing it my way.

 

[27motorhead]

OMG! How good does that look??? Pretty bloody lush as we say in Wales!

Those bars look perfect! Love the profile and thin brace/top bar. Shame the grips didn’t work out, but decent grips are pretty important and those ODI’s look great.

5 speed friction... that makes me smile, been a long time since I’ve had a bike with only 5 gears!

How are the brakes? Assume not great if they’ve just been rebuilt and still need time to bed in?

So the forks are really that flexy?! look forward to seeing what’ll get created/fabricated.

 

[Tootyred]

5 speed is like being a kid! Its actually not that much different to 7 speed, which haunts most of my late 80s /early 90s bikes as obviously the freewheel starts at 14....so just mising the 11 and 12 .

The brakes really are not too bad. The front needs to run the pads in a bit, but the rear easily locks the wheel. It took at bit of playing to get adjustment right, but its pretty smooth with no grab. Plus, im told the work better in the wet....doubt i will ever find out!

 

[Tootyred]

As for the brace....we will see...i have a few ideas which i might start on at the weekend.

 

[Synthiaks]

The bars are good. Makes for a nice position...nice to be head up on a bike rather than the other way round.

Todays trip was lovely...good view, nice and steady, back roads and bridleways....its perfect for that.

Thanks again for passing it my way.

My pleasure...it looks amazing. look forward to seeing any additional mods.

 

[27motorhead]

5 speed is like being a kid! Its actually not that much different to 7 speed, which haunts most of my late 80s /early 90s bikes as obviously the freewheel starts at 14....so just mising the 11 and 12 .

The brakes really are not too bad. The front needs to run the pads in a bit, but the rear easily locks the wheel. It took at bit of playing to get adjustment right, but its pretty smooth with no grab. Plus, im told the work better in the wet....doubt i will ever find out!

Yeah 14 on the back for downhills or fast gravel/road is just too slow. 46x14 = 85.2" whilst with a 46x12 = 99.4" which is a 14.2" difference which is HUGE! However I don't think this bike is intended as a flat-out racer

Good to hear the brakes are good and yes wet performance would be superior to rim brakes, but as you said you're likely not to find out unless you get caught out on a ride...

Did you have those Nitto bars squirrelled away somewhere? Don't see these very often.

Looking forward to seeing what you'll do with the forks.

 

[Tootyred]

Yeah 14 on the back for downhills or fast gravel/road is just too slow.

Hills? What's a hill? I've seen pictures.......Downhill is max 50 yards and 20mph tops at a drift by the bottom .

As for topping out 14 / 48...not any more....certainly not on cross country.

I know my place these days and im in just one race and that's between me the and the devil.....and I know who's going to win.....spoiler alert!

As for the race between me and my teenage self I dropped out of that a few years back as all it did was make me sad and disappointed.

Anyway....they were a tit most of the time I've come to realise!

 

[Imlach]

So here we go..... so 16 mile doddle around.....my thoughts.

Its not going to set any land speed records, but its very comfortable, especially with the high bars....

Its not quite finished as I think the pedals although original, need to go....they are quite slippery. (Ive already dumped the grips in favour of some mushrooms).

Plus, on bridleways its a bit flexy, so I may forgo the rack and build a fork brace instead.

Amazing now quickly you get back into non index gears.....and only having 5!

Still need to fine tune my riding position, but, its deffo a winner.

Here are a few shots...enjoy!

View attachment 785947

Well done! I'm in love. Now sell it to me!