A Very Sad Looking 1992 Saracen Kili E Stay with issues
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weeman_mtb
Retrobike Rider
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What a turn around, you need to change the thread title now as it couldn't be further from the truth
.
What a turn around, you need to change the thread title now as it couldn't be further from the truth
.Re:
Ah thanks mate. Took a while to get there but does look good now.
I need to get more pictures up before I ruin the good looks. Hardly used it as weather has been so bad and muddy this winter I've "saved" it for spring.
I'll check out your saracen now. Hope you have a thread!
Ah thanks mate. Took a while to get there but does look good now.
I need to get more pictures up before I ruin the good looks. Hardly used it as weather has been so bad and muddy this winter I've "saved" it for spring.
I'll check out your saracen now. Hope you have a thread!
artfulflounder
Retro Guru
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Threads been a good read.
Got to be happy with the final results
Got to be happy with the final results
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I have the period correct Ritchey stem from, wait for it, a Kili e-stay if you are bothered by such things?
Re:
Took this on a belated decent ride today. Been hampered by a three week period of non-activity, coupled with a few bouts of man flu and a weeks holiday so when the alarm rang at six it was a real struggle to get out and about for a ride.
That early, the sun was rising and it was blooming fresh. I knew I was unfit, but I really couldn't believe that a few hundred metres in I was sweating like a pig, my back was drenched! A quick stop and check on my bag, and realise my camelback wasn't done up properly and had deposited half of it’s contents onto my back which was then soaking and the wind chill on that was freezing. Good start. To prove my luck wasn't in, I was wearing my oldest retro downhill top as it has long sleeves, so the whicking qualities of it (appears to be made of a potato sack) meant I wouldn't dry out for the rest of the ride.
From my house, it's a long-ish way to anywhere off road, and lots of hills, so the first 17% ratio ride out of town nearly killed me. I would have stopped, Half way up I did stop, as my gears needed fine tuning and I had to manually move it into granny as there was no way my fitness/knee problems/early morning haze meant I could get up it in middle. There on in, it climbed really well although the stem takes some getting used to, I was thinking how it looks like a modern trials bike stem but maybe that because its been a while since I have had one with any rise on it. My trekker has a shorter stem.
That outer chain ring: not for the likes of me
Whilst wheezing up the hill in the easiest spinning gear possible, and literally moving at about one mile an hour, I heard the hum of an oncoming truck only to be waved at enthusiastically by my brother in law and 8 year old niece. I would like to think I looked the part this early in the ride but my struggles were such that I was more likely looking like a demented gorilla hunched over the bars. This was confirmed by the first text message received from said brother in law in the last 5 years asking if I “enjoyed my ride”: code: you looked horrendous and I thought you said you were fit.
Anyway, after reaching the summit I resisted the urge to jump off the bike and congratulate myself, and instead took to gently patting my chest to ensure my lungs were somewhere there or thereabouts. I then strolled on a nice road mile or two to the first singletrack of the day, a great but very short bridleway through the woods. Having not been out for a few weeks, I thought it would have dried out a bit, but instantly my wheels hit mud and this again set the tone for the rest of the ride.
Mud everywhere
Riding in mud is fun, even if you hope for summer days. By now the sun was out and it was lovely, quiet as it was early and one of those days where you get a real pang of nostalgia for the summer coming and past rides.
This is why I ride
Riding in mud in bad tyres is not so good. This was my first experience of the black circular items referred to loosely by some as Michelin Country tyres. They were nice and predictable, if only that they wouldn’t grip anywhere other than a straight line. Look at the pics below, not really a surprise as the look of them is awful and don’t look like they will grip anywhere. If you are wondering, like me, why you have never heard of them there is a reason why. I don’t even know where the tyre appeared from in my garage, but it will do for now as its summer soon and anything is good in the summer.
Michelin country trail: so long as your trail is a straight line
Bridelway over it was time to loop some others together, the first which takes you into a complex of holiday homes (as in right in the middle of a dozen – on a gravel courtyard that is overlooked by all in a weird communual way). I tried to squeal my cantis to make a wake up call but gladly they were silent so I slipped past them all like a fox in the night.
Then, after another long hill (walked up) I decided there was time to explore some new areas. It’s always wise to choose the option that isn’t downhill if you don’t know where you are going, however, I thought I knew roughly where a new track went so bombed downhill and downhill, and er.. another half a mile until pffffffffffffffffffff puncture on the rear. That fixed, I then rolled another bit further down until I met up with a main road straight out of the forest. No other choice then, but to walk up to the top, me cursing with every wretched step as the wildlife in attendance no doubt laughed at my feeble efforts.
Punctures: not enviable. The sun was so bright that the quality was awful as usual.
When I rocked up at East Hill (in East Devon) there were two young lads on full suspension bikes, which is massively overkill as this is public bridleways that are classic old school cross country rides. There is one jump someone had built that was all of 8 inches high but otherwise its all just roots and rocky roads and general off road. There face was hilarious when I went past, looking at me like I was from another planet. “I’ll show them” I thought so sped off as fast and cool as I could into the woods only to be met by a fallen 50 foot tree about twenty metres in, and then I had to scoot back out and follow them for a while until I found a new route. About as sad as it gets really. I deserved their mockery.
The view of East Devon: Not bad
The rest of the ride was otherwise uneventful, lots of nice off roading, and a few miles road to home. 19 miles, a good blast off but a terrible speed. There is however, simply nothing better than the first ride on a new bike, especially one that you feel you have rescued or at least semi salvaged from a poor state of repairs. Later the bridleway did resemble a stream as the floods over winter seemed to have cut them all out and replaced them with tiny boulders – all handled expertly by the kili.
Ride finished, time for the breakfast of champions: Poached eggs on crumpets.
The only bit I excelled at today.
Good points: frame is a nice fit, nice and responsive and wheels turn super quick when you put the pedals going. It's a fun bike.
Bad points: need to sort the gears, probably get a DX rear mech and revert to 7 speed (currently running XT M737 8 sppeed), and try another stem. I do like the red though.
Need to sort: some sort of frame stickers to protect parts that rub on cables. Change the brown saddle for a black.
Finally, if you have read this far: how about decals? Yes or no? None at present on it.
As a ride, it could have gone better. But also the most enjoyable I have had for some time. I loved the bike and now feel more bonded to it. I will be changing the front tyre shortly to something better and might try an original ritchey stem that LGF has sent me as karma on here (thanks again chap). After I went against all my principles and decided that I wanted to leave it until the weather was decent before taking it out as it was looking so mint. Now its muddy it will be used a lot more – I thoroughly recommend an e-stay to anyone looking for something different.
Took this on a belated decent ride today. Been hampered by a three week period of non-activity, coupled with a few bouts of man flu and a weeks holiday so when the alarm rang at six it was a real struggle to get out and about for a ride.
That early, the sun was rising and it was blooming fresh. I knew I was unfit, but I really couldn't believe that a few hundred metres in I was sweating like a pig, my back was drenched! A quick stop and check on my bag, and realise my camelback wasn't done up properly and had deposited half of it’s contents onto my back which was then soaking and the wind chill on that was freezing. Good start. To prove my luck wasn't in, I was wearing my oldest retro downhill top as it has long sleeves, so the whicking qualities of it (appears to be made of a potato sack) meant I wouldn't dry out for the rest of the ride.
From my house, it's a long-ish way to anywhere off road, and lots of hills, so the first 17% ratio ride out of town nearly killed me. I would have stopped, Half way up I did stop, as my gears needed fine tuning and I had to manually move it into granny as there was no way my fitness/knee problems/early morning haze meant I could get up it in middle. There on in, it climbed really well although the stem takes some getting used to, I was thinking how it looks like a modern trials bike stem but maybe that because its been a while since I have had one with any rise on it. My trekker has a shorter stem.
That outer chain ring: not for the likes of me
Whilst wheezing up the hill in the easiest spinning gear possible, and literally moving at about one mile an hour, I heard the hum of an oncoming truck only to be waved at enthusiastically by my brother in law and 8 year old niece. I would like to think I looked the part this early in the ride but my struggles were such that I was more likely looking like a demented gorilla hunched over the bars. This was confirmed by the first text message received from said brother in law in the last 5 years asking if I “enjoyed my ride”: code: you looked horrendous and I thought you said you were fit.
Anyway, after reaching the summit I resisted the urge to jump off the bike and congratulate myself, and instead took to gently patting my chest to ensure my lungs were somewhere there or thereabouts. I then strolled on a nice road mile or two to the first singletrack of the day, a great but very short bridleway through the woods. Having not been out for a few weeks, I thought it would have dried out a bit, but instantly my wheels hit mud and this again set the tone for the rest of the ride.
Mud everywhere
Riding in mud is fun, even if you hope for summer days. By now the sun was out and it was lovely, quiet as it was early and one of those days where you get a real pang of nostalgia for the summer coming and past rides.
This is why I ride
Riding in mud in bad tyres is not so good. This was my first experience of the black circular items referred to loosely by some as Michelin Country tyres. They were nice and predictable, if only that they wouldn’t grip anywhere other than a straight line. Look at the pics below, not really a surprise as the look of them is awful and don’t look like they will grip anywhere. If you are wondering, like me, why you have never heard of them there is a reason why. I don’t even know where the tyre appeared from in my garage, but it will do for now as its summer soon and anything is good in the summer.
Michelin country trail: so long as your trail is a straight line
Bridelway over it was time to loop some others together, the first which takes you into a complex of holiday homes (as in right in the middle of a dozen – on a gravel courtyard that is overlooked by all in a weird communual way). I tried to squeal my cantis to make a wake up call but gladly they were silent so I slipped past them all like a fox in the night.
Then, after another long hill (walked up) I decided there was time to explore some new areas. It’s always wise to choose the option that isn’t downhill if you don’t know where you are going, however, I thought I knew roughly where a new track went so bombed downhill and downhill, and er.. another half a mile until pffffffffffffffffffff puncture on the rear. That fixed, I then rolled another bit further down until I met up with a main road straight out of the forest. No other choice then, but to walk up to the top, me cursing with every wretched step as the wildlife in attendance no doubt laughed at my feeble efforts.
Punctures: not enviable. The sun was so bright that the quality was awful as usual.
When I rocked up at East Hill (in East Devon) there were two young lads on full suspension bikes, which is massively overkill as this is public bridleways that are classic old school cross country rides. There is one jump someone had built that was all of 8 inches high but otherwise its all just roots and rocky roads and general off road. There face was hilarious when I went past, looking at me like I was from another planet. “I’ll show them” I thought so sped off as fast and cool as I could into the woods only to be met by a fallen 50 foot tree about twenty metres in, and then I had to scoot back out and follow them for a while until I found a new route. About as sad as it gets really. I deserved their mockery.
The view of East Devon: Not bad
The rest of the ride was otherwise uneventful, lots of nice off roading, and a few miles road to home. 19 miles, a good blast off but a terrible speed. There is however, simply nothing better than the first ride on a new bike, especially one that you feel you have rescued or at least semi salvaged from a poor state of repairs. Later the bridleway did resemble a stream as the floods over winter seemed to have cut them all out and replaced them with tiny boulders – all handled expertly by the kili.
Ride finished, time for the breakfast of champions: Poached eggs on crumpets.
The only bit I excelled at today.
Good points: frame is a nice fit, nice and responsive and wheels turn super quick when you put the pedals going. It's a fun bike.
Bad points: need to sort the gears, probably get a DX rear mech and revert to 7 speed (currently running XT M737 8 sppeed), and try another stem. I do like the red though.
Need to sort: some sort of frame stickers to protect parts that rub on cables. Change the brown saddle for a black.
Finally, if you have read this far: how about decals? Yes or no? None at present on it.
As a ride, it could have gone better. But also the most enjoyable I have had for some time. I loved the bike and now feel more bonded to it. I will be changing the front tyre shortly to something better and might try an original ritchey stem that LGF has sent me as karma on here (thanks again chap). After I went against all my principles and decided that I wanted to leave it until the weather was decent before taking it out as it was looking so mint. Now its muddy it will be used a lot more – I thoroughly recommend an e-stay to anyone looking for something different.
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Nice write up chap. Odd looking squirrels you have round your parts.
Look after that Knee.
Look after that Knee.
