Coolwall Oct 2010 - Saracen
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Corduroyboy":2c4fyqli said:
That is just cool as funk!
Carlos the Slackal
Retro Guru
Look at how big the Early Saracen Lovers Anonymous thread has become. Only a cool brand can get that much love!
Oh, and as others have mentioned, their new kit is looking awesome!
Just look at Skoda. They were rubbish, now they're ace. And cool.
Oh, and as others have mentioned, their new kit is looking awesome!
Just look at Skoda. They were rubbish, now they're ace. And cool.
I love the early pre 92 stuff. Good solid simple bikes built to last. I also very much like the sleeker stuff from 93 - 97. The element of mystery is nice due to the fact that there is not much known about all the bikes from this era. I may attempt to afford me a kili flyer cromo when they are finally released 
silverclaws
Senior Retro Guru
What I look for in anything I come to buy, is attention to detail and is the thing up to the job I have in mind for it, so when my pal convinced me to buy a BMX for adults I plumped straight for Saracen and it's purposeful rugged looks and build, it also because Halfords sold them and I was always in there getting bits for my car. Bike shops I knew bitd, were roadie orientated, so Halfords was my only option other than mail order.
The bikes I would have seen would be the 1992 models and two bikes took my immediate interest, one was a hydrotech E-stay and the other was a Tufftrax, I just loved the grey paintwork. As chance would have it, a neighbour a few doors up from my mum learned I was on the look out for an end of season bike, reduced cost being the factor, he said his son owned a bike shop that was closing down and he would bring a bike for me to look at. The following weekend when I was home from work, the neighbour turned up with a gleaming black 1992 Traverse Elite, I bought it on the spot, more than I planned to pay, a lot more, (despite getting it at the dealer's buy in price, a cash always helps when shops are failing) but wow, what a bike, it lasted me thirteen years of daily commuting use and weekend off road abuse until I stupidly left it in the care of what became the ex and she gave it away undoubtedly out of spite, for she knew I loved that bike.
But aside from the colour scheme and purposeful look of these things, I was at that time kind of patriotic and the Handbuilt in England reallly did it for me, also it was far lighter than my friend's Yank bikes, light and fast and the colour scheme of metallic black, silver and skin wall tyres just looked classy in a vintage British way, that was it about the '92 Saracen it had an essence of a classic British bike and might grow up to take its place celebrating all that is Britain along with the Rolls Royce, the Jaguar and the Spitfire.
So was Saracen cool bitd, well that is debatable, it depended on who you asked, but my impression of bitd, was everyone wanted American steel, even the bike mags raved more about stuff from across the pond but my sense was the Saracen was not cool, it was beyond that, it was classy and seemed to be the epitome of the eccentric Brit. Yank bikes with their colours were cool, Saracens just exuded British Class, a sense that they did not need to compete with lesser steel for their place in the pecking order, they were is in a class of their own.
Cool now, well of course they are, they are an excellent example of a British Retrobike and of the retrobikes what other British ATB is as much sought after than the quietly unassuming individualistic Saracen.
Old Saracens have lasted so far, so, could this bike bear testimony to the one time quality and longevity of British Design and craftsmanship.
What happened in the late nineties, from my perspective was Saracen left their place of comfort, their specialism and individualism and tried to become cool by adopting the fashions from abroad with disasterous results, they tried to enter a market their rivals had had years to master, and I don't suppose the later British market mentality helped very much either.
The bikes I would have seen would be the 1992 models and two bikes took my immediate interest, one was a hydrotech E-stay and the other was a Tufftrax, I just loved the grey paintwork. As chance would have it, a neighbour a few doors up from my mum learned I was on the look out for an end of season bike, reduced cost being the factor, he said his son owned a bike shop that was closing down and he would bring a bike for me to look at. The following weekend when I was home from work, the neighbour turned up with a gleaming black 1992 Traverse Elite, I bought it on the spot, more than I planned to pay, a lot more, (despite getting it at the dealer's buy in price, a cash always helps when shops are failing) but wow, what a bike, it lasted me thirteen years of daily commuting use and weekend off road abuse until I stupidly left it in the care of what became the ex and she gave it away undoubtedly out of spite, for she knew I loved that bike.
But aside from the colour scheme and purposeful look of these things, I was at that time kind of patriotic and the Handbuilt in England reallly did it for me, also it was far lighter than my friend's Yank bikes, light and fast and the colour scheme of metallic black, silver and skin wall tyres just looked classy in a vintage British way, that was it about the '92 Saracen it had an essence of a classic British bike and might grow up to take its place celebrating all that is Britain along with the Rolls Royce, the Jaguar and the Spitfire.
So was Saracen cool bitd, well that is debatable, it depended on who you asked, but my impression of bitd, was everyone wanted American steel, even the bike mags raved more about stuff from across the pond but my sense was the Saracen was not cool, it was beyond that, it was classy and seemed to be the epitome of the eccentric Brit. Yank bikes with their colours were cool, Saracens just exuded British Class, a sense that they did not need to compete with lesser steel for their place in the pecking order, they were is in a class of their own.
Cool now, well of course they are, they are an excellent example of a British Retrobike and of the retrobikes what other British ATB is as much sought after than the quietly unassuming individualistic Saracen.
Old Saracens have lasted so far, so, could this bike bear testimony to the one time quality and longevity of British Design and craftsmanship.
What happened in the late nineties, from my perspective was Saracen left their place of comfort, their specialism and individualism and tried to become cool by adopting the fashions from abroad with disasterous results, they tried to enter a market their rivals had had years to master, and I don't suppose the later British market mentality helped very much either.
Bergy
Retro Guru
Cool
Saracen are cool. They were a small british company started by two brothers (Stanthorths) who were originally road racers themselves. In the late eighties and early ninties they produced steel MTB's that have stood the test of time both physically and astheticaly they lost there way in the late ninties with their lower end bikes but the top end stuff was still very good. The bike I refer to are the Magnisium Kili Flyers. They climbed like a scalded cat up a tree and excelled on the descents to, i can remeber taking way to much speed into a drop off in the 2005 MTB World cup in St Wendal thinking this could really hurt but the USE SUB fork with Saracen Mag frame took it all in its stride and I got to the bottom without hitting the deck.
Maybe Im a little biased as I rode for them for 4 years, but that said thats the longest i have spent on one team.
For me Cool.
Current bikes
90 Saracen Trekker COMP DX, current project
92 Saracen Tufftrax Elite O.E Spec
01 Kili flyer TEAM iss Mag
04 Kili flyer TEAM iss Carbon
99 Saracen Skyline Touring bike. (still riden daily for all training rides) SRAM Rival, Ritchey WCS finish kit, Powertap wheelset.
Saracen are cool. They were a small british company started by two brothers (Stanthorths) who were originally road racers themselves. In the late eighties and early ninties they produced steel MTB's that have stood the test of time both physically and astheticaly they lost there way in the late ninties with their lower end bikes but the top end stuff was still very good. The bike I refer to are the Magnisium Kili Flyers. They climbed like a scalded cat up a tree and excelled on the descents to, i can remeber taking way to much speed into a drop off in the 2005 MTB World cup in St Wendal thinking this could really hurt but the USE SUB fork with Saracen Mag frame took it all in its stride and I got to the bottom without hitting the deck.
Maybe Im a little biased as I rode for them for 4 years, but that said thats the longest i have spent on one team.
For me Cool.
Current bikes
90 Saracen Trekker COMP DX, current project
92 Saracen Tufftrax Elite O.E Spec
01 Kili flyer TEAM iss Mag
04 Kili flyer TEAM iss Carbon
99 Saracen Skyline Touring bike. (still riden daily for all training rides) SRAM Rival, Ritchey WCS finish kit, Powertap wheelset.
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Re: Cool
Would love to see pictures of the 92 Tufftrax Elite! That was my first proper MTB and it was sadley stolen not long after.
Bergy":1i9k242i said:
Would love to see pictures of the 92 Tufftrax Elite! That was my first proper MTB and it was sadley stolen not long after.
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