Rather than post a new thread I thought I'd ask here as this is where the Saracen fans seem to hang out. But apologies if this is wrong...
I had always thought that the Cranes had used Saracen Conquest’s when they went up Kilimanjaro, and that the iconic image of them stood on top of Kili with the black bikes with the red lettering on was of a Conquest. But since purchasing my own Saracen and having re read “Bicycles Up Kilimanjaro” it’s not quite that simple. All the bikes that say “Conquest” on them that I have come across so far have been in 531, whilst the Cranes bikes were in 501 and didn’t say conquest on them anywhere. Nor does Nick ever call them Conquests in the book, and I’m sure he would have mentioned it. He just calls them Saracens and then lists the equipment on them. By contrast a few years later in his book Atlas Biker, Nick clearly lists the bikes used as being Ridgeback 603’s.
So does anyone know when Saracen (or Evans) started using the name “Conquest”? Because could it possibly be that it was only used on 531 bikes after the Cranes ascent of Kilimanjaro, which happened New Years day 1985?
The way I see therefore, I have come across three different bikes and I propose the time line is as follows.
1 The one I own. Similar to Breezer boys 1983 F.W Evans, I am taking mine to be the Saracen equivalent as per Grahamjohnwallace “Evans were curious and later persuaded Bluemell's to build some bikes based on what they had seen. The resulting F.W Evans mountain bikes were mostly silver and branded under the shops own marque. Bluemell’s own Saracen bikes were identical apart from being black.” Built with 501 frame & forks and with a reinforced brake hanger, SARACEN embossed in top of seatstays and lug detail picked out in red. “SARACEN” in red on down tube.
2 The cranes bikes, which must be late 1984. I say late because didn’t XT only come out late 84? Again built in 501 but different to mine as they are now without the reinforced brake hanger and have external dimples in the chainstays. The frame is fully lugged, but the lugs are not picked out in red and the top of the seatstays doesn’t appear to say SARACEN. “SARACEN” in red on downtube.
3 All the other “Conquest” bikes I’ve seen so far. All seem to be of the same design as 2, but are now built in 531 and have the word “Conquest” on the top tube. The other 501 bikes, like Deadrats and Kayas seem to be based up “Kilis” of some sort, so I guess the clue is in the name and these are also 85 onwards?
Isn’t it unlikely that Saracen would change design details from bike to bike mid production, but rather that they would drop superfluous details as they went along? Also, is it likely that in 1984 Saracen were producing bikes in both 501 and 531 (or wouldn’t the Cranes have opted to use a 531 variant)? And lastly when was 531AT actually available. Because I thought that the reason why the first top end Raleigh Mavericks, on sale late 85 I believe, were built in Japan using Cr-Mo tubing was because there was some issue getting hold of it/ the lugs at this time?
So can anyone help?
