Early Saracen Lovers Anonymous......

[brocklanders023]

Hi Brocklanders,

You don't want one or both then do you?! I kind of bid without thinking and didn't think I'd get them! I think the Black one does have the right frame. It has the same frame as the (TOO BIG) 1990 traverse I have. It's just a different and slightly better frame from the Tufftrax/Eiger (more Tange I think?)

The Blue one needs a black 26.4 seat post and a saddle if anyone has one. The Black one has a 29.4 seat tube. Both frames have a bit of surface rust. I might have to strip them or use the blue one as a run about. Either way the black bike as a whole or frameset has to go at least.

I do love a Saracen but never really bothered about the Eigers simply because I didn't shop in Halfords bitd so am not really in the market for them. I might have a 26.4 post though so will have a look. Interesting what you say about the 90 Traverse as my 89 is completely different. The blue one is identical to my 89 Tufftrax.

 

[oldave]

Thanks, kaya. My Protrax looks a lot more like that Kili than it does like the one in the Catalogue. Bizarre.

The plan is to get it up and running at minimum cost but if I like it .......

 

[oldave]

Stripped, cleaned, all bearings newly greased, new wires and canti blocks.....and back together. Very brief around the block suggests it goes and stops. Leather top tube wrap there not to protect nice paint but to obscure the worst of the tattiness!

Still confused.....paint, decals and components say ProTrax but rear triangle and forks say Kili. Even its shabbiness does not I think mask its nice clean lines. What else could one get for 40 quid, a few bits and some time?

https://imgur.com/THnqDxA

https://imgur.com/h4UpOdU

Parts all original except for an Alivio chainset - pending a LH arm for the STX-RC.

 

[markjohnson76]

I took the Tufftrax out for a thrashing in the snow on Sunday. After 25 years in an old blokes heated garage with lawnmowers, golf clubs and cobwebs for company the old thing was probably wondering what the f*** was going on.

 

[oldave]

Doubt my ProTrax had seen much snow either until Saturday - it ran fine after its very basic strip and rebuild. There's 4' of snow beneath the front wheel..

https://imgur.com/JFldniX

 

[markjohnson76]

Now that's proper snow! I had forgotten how dicey the brakes can be when it's cold and wet and you've picked some speed up...

 

[markjohnson76]

Meanwhile, in the warm... I've been tinkering with the blue 1990 Eiger I picked up. The black one has been sold for the £25 I paid for it. I kept the wheels though so now have a spare set of the Saracen branded black Wolber wheels on LX hubs from 89-91.

The Farmer John Nephew of this blue one were original and like new, never been taken off. This is going to be my commuter so thought I'd upgrade the tyres. I've added a slightly later 92 saddle, black seat post and that's it. Bit of oil and it's away. I can move on to the 1990 Kili Flyer I've found now...

Anyone have a yellow Saracen bottle cage from this era? I've seen one on Ebay but it';s a bit rough.

 

[cherrybomb]

Re:

Here's a mock up of my latest acquisition, a 1994 Kili Flyer.

Now I just need to build it properly.

 

[brocklanders023]

Re:

Trekker just landed.

 

[markjohnson76]

That is very nice!