Early Saracen Lovers Anonymous......

[drystonepaul]

Nice to see a high end Saracen build up. Love the anodised jewelery.

 

[silverclaws]

Yeah, interesting the ''saracen'' decals, it more like the ones on my current ride, but instead of white inside the silver, I got a colour which seems a cross between purple and red.

 

[oldave]

Neither very "early", but now I have two!

Red one (frame and fork) courtsey of letmetalktomark a week ago, so still needs a couple of better bits - but it rides very nicely.

 

[therealkw15]

1989 Saracen Tufftrax

At last, a self help group for me!

Like WW Biffty I have a 1989 Tufftrax owned from new, picked up by me from the Edinburgh Bike Co-op on 17th August 1989, costing me £332.95, and that Was A Lot Of Money In Those Days. Still the frontline bike of choice, and used for a tour or two every year.

On mine the frame, forks, mechs, stem, bars, seatpost, seat(!) and thumbshifters are original, and the Biopace chainset came off only a few weeks ago, when the futility of trying to get a 38T biopace ring hit home. Replaced with an Alivio 48/38/28, which needs a narrower 113mm bottom bracket to feel the same as the old one.

The original 13-30 cassette has been replaced by a series of about 5 12-28s over the years, and the brakes were upgraded to Vs a while back. Still got the cantis if anyone is interested. Wheels only lasted 15 years, at which point the rims started to peel off, disconcerting when you are 150 miles from home...

A few recent pics show it all its powder blue finery, although I think I'll have to get it stripped and resprayed this winter, as it is rusting under the top tube from accumulated sweat when it's on the turbo trainer. Looking for a source of decals if anyone can point me in the right direction. Also resprayer recommendations (bear in mind that I'm in Orkney so it'll be mail order).

- in Shetland last summer

- after a charity run to St Andrews a couple of years ago, with original chainset shown!

- a mountain bike at the top of a mountain. Skye in the background.

Good thread! If anyone fancies a Saracen Owners Club LEJOG this year give me a shout!

Cheers
Steven

 

[Sidewinder]

I'll probably regret this but "whats a LEJOG" ??

 

[therealkw15]

LEJOGery pokery

LEJoG = Lands End to John o' Groats.

Perhaps a more familiar term to those of us living in the islands to the north of JoG than elsewhere, to be fair.

Deciphering JoGLE is left as an exercise...

 

[DeletedUser006]

1990 or 1989 Saracen Traverse on Ebay, £40 buy now, Absolute Bargain, someone please snap it up

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MANS-SARACEN-MOUN ... |294%3A200

 

[BarneyRubble]

Re: 1989 Saracen Tufftrax

At last, a self help group for me!

Like WW Biffty I have a 1989 Tufftrax owned from new, picked up by me from the Edinburgh Bike Co-op on 17th August 1989, costing me £332.95, and that Was A Lot Of Money In Those Days. Still the frontline bike of choice, and used for a tour or two every year.

On mine the frame, forks, mechs, stem, bars, seatpost, seat(!) and thumbshifters are original, and the Biopace chainset came off only a few weeks ago, when the futility of trying to get a 38T biopace ring hit home. Replaced with an Alivio 48/38/28, which needs a narrower 113mm bottom bracket to feel the same as the old one.

The original 13-30 cassette has been replaced by a series of about 5 12-28s over the years, and the brakes were upgraded to Vs a while back. Still got the cantis if anyone is interested. Wheels only lasted 15 years, at which point the rims started to peel off, disconcerting when you are 150 miles from home...

A few recent pics show it all its powder blue finery, although I think I'll have to get it stripped and resprayed this winter, as it is rusting under the top tube from accumulated sweat when it's on the turbo trainer. Looking for a source of decals if anyone can point me in the right direction. Also resprayer recommendations (bear in mind that I'm in Orkney so it'll be mail order).

- in Shetland last summer

- a mountain bike at the top of a mountain. Skye in the background.

Good thread! If anyone fancies a Saracen Owners Club LEJOG this year give me a shout!

Cheers
Steven

I have wanted to see one of these on RB since I joined the site, I love them as my first "proper" MTB was an identical 89 Tufftrax. My brother purchased it new and I bought it off him for £250 in 1990 in mint condition. Seeing yours has bought back all the good memories of my first days of MTBing BITD. Cheers

 

[brocklanders023]

As above. Mine cost £370 in '89 from the local bike shop in Skipton. Loved it.

Brother in law bought it off me years ago and threw it in a skip last year. :evil:

 

[damian]

Here's my Bankrupt Saracen......

This literally started as a temporary frame whilst sorting out my Bear Valley, hence keeping the cable runs with plenty of spare in reserve, but I've really grown to like 'her'.

I built her up with mostly Deore LX except when some crazy XT prices made it a 'no brainer' to go that route. The Bontrager stem/saddle came off my Lemond.

I'm not too happy with the look of Kona P2s which are suspension adjusted, but the increased height at the front makes for a easy and comfortable town ride.

Overall, very impressed with what was a £20 cheap 'make do' frame, that's definitely going to stay!