Early Saracen Lovers Anonymous......

[chaser]

Update on my NOS 97 Protrax frame/forks - modern build

Hi there Saracen lovers

I am gutted to see this thread relegated to page two of MTB chat! Here's a bump!

So, I thought I'd post you an updated pic of my 97 Saracen Protrax - although Pickle's is also 97 and red, not purple, so I am a bit perplexed. Need some clarification about dates from a Saracen expert??

So Here's the latest developments.....

Also see http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=100634 for update about forks.

Enjoy,

Chaser.

 

[chaser]

Are you going to leave it as it is? I think I wouldn't be able to resist meddling and would change to v brakes...

I had it changed to canti's before buying it!

All I need to do is change the stem to something thinner, longer and lower.

Pickle, a ControlTech stem would look good... light, skinny, usually long.

Love the original looks of yours, did you buy new?

97 is when blackwall tyres started to be all the rage too IIRC?

I love old Sara's

Cheers,

Chaser

 

[drystonepaul]

Pickle, a ControlTech stem would look good... light, skinny, usually long.

Love the original looks of yours, did you buy new?

97 is when blackwall tyres started to be all the rage too IIRC?

I love old Sara's

Cheers,

Chaser

Looking at the catalogues, Saracen were speccing black wall tyres on many of their Hydrotech E-stay bikes as early as 1991. They looked great alongside their bright colours and wacky comic book graphics.
Some of the 1992 Raleigh Dyna Techs were also originally specced with black-walls.

I think you're right though that by 1997 skin-wall tyres were still available but were becoming much more rare, especially as original equipment.
As a rule though I wouldn't normally put skin-walls on a post 1995 bike, but that's just me.

 

[therealkw15]

Finally got my 1989 Tufftrax owned from new built up after getting her beadblasted and powdercoated. Very happy with the finish and the colour, and I like the plain blue so much I'm in a quandary as to whether I should put new decals on or not. I'm tempted to just out on a headtube badge, the Tange MTB one and my name in small white letters near the seat!

For before pictures see my signature, but here she is now:

and also
http://www.flickr.com/photos/therealkw15/4581765156/
and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/therealkw15/4581765150/

I know, the bar ends really spoil the looks, I should have taken the pictures before putting them back on...

 

[clockworkgazz]

looking sweet but decals all the way for me- I hate a nude bike

 

[Sidewinder]

looking sweet but decals all the way for me- I hate a nude bike

I'm with Gazz

 

[XTSTIMAN]

Perhaps Pickles Saracen is a Tufftrax?

Here's a picture of my '97 Tufftrax.

Has a 26.4mm seatpost if that helps confirm!

 

[Dead Rats]

Finally got my 1989 Tufftrax owned from new built up after getting her beadblasted and powdercoated. Very happy with the finish and the colour, and I like the plain blue so much I'm in a quandary as to whether I should put new decals on or not. I'm tempted to just out on a headtube badge, the Tange MTB one and my name in small white letters near the seat!

For before pictures see my signature, but here she is now:

and also
http://www.flickr.com/photos/therealkw15/4581765156/
and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/therealkw15/4581765150/

I know, the bar ends really spoil the looks, I should have taken the pictures before putting them back on...

looks clean as a whistle but yeah needs a down tube decal (says me ) nowt wrong with bar ends tho - useful and all that

 

[therealkw15]

Thanks for the comments gents, I think maybe decals are necessary to demonstrate the retro pride right enough.

More pictures of the old girl on the roads and piers around Kirkwall on the global nightride here:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=100693&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=43

 

[dendy]

I agree.. Decals are a must and i would go with the white edged ones from 1992.