Saracen frame- which model

[XTSTIMAN]

I have an unknown Saracen frame as a possible future project.

Was wondering which model it may have been. :?

It has a 16" frame, wieghs about 5lb. THe serial number suggests '95 and it has the Saracen dropouts, brake noodle ,pierced toptube with the Saracen S and it not powdercoated, but laquered.
The seatpost size is 26.4, toptube is 22" c-c.
Strange thing is that it has no rack mounts on the seatstays!

Any suggestions gratefully received

 

[drystonepaul]

Post up a picture and we'll have a go.

I'll warn you though that Saracen's from 1993 onwards are notoriously difficult to pin down exactly though.

 

[XTSTIMAN]

I know Saracen changed spec often in the mid 90's

Pic as requeseted, just a rough setup to see what it would look like.

 

[coomber]

Well it could be a 94 kili like mine in my sig, but then it could be a traverse as well. Not sure what my frame weighs as built it up before weighing it but that weight of 5lb might be about right.

Tricky to tell. Take it you have no stickers at all just bare frame? That silver is not original colour is it or is the frame stripped of paint? Hard to tell.

 

[XTSTIMAN]

The frame has a laquer coating on the bare steel. Possibly originally sold as an old stock bare frame.

What size seatpost does yours take?

 

[drystonepaul]

With the lacquer on bare steel it does suggest that it's one of the many frames which came onto the market when Saracen cleared their warehouse and moved HQ in December 2006. Lot's of the older stock of frames (presumably held for warranty replacements or just production surplus) appeared on mostly on eBay for a couple of years afterwards. Most seem to have found new owners now though.

Anyway, the frame weight and 26.4mm seatpost suggests that it's probably one of the models from the mid and lower end of the range like the Trekker, TuffTrax or Sahara perhaps. The geometry means that it'll still have good riding manners and feel though.
I think that the higher end models, like the Kilis, with thinner walled tubing generally had 26.8 or 27.0mm seatpost in the 1993 and 1994 model years and frame weights closer to 4 pounds.

Could well be proven wrong though.

 

[Easy_Rider]

To throw a spanner into the works my late '92 Tufftrax (which I believed is identical to the '93 models) takes a 30.2mm post!

 

[drystonepaul]

'Tis true that many of the 1992 e-stay and non e-stay Saracens took 30.2mm posts. My Kili Racer and Traverse both do.

Non of the 92 frames have the noodle though as far as I'm aware, instead having a canti bridge for the rear brake.
Looking at the 93 catalogue, all the steel bikes have the noodle.

 

[Easy_Rider]

Ah yes but then again the Tufftrax in the '92 catalouge has internal cable routing, but mine has the 3 side mounted cable stops (but no noodle). I'm certain mine is a '92 too, I also had the identical bike BITD. The Saracen enigma continous...

 

[drystonepaul]

Indeed. Where's neilll when we need him...?