Saracen project.

[Devon Dubber]

Hi all.

I am new here and although I am a lifelong rider/bike lover I have never ventured much into resto'/rebuild.

I currently ride a 2011 Claud B Cape Wrath as my everyday bike, I know it might divide opinion, and might be slightly on the heavy side but I really like it, unfortunately it spends most of its time on my road tires going to and from work, but hey ho. I do get to make it really filthy muddy every now and then.

Any how, more interestingly:
I have recently been given (by a complete stranger, bizarrely) a Saracen 'Forcetrax'.
I have been hammering the web to try and find out as much as possible about it with little to no luck. What I have found out is that it is probably a 1996 model and that it looks virtually identical to a 1996 Saracen Backtrax.

Anyhow, I think it looks pretty cool and have got a real itch to renovate and modify for the missus into a decent bike for doing cycle tracks and stuff with her and little one. (I have a Avenir Avon bike trailer for him, its absolutely wicked!)

So my question to you good folk is: What info can you provide me with on this bike?

















Thanks in advance...

And any opinions on what I should do with it?

I was thinking:
Strip paint, respray in original colour or slightly more metallic.
Put some V brakes on from an old GT I've got sitting around.
Either re-spoke the wheels, or pop some new ones on, I've got some with Deore hubs and Mavic X-317 rims... (more inclined to re-spoke I think to keep it slightly more original).
New saddle and seat post.

Cheers all.

DD

 

[garethfj]

Hmm, if it was me, I would probably add better wheels. Those wheels are machine built with non stainless spoke, so a rebuild wouldn't really be cost effective although, I have a similar set (QR) on my Claude Butler Zagato and they weren't too ad a wheel for a teenager.

So thats better wheels, frame and fork resprayed and decaled. Would probably keep the canti's, but change the bars and stem to something flat and a longer stem Just my opinion though, but the wheels will help the ride allot!

 

[coomber]

They arent worth a lot but are nice riding frames.

Paint is decent, not only would a respray be a waste of money, you'll struggle to get as nice a finish unless you chuck proper money at it.

Wheels would make a big difference, go for something like lx hubs on mavic rims.

Else replace all cables, get a stem to fut the bike better for your wife and then just enjoy it.

Welcome to the site!

 

[coomber]

All saracen catalogues are on the archive section. Reckon this is a 1996 but would need to check.

 

[Devon Dubber]

Hi again.

Thanks for the responses.

I have had a look at the rather excellent archive of catalogs and it is indeed a 1996, it would seem the only year they made the 'force' trax. It would appear to be in the lower mid-range of the 'trax' bikes just above the seemingly more common Back trax.

I am liking the recommendations you are kindly putting forward.
I will definitely be changing the wheels, as the ones on it would appear to be non-standard anyway and as you said, it will make a world of difference to the ride.
As for the spray, I think I might just go ahead and have a go, part of the reason for doing a respray on it would be my interest in trying it out, as well as the end result.
Refurbishing the old canti's is also not a bad idea... in my naivety I presumed that 'V' brakes would be a lot more effective......????

Does anyone know of a good way of getting new decals? The ones on there are pretty far gone, especially the ones on the seat tube.

I have already stripped it apart from the head tube and the BB... Fun!

Thanks again.

DD

 

[Devon Dubber]

Just out of interest... What is the 'canti rule'? (I know what canti's are... but not the rule) Seen it mentioned here and there.

 

[coomber]

If a frame has a canti hanger (metal guide) as part of the frame, some here would say thou should use cantis. But use what you want! That's the canti rule. I find v brakes easier to set up but each to their own.

Respray would be fun. Gil_m on here might be able to recreate the decals he does most of them. Send him a pm or visit his website the cycleshed.

 

[xxnick1975]

It not the Canti rule, its cantis rule. Vee brakes are satans work

 

[Devon Dubber]

Makes sense, cheers

Canti's it is then

 

[garethfj]

You're right v-brakes have a larger lever so you get higher torque at he pivot, so to speak. However, this is a retro bike so I just think to keep it authentic, perhaps keep the canti's. They will polish upi nicely! A good set of and better rims will help allot!