Saracen Race Elite - back in the saddle

[gmjgreg7]

Get some Bakewell puddin in ya!
Hope the weather picks up, there some nice picnic spots on the Monsal.

What's with the crudguard type mudguard on top of the tube?

Fingers crossed its relatively decent, but to be honest it is the Peak District in November so I'm not gonna be holding my breath for anything brilliant

If I remember right the mudguard on the top tube was part of a pack with the DirtMonkey rear guard. It is mounted back to front using the bottle cage bolts. I've been wondering recently about getting rid of it and sticking the bottle cage back on again because I fitted the FenderBender on the front about a fortnight ago. Might try it out over the weekend...

 

[coomber]

Get some Bakewell puddin in ya!
Hope the weather picks up, there some nice picnic spots on the Monsal.

What's with the crudguard type mudguard on top of the tube?

Fingers crossed its relatively decent, but to be honest it is the Peak District in November so I'm not gonna be holding my breath for anything brilliant

If I remember right the mudguard on the top tube was part of a pack with the DirtMonkey rear guard. It is mounted back to front using the bottle cage bolts. I've been wondering recently about getting rid of it and sticking the bottle cage back on again because I fitted the FenderBender on the front about a fortnight ago. Might try it out over the weekend...

It's not really mounted right to be honest.

They are meant for newer bikes with specific fixing bolts on the bottom side of downtubes for the mudguards. It would work better if you zip tied it on the bottom side of the downtube.

 

[gmjgreg7]

Get some Bakewell puddin in ya!
Hope the weather picks up, there some nice picnic spots on the Monsal.

What's with the crudguard type mudguard on top of the tube?

Fingers crossed its relatively decent, but to be honest it is the Peak District in November so I'm not gonna be holding my breath for anything brilliant

If I remember right the mudguard on the top tube was part of a pack with the DirtMonkey rear guard. It is mounted back to front using the bottle cage bolts. I've been wondering recently about getting rid of it and sticking the bottle cage back on again because I fitted the FenderBender on the front about a fortnight ago. Might try it out over the weekend...

It's not really mounted right to be honest.

They are meant for newer bikes with specific fixing bolts on the bottom side of downtubes for the mudguards. It would work better if you zip tied it on the bottom side of the downtube.

That's how I had it fitted when I first put it on, but it used to move around loads and ended up just irritating me by wobbling around and crashing into the forks, although it did usually keep the worst of the mud off. I think the new fender bender will do the job so I think I'll just be taking it off.

 

[coomber]

Ah right. Yeah they don't stay still unless they are screwed in and only way you can do that is as you have done.

 

[gmjgreg7]

Indeed, anyway this bender fender seems good so far, and the price is great too, see how I go tomorrow for the proper test though!

Hopefully get a decent opportunity to take some pictures of it in action too!

(Rain, rain go away....)

 

[gmjgreg7]

Monsal Trail was good fun, not the most challenging ride ever and it didn't rain either so no chance to test the difference with the 'back-to-front upside-down' mudguard. But I did get a photo op in at the end of the trail:


Decided to have a go at something a bit more challenging the next morning so headed out of Buxton and up to The Cat and Fiddle. When I say up, I really do mean up... what a climb! Anyway after 30 minutes of cursing the fact that I couldn't get the front derailleur to change into the granny ring I spotted the pub appearing out of the mist. All worth it for the sprint back down though, great fun, even if I wasn't 100% confident in the stopping power of my brakes...


Bike looks a lot cleaner without the guard on and having done nearly 40 miles in 3 days without using the bottle at all, I think I might get shot of that too - maybe just grab some of those odd little SiliconeTidds to fill the holes.

 

[coomber]

Great pictures

 

[gmjgreg7]

I'm sure my brain should be able to deal with this issue, but it's failing far to often!

On my Saracen the shifters work one way, while on my modern Specialized they work the other way, this is causing me regular issues when grabbing a quick change. It's worst on the days where I've commuted to and from work on the Saracen and am out in the dark using the Specialized off-road, you can guarantee it'll be a nasty steep bit, momentum will have deserted me and the surface will be getting a bit loose too. I grab a gear and '#%^*+$€' I grind to a halt having gone low instead of high.

It is doing my nut, I need to get rid of the ?rapid rise? LX rear derailleur and get something that shifts the same way as a normal bike
While I wasn't riding the Saracen so much and more importantly, wasn't riding anything else, it was fine, but it's messing with my head so I need to swap.

Any suggestions on what would be a suitable decent replacement? I only run a 7 speed cassette & shifters, is it worth sticking with 7 speed (it's not for off-road and I don't struggle when climbing or trying to get some pace) and is it worth going for used or new?

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Greg