Saved from the tip: 1985? Saracen Junior ATB

[redbandit]

Spotted at the local tip last weekend in the scrap metal area if you can believe it! Cost me a fiver but worth it to save a bit of MTB history.

The fantastic resources on this forum tell me it is probably a 1985 Saracen Junior ATB. The brake levers are dated 11/83 and 04/84 but I don't know if they produced this bike in 1984?

The paint and decals are rough, but it is remarkably original, with all the important bits still there. I love the bars, stem and Suntour thumbshifters. The 24" Araya rims are in great shape too.

Shame it is missing the original triple chainset and has a mismatched double Sakae/Custom cranks now. Wrong saddle and (broken) pedals too.

It is so interesting to see such an early kids MTB, at the very start of the evolution process. Compare it to a modern Islabike and you just want to laugh at the massive brake levers and long reach. The cost as well: £374 in 1985! That is a fortune!

My boys are desperate to ride it, so it just needs a tidy up inc new tyres, pedals and a junior size saddle if I can find something suitably old.

 

[foz]

That looks cool! Is that a Reynolds tubing sticker on the fork?

 

[Retro Spud]

My god a time capsule save from the crusher
I’ll bet the guys at the top thought you were mad.

Probably worth little more than you paid for it, but in another sense a priceless bit of history

 

[redbandit]

That looks cool! Is that a Reynolds tubing sticker on the fork?

Yes - 501.

The catalogue spec says frame and fork but no sticker on the frame.

The bike feels relatively light, especially compared to my son's modern 24" wheel Cube MTB that is unbelievably heavy for a small aluminium bicycle....

 

[redbandit]

My god a time capsule save from the crusher
I’ll bet the guys at the top thought you were mad.

Probably worth little more than you paid for it, but in another sense a priceless bit of history

I don't make a habit of picking up stray bikes at the tip but couldn't leave this one behind - I did get a few funny looks mind

 

[MR OX]

Re:

Cracking save! I do love a good tip rescue, my other half doesn't but I do