The Saracen Conquest ?

[one-eyed_jim]

I have some of the article in the book; The Ultimate Bicycle book by Richard Ballantine and Richard Grant, which someone has so kindly converted to pdf and posted on the net;

If you hunt around, you'll find a much bigger colour pdf copy- about 30MB. The originals also pop up on eBay fairly cheaply.

The book published in 1992, there is a fair smattering of retro bikes in there and things concerning cycling at the time. definately worth a look.

I remember drooling over the gorgeous Cannondale tourer in the book when it originally came out. Two months ago I finally got one!

But, as I am a person who must understand the origin of things, I still wish to understand where the Saracen cycles name came from.

Have you tried e-mailing Saracen?

 

[beshroomed]

Saracen can also be linked to sarsen, as in the sarsen stones.

 

[silverclaws]

Yes,

From Etymology Online;http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=saracen&searchmode=none

Saracen
O.E., "an Arab" (in Greek and Roman translations), also, mid-13c., generally, "non-Christian, heathen, pagan," from O.Fr. saracin, from L.L. saracenus, from Gk. sarakenos, usually said to be from Arabic Sharquiyin, accusative plural of sharqiy "eastern," from sharq "east, sunrise," but this is not certain. In medieval times the name was associated with that of Biblical Sarah (q.v.).

The name Greeks and Romans gave to the nomads of the Syrian and Arabian deserts. Specific sense of "Middle Eastern Muslim" is from the Crusades.

sarsen
"large sandstone boulder," 1644, prop. sarsen stone, i.e. Saracen stone, from Saracen (q.v.) in the old sense of "pagan, heathen."[/url]

 

[one-eyed_jim]

They called it "the winch".

Tell you what though, I reckon the freewheel in that picture doesn't look so very unlike this stock SunTour 14-38:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0570948360

Check out the six holes in the big sprocket.

 

[Matt bicycle]

Re: Saracen conquest

Hi folks. As it happens I own a conquest. Anyone want it?

 

[andyz]

Re:

They called it "the winch".

Tell you what though, I reckon the freewheel in that picture doesn't look so very unlike this stock SunTour 14-38:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0570948360

Check out the six holes in the big sprocket.

I have one of those on my Cleland! It is indeed a standard Suntour freewheel.

 

[jaypee]

Re: Saracen conquest

Hi folks. As it happens I own a conquest. Anyone want it?

Gingerly declaring interest and dibs... Will pm you now