1989 Saracen Trekker Competition

Well chuffed to have just picked up this double U - equipped beauty.

I love the original spec of these and the details of the frame design and the overall effect is giving me a really nice blast of nostalgia (for the sort of bike I was too young and poor to be able to afford BITD). It's mostly original and little used if the rims and chainrings are anything to go by. Was very relieved that the seat post slid up easily once I'd pulled it out of the car and loosened the QR... Always a worry! Have ridden it around the block and I like it lots already. It's not heavy for what it is, either...I might ride it to work tomorrow as-is.

Plan is a good clean and service, remove the "wrong" bits and get it closer to original spec, and then ride it lots. Being black it should be easy to touch in the minor paint damage and the decals aren't too bad.

What does it need? New (old) shifters, saddle, brake levers, saddle qr, grips?

Welcome your votes on whether the spoke reflectors stay or go. I think go! I'm quite tempted to add a derailleur protector though as I've got one in the stash... even if the weight weenie in me says no.

Re:

Very good.

I keep mine as original as possible so the reflectors would stay. Should be easy enough to get the correct shifters, levers and QR but the proper saddle and grips might be harder to come by. Look out for a Tufftrax donor maybe although the saddle on yours should really be the leather version. :?

Re:

Very nice, mine is up there as my favourite and was temped by this but have too many doubles.



Its your bike, so if you want to remove reflectors do it, not a big change and could always replace. Just enjoy it

Re: New bike - 1990? Saracen Trekker Competition

Thanks for the positive comments guys. Original as possible is definitely my plan but I kind of think that irrespective of that reflectors have no place on a nice bike... This is missing its original rear one anyway, so...

Anyway, apologies for the poor quality pics that follow. Retrobike, retro phone.



Put it in the stand this morning. The chain was slipping on last night's test ride so checked it for wear - all good on that score, it's practically brand new. Adjusted the gear cables which seemed to do the trick. All seems well in the stand.

I found these in the shed - MT63. Good enough?



Then I removed some non-original plastic reflectors fitted a Tufftrax saddle I had (not perfect but better), loosened the stem (was almost stuck but freed up with a squirt and a wiggle) to adjust bar height, before I remembered that the brake cable hanger in the stem meant that that was a can of worms I didn't have time to open.

So I gave it a wash...



...and rode it to work via a gravelly disused railway track. Was nice! Solid and smooth feeling, if not quite as lively as my C16R.

Then this happened:



I hope this isn't an unlucky bike.

On the plus side it meant I finally had an excuse to go in to the bike shop next to work. Nice guy, I was going to just pay him to patch it, but instead he sold me an inner tube at a discount and I chatted to him about building wheels while I fitted it myself...

When I got back to work I replaced the perished rubbers on the QRs with some O-rings I found in a drawer. A bodge, but quite a nice one!



Having tweaked a few bits my feeling is that while it's little used it could really do with a strip and rebuild to ensure that nothing seizes up... Some of the cables are frayed, too. Brake pads are unworn but cracking... And those Hurricane tyres are a bit crap. What about some amber wall Schwalbe Tabletops? Any other ideas for something available new and not too pricy?

Re:

Nice ......... softspot for these, my old trekker, tis on ere somewhere

Re:

The MT63 is bang on. Still toying with converting mine to Deore. Reckon it is a 89 btw.

Re: Re:

brocklanders023":17lpfvpf said:

The MT63 is bang on. Still toying with converting mine to Deore. Reckon it is a 89 btw.

Click to expand...

Cool. Must be fate...had only just bought them off here with my Tufftrax in mind but this is more deserving. In fact I might get shot of the Tufftrax... Unless anyone can convince me that there's any rational reason to have both!

Someone in another thread on here posted that black finish dates it as 1990. But you might be right...

brocklanders023":17lpfvpf said:

the proper saddle and grips might be harder to come by.

Click to expand...

Yeah... To be honest I'm thinking maybe a "period upgrade" here might be fine... Turbo? I do like my Flites, although they didn't come out til '91... not sure would look right on this though. Of course if I'm going to ride it the main thing is that it's comfy and so far the Saracen saddle isn't half as comfy as the Flite or Brooks saddles on my other rides...

Re:

Well I have a 89 Tufftrax, Trekker and Traverse so that’s all the reasons you need! More the merrier.

Date wise i’m going by the decals as they’re 89. The 90 ones were neon with a shadow. Saying that, Saracen were freestyle back then so who knows!

Saddle wise a turbo would work, as would a San Rolls.

Re: Re:

brocklanders023":33pkr7df said:

Well I have a 89 Tufftrax, Trekker and Traverse so that’s all the reasons you need! More the merrier.

Date wise i’m going by the decals as they’re 89. The 90 ones were neon with a shadow. Saying that, Saracen were freestyle back then so who knows!

Saddle wise a turbo would work, as would a San Rolls.

Click to expand...

That's all good enough for me. 89 it is.

Re:

Same as mine but alternative colour.