1992 Saracen Tufftrax Elite

Hello, just found this great Forum whilst looking for some forks for my Saracen ! I have a 1992 Tufftrax Elite which i bought new, and have used for the last 18 years, all original !!

Here is a picture, I hope !

Ah lovely lovely lovely

I had one BITD for about 6 months before it was stolen. I have been searching for one for a while.

Mine was just the same as yours, great to see you've had it since new and it still gets used! Would love to see some more photos and detail shots.

oh and Welcome

(Is that a Kellogg's reflector on the front wheel?)

Hello, thanks for the welcome and the compliments ! It is a great bike, the front wheel has a green spoke thing from last years NSPCC Big Bike Ride in Sussex, did the 50km Route.

I will clean the bike and do some better photos !

Any ideas where i can get some replacement front sprockets ?

Any idea if i can fit Front Suspension Forks ?

Many thanks, regards Damian.

Hi Damian,

Do you mean the front chainrigs? If so you can put a wanted ad in. They are 110BCD so any of the older Shimano rings will fit.

As for suspension, Saracen didn't offer suspension on the Tufftrax elite until a year later, but the frames are identical. The problem you'll face is finding a retro fork that has a steerer long enough as the Saracen headtubes are rather long. I have used a set of Quadra 21 on my Tufftrax (it's a 92 like yours but has 93 stickers put on it a few years later) it took 6 monhts finding a steerer long enough, but mine is a 20" frame. I think the quadras suit the grey colour quite well. here's mine http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=94746
You'll more than likely have to chage to A-head too.
Another option to consider, if you just want to take the sting out is a Gervin Flexistem.

Hello, sorry I did mean the front chainrings, are they still available new ? Your bike looks great ! Those forks look fantastic on the bike, mine is a 17.5" frame.

Jusr found these on eBay - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROCKSHOX-QUADRA-2 ... 2306a19726

Would they fit mine ? Stupid question but, what is the `A Head` ?

Many thanks in advance, regards Damian.

Great looking bike. I knew Easy_Rider would be all over this one like a rash before I even opened the thread.
It'd be great to see some more photos of this one, but in the meantime here is the catalogue page for it.

Chainrings aren't really available, you'll need to find some old stock or ask on here if anyone has some. 5bolts 110BCD is what you're after. Shimano went compact chainring, 94BCD in about 93/94 and then 4 bolts after that.

Those forks would fit, but you'll need to check the steerer length and you'll need an A-head stem and headset, but to be honest i think they are too new for the bike and the Axle-crown length may be too long for your bike and spoil the hadling slightly.

You have the older quill stem on your Tufftrax, basically the stem slides inside the fork steerer and uses a wedge to clamp it tight, and the headset is threaded onto the fork steerer. A-head clamps on the outside of the fork steerer and doesn't use a threaded steerer and will need a different headset.




DSP, that catalouge picture features the early '92 bike, for some reason I have never seen one like that, all the ones I have seen have the external cable routing.

Can I ask why you want suspension?

Hello, thanks for the welcome, that picture is great ! I was sure i had the original brochure somewhere, but for the life of me it seems to have disappeared !

I will post some more pictures, it needs a wash after 40 miles last Saturday !

Regards Damian.

If anyone is interested, it is a 17.5" Frame, Frame No is F01 0258 and I have just found all the paperwork for the bike !