To Mantis or not to Mantis that is the question

ti_pin_man

Senior Retro Guru
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Thats what I would have thought. Saracen.

Isnt it funny how these auctions never state the 'opposite' and get the bike wildy underestimated. Its always the other way round... if you see what I mean.

"You are bidding on a silver lightweight bike - probably a Carrera from halfords"

...and in fact its a Merlin Mountain or something...
 
this is what he tinks it is, which is also what its not....
 

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to be fair

to be fair to the guy I swapped a few emails with him and he swapped it for an old cannondale frame. He seems fairly honest that it might not be a mantis. Not only does the top tube stick out like a GT but the raised stays join near the down tube and the drop outs are nothing like Mantis ones. The built in Luton kind confirms this. I don't remember the Saracen having brake bridges like that... will have to dig a picture out...
 
That is an Estay Saracen ( and a pile of poo to boot ).Top tube was peirced so the protruding butt could have an " S " cap welded on it sometimes ( depending on whether the Taiwanese frame builders could be bothered at the time....many Kiliflyers ended up badged as Carreras and sold at that price too! )
Run away.
 
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