Help me identify this bike. Possible 80's Saracen Content.

drcarlos

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Went to my folks today to drop off the Christmas presents of new 'retro' bikes. While I was there I rescued my dads old bike that I built for him in the early 90's and for one reason or another (lack of time and the fact it was far too big for him 21" frame and 5' 7" don't mix well) it has sat unused for 99.9% of the intervening time.
It is now sat in my garage in a very sorry state and the first thing I need to decide is if it is worth rescuing.
It was sold to me by a college mate who claimed it to be a reasonably highend Saracen, but as it had a rather fetching (read crap) respray and a set of terrible decals put on this has never been confirmed.
Somethings definitely scream '88 Saracen to me such as the fork crown, the seat/top tube cluster/lug, the dual cable guide braze ons for the gear cables and the crimped chainstays. I cannot though see anything in the readers bikes that fully matches. The Trekkers are Wishbone design, Tufftrax's are still on a rear U-brake and Kili's have vertical dropouts (this has older horizontals), so could it be a later '87 (with the '88 fork) of some description or is it not a Saracen at all?
Components are mostly Deore MT-60 (I pinched the front cantis and rear mech for another bike and I think the M400 mountain chainset is a replacement), Headset is a 1" Shimano 600 sealed, rims I can't work out but will clean up well, spokes are stainless.
The resto will be my biggest to date as the frame will need stripping and paint to original colours (plus new decals) and the seatpost is currently stuck. If it needs MT-60, that's what it will get so the frame needs to be worth it for this undertaking.
Anyway here's some pics and any help is appreciated.

Carl.

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Even a bit to early for my saracen knowledge :oops:

It looks to have the hallmarks of one with the rear dropouts, the forks are not the norm for a conquest but are similar to 88 era trekker forks :?

Are there any stamps in the rear dropouts ?

You have some nice parts there especialy the 600 headset :cool:
 
1989 Traverse perhaps...?
saracen89_279.jpg


Difficult to tell from these images, but yours does have several traits familiar to Saracens. I suspect it could be earlier though.

The front mech looks original so perhaps look for the Shimano production code. (Bottom of this page: --> http://www.mombat.org/Shimano.htm)
 
drystonepaul":xnh63mmz said:
By the way, the tyres look to be a Tioga Mud Dawg on the rear and a Trail Dawg up front.
Are they blackwall or just very dirty skinwalls?

If the former then... --> http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=180208 :)

They are from memory a matched and hardly used Pair of Mud/Trail Dawgs that were fitted to my butler from the factory and I found them a bit lacking.

Not sure if they are going yet and I need to fully assess their condition as they have been flat for about 10 years.

Carl.
 
drystonepaul":3l4bv3uc said:
1989 Traverse perhaps...?
saracen89_279.jpg


Difficult to tell from these images, but yours does have several traits familiar to Saracens. I suspect it could be earlier though.

The front mech looks original so perhaps look for the Shimano production code. (Bottom of this page: --> http://www.mombat.org/Shimano.htm)

I think '89 is too late as the Angles are far too slack, (need to get a decent side on shot to fully show this), the rear brake cable is a full length outer to as there are guides on the top tube and not stops.
MT-60 Deore was '88 (except cranks and Cantis which were until '91) the hubs are MT-60 6 Speed Uniglide too. Everything points to '88 really as the fork design is right for the year, but the dropouts are odd for something highend.
Any Conquest or Kili pics from '88?

Carl.
 
There are a few chips in the rattlecan purple paint too revealing what looks like a royal blue colour.

Carl.
 
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