This is my 1995 Saracen Tufftrax, one of the British made ones and the low end of their top line at the time. 531 tubing and a very nicely constructed frameset.
It was a bike I covetted when skint and won in a competition in a bicycle magazine that lasted only a few issues.
I used it solely off road for a few years then it began a new life as a (32 mile round trip) commuter during April - November for 5 years, hence the mega mileage!
It retired from that when I went self employed in 2004 and since then it has returned to being a pure trails bike. Yes, it still has road tyres on, simply because they are the last of a bulk load of Michelins I bought and I try to stick to dry trails now anyway. I do not do mud any longer!!!
The STX groupset has fared remarkably well. The deraillieur is the original as are the pedal cranks. The rear cassette has been changed around a dozen times, maybe more and the front chainrings 4 times. It has had several miles of chain, so many chains I've lost count!
The pedal crank cartridge bearing is the fourth only because I changed each one with the front chainrings. They would have lived longer I'm certain.
I can't rightly remember but I think this is the 5th set of wheels, Mavic rims on Deore hubs. The bars are replacements, the originals snapped and the stem is a higher one though I'm considering putting the original Ritchey back on.
The gripshift changers are the originals!!! Admittedly they are a bit tatered now though but I'll persevere with them till they are past useless.
The original seatpost collapsed off road before I started my big commute and this replacment has been on ever since. The seat is a cumfy wumfy replacement, but only the third one.
It has a V brake on the front which is unoriginal, simply because it was an easy conversion with a massive improvement over the original.
I did run pure SPD pedals on it for a good few years but it's now got some half'n'half SPD/flat pedals so I can either wear Shimano shoes or a pair of Converse if I'm feeling really retro.
It ain't pretty. I don't really do cosmetics, but it still works and is still in use. I still love it to bits!
It was a bike I covetted when skint and won in a competition in a bicycle magazine that lasted only a few issues.
I used it solely off road for a few years then it began a new life as a (32 mile round trip) commuter during April - November for 5 years, hence the mega mileage!
It retired from that when I went self employed in 2004 and since then it has returned to being a pure trails bike. Yes, it still has road tyres on, simply because they are the last of a bulk load of Michelins I bought and I try to stick to dry trails now anyway. I do not do mud any longer!!!
The STX groupset has fared remarkably well. The deraillieur is the original as are the pedal cranks. The rear cassette has been changed around a dozen times, maybe more and the front chainrings 4 times. It has had several miles of chain, so many chains I've lost count!
The pedal crank cartridge bearing is the fourth only because I changed each one with the front chainrings. They would have lived longer I'm certain.
I can't rightly remember but I think this is the 5th set of wheels, Mavic rims on Deore hubs. The bars are replacements, the originals snapped and the stem is a higher one though I'm considering putting the original Ritchey back on.
The gripshift changers are the originals!!! Admittedly they are a bit tatered now though but I'll persevere with them till they are past useless.
The original seatpost collapsed off road before I started my big commute and this replacment has been on ever since. The seat is a cumfy wumfy replacement, but only the third one.
It has a V brake on the front which is unoriginal, simply because it was an easy conversion with a massive improvement over the original.
I did run pure SPD pedals on it for a good few years but it's now got some half'n'half SPD/flat pedals so I can either wear Shimano shoes or a pair of Converse if I'm feeling really retro.
It ain't pretty. I don't really do cosmetics, but it still works and is still in use. I still love it to bits!
