Early Saracen Lovers Anonymous......

Iwasgoodonce":a4g4wz77 said:

Cheese, is that rear mech two grafted together? I like the road style bit.

Click to expand...

LX body, 105 cage

Re: Sentimental posting

therealkw15":1bkzgbv0 said:

Twenty years ago today I collected my brand new Saracen Tufftrax from the Edinburgh Bike Co-op, thrilled at the state of art 21 speed Shimano Hyperglide gearing, Deore thumbshifters and Mountain LX mechs, Biopace chainrings, cantilever brakes, full Cromoly fork and double-butted frame and handbuilt wheels with black anodised rims.

£332.95 it cost me, and That Was A Lot Of Money In Those Days.

Still in daily use today though, and the frame, forks, shifters, mechs, seat, seatpost, bars, stem and grips are still original.

A bargain!

This baby has accompanied me down trails in the Rockies, a run from Edinburgh to Orkney, up countless hills/mountains, in a collision on a roundabout in Portobello and to the shops. Here's to the next 20 years!

Click to expand...

That's a fantastic tale, RealKW! After 20 years, a proper British mountain bike is still giving good service. My Saracen's a mere 16 years old, but I can still remember the thrill of wheeling it away from the bike shop to the "tick-tick-tick" sound of the freehub. As many would agree on this website, "they don't make 'em like they used to".

LGF, that's a real eye-catcher you've built there. What are you going to call it? Lemon and lime?

therealkw15 , that saracen is awsome, such a great story and am glad its staying with you, The early steel frames were so made to last, the aluminium models of same era are not so time enduring which is probably why there are so few alloy ones left. I would put money on it being still around in another 20 years for sure

I have read many stories of blue tufftrax's and how it was their fav bike ever.

JohnH":2s5bb4p0 said:

LGF, that's a real eye-catcher you've built there. What are you going to call it? Lemon and lime?

Click to expand...

an eyesore...

therealkw15, love it! That's what they were all about!

Re: Sentimental posting

therealkw15":10f4zn0r said:

Twenty years ago today I collected my brand new Saracen Tufftrax from the Edinburgh Bike Co-op, thrilled at the state of art 21 speed Shimano Hyperglide gearing, Deore thumbshifters and Mountain LX mechs, Biopace chainrings, cantilever brakes, full Cromoly fork and double-butted frame and handbuilt wheels with black anodised rims.

£332.95 it cost me, and That Was A Lot Of Money In Those Days.

Still in daily use today though, and the frame, forks, shifters, mechs, seat, seatpost, bars, stem and grips are still original.

A bargain!

This baby has accompanied me down trails in the Rockies, a run from Edinburgh to Orkney, up countless hills/mountains, in a collision on a roundabout in Portobello and to the shops. Here's to the next 20 years!

Pictured yesterday:

Click to expand...

That is identical to my first "proper" MTB. I loved it and seeing yours bought back many happy memories! Thanks

I promised this ages ago, but hey, better late than never
Ill get a decent pic eventually

1985 Conquest

Love the thread - stumbled on it whilst looking for parts for my 1985 Saracen Conquest - wonderful change from reading all the bad comments about Saracen.

Bought the bike in 1985 funded from the compensation from having been knocked off my road bike. Up until then I'd never heard of mountain bikes (not suprising in 1985). Can't quite remember how much it cost but £450 rings a bell. Needed the bike ASAP as I was doing the Pennine Way with a friend (he had an Overbury) - the week long ride was wonderful and I've been hooked ever since. It's been over the top of Snowdon, all around the Lakes, Yorkshire Dales, Scotland, France and the White Mountains of Crete. Could never part with her no matter what I was offered!

Resisted getting another bike until this year - after all the Conquest was still going strong, but finally gave in and bought a Zen 731 and a D-Jab frame. Despite holding onto the old lass, she's gone through many revamps so all that's left is the frame (albeit that I've still got some of the old parts) The old Conquest is now in the process of being renovated so if anybody's got any parts please let me know (1985 XT front and rear derailleur, bottom bracket, headset, handlebars, seat stay etc). My plan is to have a full respray at Bob Jacksons (I was told it was BJ that made the Conquests) and try and get it back to it's original state - does anybody have a full list of all the componants on the Conquest?

1985 Saracen Conquest

Forgot to add photo!