Coolwall Oct 2010 - Saracen

Uncool.

As a benchmark, try the "new acquaintance" scenario: Imagine you made a new acquaintance & got talking about old bikes.

What would their response be if you said you owned "an old Saracen"?

"So, I hear you're into old mountain bikes. I used to race a bit BITD - What bike have you got?"

You: An old Breezer, with the Spear-Point paint job... Oh, cool!
You: You remember the San Andreas...? Of course - cool!
You: A filleted Roberts... Cooooolllll!

You: I have this old Saracen........Oh.

They did a few frames that were really great - No question.
But the brand, overall, doesn't get that instant positive reaction from me.
Not then, when I owned one and they were still half-decent; certainly not now.

DM":q97vcgxg said:

Uncool.

As a benchmark, try the "new acquaintance" scenario: Imagine you made a new acquaintance & got talking about old bikes.

What would their response be if you said you owned "an old Saracen"?

"So, I hear you're into old mountain bikes. I used to race a bit BITD - What bike have you got?"

You: An old Breezer, with the Spear-Point paint job... Oh, cool!
You: You remember the San Andreas...? Of course - cool!
You: A filleted Roberts... Cooooolllll!

You: I have this old Saracen........Oh.

They did a few frames that were really great - No question.
But the brand, overall, doesn't get that instant positive reaction from me.
Not then, when I owned one and they were still half-decent; certainly not now.

Click to expand...

What he said. Uncool.

Fond recollections of a simpler time with your first bike does not equal cool.

They were cool... but sadly lost their way. I love the early stuff, built by British craftsmen, lovely welds, nice appealing design especially loved the wishbone version.

Then it all went to pot.

DM":mrf90evo said:

Uncool.

As a benchmark, try the "new acquaintance" scenario: Imagine you made a new acquaintance & got talking about old bikes.

What would their response be if you said you owned "an old Saracen"?

"So, I hear you're into old mountain bikes. I used to race a bit BITD - What bike have you got?"

You: An old Breezer, with the Spear-Point paint job... Oh, cool!
You: You remember the San Andreas...? Of course - cool!
You: A filleted Roberts... Cooooolllll!

You: I have this old Saracen........Oh.

Click to expand...

If that were me in that conversation, I'd say cool.

Cool doesn't come with any pretensions, it's not about rep - it just is.

Your post (probably not for the reasons you'd meant, maybe), and BarneyRubble's (probably for the reasons meant) have convinced me to vote cool - kudos.

If I was talking to some group at a party - and it just so happened the conversation kinda swung to retrobikes, firstly I'd check my drink that it hadn't been spiked by "Danny", then I'd assume I was in the Donnie Darko universe, and seventeenthly, if some pretentious jerks were only being Pavlovian about the obvious choices, and snobby about good solid bikes that loads rode, BITD, I'd know to dismiss their opinion as the utter guff it no doubt would be, in some hypothetical, alternative,um, reality.

(click) and we're back....

I`ve owned a few Saracens in my time :-

88` Tufftrax
92` Kili Racer E-stay ( now owned by a fellow retrobiker )
92` Kili Pro E-stay
96` Tufftrax

I now have an unused Saracen Panorama frame, its a really nicely made hand built steel frame, designed as a tourer ...........could be a 29er !!
Have recently aquired an 87` Tufftrax which will be kept and restored at some point.
Would love to find a 92` Kili Ultra.

For me the early Saracens were very cool and still are, but Saracen lost their way later on...............but I`m still going to say cool just because of my love for the early ones !

Sure, we pretty much agree that Saracen lost their way in recent years... but - this is Retrobike and so surely we're talking about old Saracens? In that case... they must be cool.

my point exactly! old school saracens are as cool as can be!

Neil":18145bkk said:

if some pretentious jerks were only being Pavlovian about the obvious choices, and snobby about good solid bikes that loads rode, BITD, I'd know to dismiss their opinion as the utter guff it no doubt would be
(click) and we're back....

Click to expand...

I actually agree with all that - there's a load of pretentious crap talked about old stuff (bikes, cars, art, vintage sneakers...) that is only important to certain type of sheep.

Here's the thing: Forget about "cool" - I don't think my Saracen wasn't even any GOOD. We could be generous and say that she and I were not suited to each other.

The first time I rode two other MTBs I cleaned climbs where I lost traction on the Saracen; They went round corners, rode lighter, Steered! Better handling and control in all ways. And those 2 bikes (Univega and Kona) were low end or bottom end - Much cheaper than the Saracen. But both way better to ride.

I've parted with loads of bikes over the years, but still have the Saracen. The powder coat is still tough as nails and it will be around for many more years. But it will never get that instant "coool" emotional response from me - No matter how much I wish it did.

My 1990 Killi Flyer Comp was cool


killiflyer by james_ferguson, on Flickr

They went "Down wid da kidz innit" which was nasty. They seem to be making an effort again now though.

What sways it for me though was I had one BiTD (and still have it) and I wore a Bula headband so it must have been cool, right?