1992 Saracen Tufftrax Elite (Update 25/06/11)

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Update: 25/06/11

I decided to go fully geared on this, just needing some granny ring bolts to finish this off, but other than that it's finished and rides great!

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Thursday night fire build
I got this frame with the intention of building it to '92 Specification (page 9 here, except the cable routing is different on both my original and this) just like the one that was stolen from me way back in '93, which is mainly Deore DX and Ritchey components, but lack of funds has kept this on the back burner for a long time.
So 8pm Thursday night, I thought I'd bring the Tuffrax frame in and see how the Quadra 21's looked on it, I've been itching to ride this frame for a while especially after seeing Crud's Sahara. Without intending to build a bike at all, a couple of hours later, i ended up with something quite nice!

Most of the parts have come from my now dead Parkpre SS, some of you may know, I've had to strip it due to a cracked frame and the project wasn't even anywhere near finished.
So, having missed riding a single speed and having exactly £0.00 funds I set about a parts bin build. I would have put gears on this, but I was lacking a chainset.

I still intend building this to original specification in the future.

Apart from the white pedals (my silver flats are now in Germany :roll: ), and needing another headset spacer so i can put a cap on it i'm quite pleased! Opinions welcome!

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Eeeek! I've used my longest BB at 122mm and it just clears even with flex it's ok, phew!
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Frame: Saracen Tufftrax Elite Tange Double butted main tubes.
Fork: '94 rockShox Quadra 21

Headset: FSA Orbit XL II
Stem: Ritchey Forcelight
Handlebar: Kalloy (polished and stupidly thin walled and light)
Grips: Onza Porcupaws clear

Brakes: Deore LX
Brake Pads: Shimano M65/T
Brake Cables: Ti look weave
Cantilever cable hangers: Onza chill pills
Brake Levers: Tektro

Freewheel: Dicta 17T
Chain: Bell Single Speed specific
Cranks: AC
Chainring: 36T DMR
Bottom Bracket: Shimano UN72
Pedals: DMR V8

Front Rim: Mavic 238
Front Hub: Deore LX
Rear Rim: Bontrager Mustang
Rear Hub: Hope Ti
Tyres: IRC Mythos

Saddle: Vetta SL
Seatpost: Kalloy

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Nice build! I'm thinking of converting my Dave Yates to single speed but am puzzled as to where you get single ring cranks? What are yours?

Edit: Just noticed the braided brake outer - well cool! Where's it from?
 
Lovely. Nice stealthy grey colour.

I'd be tempted to go fully rigid if it were mine, but the Rock Shox do look good on it, match up nicely aesthetically as well.

Bet it's nice and springy :cool:
 
that looks bloody good! and to think its a parts bin bike! looks planned!

I think the forks look great
 
looks good. only thing i would think about changing is the chainring. cranks look ace but ring is a little too much for me.

chain tension is bang on though!

have you ridden it yet?
 
crud":1xj5u5zs said:
I think the forks look great

Sorry if my post doesn't read well, just meant that I am a fan of fully rigid on these saracens, as an option to consider. Think the forks at the mo look great though.
 
coomber":g28y71q7 said:
crud":g28y71q7 said:
I think the forks look great

Sorry if my post doesn't read well, just meant that I am a fan of fully rigid on these saracens, as an option to consider. Think the forks at the mo look great though.

na coomber I was having a seperate disscusion about the quadras with ER a while back ;)
 
6.5x55":2y1opjn2 said:
Nice build! I'm thinking of converting my Dave Yates to single speed but am puzzled as to where you get single ring cranks? What are yours?

Edit: Just noticed the braided brake outer - well cool! Where's it from?

Cranks are AC (Adventure Components) DH, direct bolt on chainring or a spider (3 piece cranks). It took me over 6 months to source the spider and a further 2 months to find a SS specific chainring that matched (DMR Saturn) the spider. There are many cranks you could use, I chose this as it suited my Parkpre project at the time. Braided cable was from ebay ;)

coomber":2y1opjn2 said:
Lovely. Nice stealthy grey colour.

I'd be tempted to go fully rigid if it were mine, but the Rock Shox do look good on it, match up nicely aesthetically as well.

Bet it's nice and springy :cool:

I know what you mean about rigid. I got this as frame only and the headtube on this is massive, so was limited to what forks i could use. I also had these Quadra 21, and they are in near NOS condition but they didn't suit many bikes at all, but I thought the grey of the Tufftrax and the Quadras went quite well,so i spend 3-4months searching for a longer steerer to fit. It was all intended to be for a geared bike back then, but as I only had these to hand last night that's what went on. I do believe SS' should be rigid in general.

crud":2y1opjn2 said:
that looks bloody good! and to think its a parts bin bike! looks planned!

I think the forks look great

Cheers Crud ;) I know i couldn't quite believe how it all worked more or less together.

lewis1641":2y1opjn2 said:
looks good. only thing i would think about changing is the chainring. cranks look ace but ring is a little too much for me.

chain tension is bang on though!

have you ridden it yet?

I agree lewis, the chainring is a little too much for this build, it was on the Parkpre SS which it worked well on, but really this is all I had, and I like using single speed specific chainrings and chains. Couldn't believe my luck finding the magic ratio again, I upped the rear freewheel to 17T and the chain tension was bang on, and no half links either :cool:
Been for a ride this morning, not as racy as the Parkpre was but good fun nevertheless. The frame may be a tad large though for me.
 
Looks great ER. The red and grey go very well together. Am I right in thinking there is a slight metallic fleck in the grey...?
 

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