1984 Saracen ATB?

[AliH]

Hello people,

New to RetroBike but a long term member of Bike Forums C+V community.
LIke many of my bikes, I salvaged this from the dump. From some early research I think it could be one of the first generation Saracen ATBs (pre conquest) but I am happy to be corrected on that. Too small for me and quite tempting to strip the parts off as they are all old and nice and suntour. Seems in pretty good condition with just a little surface rust. Not had much time to look at it properly, but the seat post isn't stuck. Shifters are a bit stuck but it might just be seized cables. Even the wheels run pretty true.

Was the Brooks B66 stock or has it been added? (incorrectly I might add!)

I have seen a few old Saracen posts on here and know there are some knowledgeable guys out there.

Cheers

 

[Tsundere]

What a find, lovely old Saracen there.

I doubt the Brookes was stock, but everything else except tyres looks original. It would be nice to keep it together.

If it were mine I'd strip everything down, deep clean and treat for rust, give that frame a good waxing and rebuild it with an original saddle if one can be identified and found.

Please let me know if you ever consider moving it on.

 

[bikeworkshop]

Proper early British mtb
Early mtb.
Japanese frame?

 

[Tootyred]

Yes...far eastern frame.

I would say thats a mid to late 84. I assume its Reynolds 531 mtb. The earlier batches were 501. Its a pre conquest....errr conquest. Just know as "saracen atb".

That suntour kit with the chee levers is spot on. Its even got the original pd200 shimano pedals. They later went to deerhead kit.

Great find.

 

[AliH]

No, it is a 501 frame - cool dealer sticker from Southampton. Don't know how it ended up in Glasgow!

 

[Tootyred]

Then most likely 1984. Most bike were still going out in 501 til the mid late point in the year as far as i can work out. 531 seemed to be very kate 84 early 85.

There were some later 501 frames too, but these seemed to go out as more city spec bikes. Mine had drum brakes and lesser spec bars, stem, etc. (Bmx bars are not original).

My conquest was 85, but that was with 531 and deerhead.

That first year there were a lot of changes to component specs.

 

[legrandefromage]

Where do you get the idea that these were made in the far east?


Theres a very good thread on the origins of the Saracen brand

Here's a bit

The first time my dad saw an ATB it was brought to him by a parts company to show him the next “new thing”. We stripped it down sprayed it and rebuilt it with our decals on. We then sold it from the photo only to some of our customers. When the parts and tubing came in they went into production in Warwick. All hand built to order by a small but very talented workforce including my engineer dad, Brian Staples, my Mum who was a finisher and myself who sprayed them. When we were approached by Bluemels to invest, the business was sold to them with the family remaining as Directors. It then moved to their premises at Wolston. Coventry where it traded until Bluemels went into administration taking Saracen with it. The bikes Mike had would have been as a result of the administrators selling off stock. Saracen was profit making right up until the end. I loved our bikes and it was the end of an era. X

 

[legrandefromage]

My 1985