1984 Saracen 'Sherpa'

[nstarmore]

I've wanted an early atb for a long time now and have been keeping an eye out for a Saracen, FW Evans or S&G of some sort for a few years now.

I got halfway there with my S&G Muddy City but the itch wasn't scratched.

Enter my latest pickup, a 1984 Saracen. Sold as a Sherpa (according to the original receipt), intense googling suggests this was the lower end of the range with the Conquest and Kili Flyer sitting above it.



This is the picture from original advert, I haven't had access to it in daylight to get some decent pictures but will upload some more tomorrow.

Despite best intentions I've never done a proper build thread so I'm very much looking forward to getting stuck into this one!

 

[wicket]

Nice! Looking forward to seeing the progress

 

[nstarmore]

I've managed to get 5 mins to take some pictures whilst it's not bleeding raining.

All original (apart from the saddle and rack), mudguards are Bluemels Mountain Range that were fitted from new:

 

[nstarmore]

Almost forgot the obligatory pic of that classic brake bridge:

 

[wicket]

Some lovely detailing like the cable fixing point for the rear mech

 

[nstarmore]

Some lovely detailing like the cable fixing point for the rear mech

Yeh it's properly nice, they really don't make them like they used to

 

[legrandefromage]

That rear cable stop makes it very very early

 

[nstarmore]

Indeed, first half of '84 at some point.

I bought it from the original owner who still had the receipt for the 2 bikes that were purchased:



I've also noted the lack of red Saracen decal on the downtube, which it never had. I wonder if that was something added later in 1984?

 

[legrandefromage]

Well here's a 1985

 

[Ren Rawbor]

Beautiful, makes me long for the era when you could buy a "lower end" model and have it last 40+ years with only basic cleaning & maintenance & the components all be from quality brands... Sure China has made cycling more accessible to more folk, but the lower end (even to mid range) stuff now is enough to put a youngun off for life. (it got pretty bad even in the '90s but now...)

Edit-: Oops, ranting old bastid alert! I'll be moaning the radio's too loud next!