My Saracen Kili Comp - remodelled in a kinda Cruiser stylee

[We_are_Stevo]

Re: My Saracen Kili Comp - finally finished (pic heavy...)

He's an accountant, takes part in Am. Dram. ( where they met...) and drives a Z4, so what does he do when he wants a bike?

He goes to Halfords and buys himself a £99.99 'full suspension' bike that even he admits weighs half a ton! :facepalm:

My daughter has my original '97 Kilauea, which was an upgrade from my previous Lavadome, so she knows what's what; when I asked him if he'd like the Kili he 'ummed and ah'd' because it didn't have rear suspension...

...'Nor has yours!' was her quick retort

So then I showed him the the tyres I had in the shed that I was probably never going to use and that convinced him; but I'll leave that for the new photo's...

 

[Muddy paw]

Re: My Saracen Kili Comp - finally finished (pic heavy...)

Not another Am Dram fanatic :shock: ,and he drives a Z4 "enough said " :roll: ,No one in their right mind goes out and pays a ton for a new full susser unless they've lost the plot or are just plain mad :facepalm: .

So he had the cheek to pull a face at a cracking HT just because it wasn't a full susser " tut tut " no disrespect but his attitude doesn't surprise me considering the trade he's in ..

I'd love to try out a Lava dome as i've never ridden a Kona at all :shock: and your daughter sounds like a smart cookie when it comes down to bikes so at least she will appreciate a classic mtb ..

So what size tyres are you going to use and will they be hybrid or road that your going to put on for him although i'd choose a central block tyre which is normally pretty adequate for XC and road lol ..

 

[Pyro Tim]

Re: My Saracen Kili Comp - finally finished (pic heavy...)

I know I'm married etc, but can I go out with your daughter instead of that philistine? I'd bit your arm off

 

[We_are_Stevo]

Re: My Saracen Kili Comp - finally finished (pic heavy...)

...

 

[We_are_Stevo]

Re: My Saracen Kili Comp - rebuilt in a kind of Cruiser styl

So, something had to go and the purple Saracen drew the short straw; I was going to break it and sell it as parts, but when I found out my Daughters' other half had bought himself a £99.99 BSO... :facepalm:

However, from the conversations we had had it was obvious a 90's rigid with a stretched racing profile was not going to go down too well so a quick makeover was required.

With a surplus of forks it would have been mean not to fit one, so it became a hardtail; then, worrying about his belief that his BSO was better by virtue of the fact it had 'full suspension' ( :roll: ), I started trawling eBay for a reasonably priced U.S.E bouncy seatpost...

...luckily for me Veedubba on here had one listed for sale and like a true star got it to me in record time so that I could fit it today for when they came to pick it up!

Equally jammy was going to my box-of-bits and finding I had a correct size shim just waiting to be used!

All the rest of the parts used to transform the Saracen into a non-Retro rider friendly Cruiser-stylee bike came from the depths of the shed. I think the result is strangely pleasing...



Shortly after the brief 'photo session' Joe insisted I 'have a go' before they headed back up to Norwich as they both had, and just as well too!

Could I get the damn gears to change smoothly! :facepalm:

Long story short; it's running 8-speed XT STi's which still have a really nice feel to them but the gears were jumping really badly. After trying everything else - twice! - I swapped out the purple ano. jockey wheel for a bog-standard Shimano item and BINGO! Perfect gear changes right through the range!

Should have listened to LGF in the first place I guess... :facepalm:

Anyway, the Birthday Boy was happy...



...with his new-old-bike, and now they have the rest of the weekend for Tracie to teach him how to ride it properly!

Put it this way, he wanted to be able to touch the floor with both feet whilst sat in the saddle! Tracie was telling me this as he rode off up the road: 'Hah! Dad won't be having any of that!' was her unspoken retort at the time; too bl**dy right I won't! :roll:

Anyway, judging by the grin on his face when he got back, I don't think it will be too long before she thrashes him into shape!

At least it has gone to a good home...

 

[Muddy paw]

Re: My Saracen Kili Comp - remodelled in a kinda Cruiser sty

Yes it is a bit of a semi modern mix of parts but it still looks damn good tbh and you must be mad going to all that effort to sort it then give it away :facepalm: and your daughters Other Half certainly doesn't know much when it comes down to riding bikes which reminds me of the wife :roll: as shes just as bad when it comes to getting seated properly on the saddle which one day just might happen when we get re housed some where with a roof over our heads "i Hope Soon " , i'm not 100% sure but their seemed a lot of white for my liking on the Saracen but that's down to personal choice and whats available
i suppose but overall the Saracen looks pretty smart and i wouldn't say no to owning it lol ..