Ok, don't all call me a numpty, but I won this conquest on ebay and specifically asked the guy to check for cracks to the tubes as per Gravy Monster's suggestion (same happened to his). The guy said it was fine, so I picked it up in the dark last night from his son. I didn't bother checking too closely, just went on his advice. Got it home and the head tube is cracked. He said he would collect it and refund so that's ok. But I'm wondering whether it's easy to repair or worth it, what do people think? It's got XT thumbies, front n rear mech XT mechs, nothing else of interest. I paid £65 plus petrol. Asked for a partial refund of 30 but he's not having it.
Saracen Conquest with damage
- Thread starter Gonzalez
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I think that's a great bike!
Firstly, just on the bits you are in profit if you broke it for spares. :cry:
As I see it you need to do two things - stop the cracks spreading and then repair / reinforce the weakness. Here are my thoughts on the options:
1 You need to drill crack stops at the tips of the cracks to stop them propagating further.
2 Depending on the space, you might be able to fit a machined collar around the bottom of the head tube - ideally it would be machined slightly undersize, then fit it heated to a cooled frame.
3 Alternatively, you could sleeve it from the inside to give a 1" head size, assuming it's 1 1/8th head tube.
4 (The one I like least) weld a patch on the outside
5 Get a frame builder to weld in a complete new head tube.
Unfortunately there are not so many framebuilders who work in Aluminium.
Firstly, just on the bits you are in profit if you broke it for spares. :cry:
As I see it you need to do two things - stop the cracks spreading and then repair / reinforce the weakness. Here are my thoughts on the options:
1 You need to drill crack stops at the tips of the cracks to stop them propagating further.
2 Depending on the space, you might be able to fit a machined collar around the bottom of the head tube - ideally it would be machined slightly undersize, then fit it heated to a cooled frame.
3 Alternatively, you could sleeve it from the inside to give a 1" head size, assuming it's 1 1/8th head tube.
4 (The one I like least) weld a patch on the outside
5 Get a frame builder to weld in a complete new head tube.
Unfortunately there are not so many framebuilders who work in Aluminium.
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you'd get your money back for parts easy but I'd try to get it repaired first
DeletedUser006
Old School Grand Master
Nightmare !
Its looks from the pics that its bare alloy which could mean its a 91 model as the 92 was powdercoated, at lease this will give you a better view on the suspect area's.
Mine was cracked heatube top fron edge on face about 30mm long, bottom edge front face at 30mm and the worst was 2 cracks at the lower rear where the weld holds headtube to downtube about 25mm apart. The more the headtube was heated for welding the more the cracks appeared !!
Also check at the rear around the seat post clamp area
I would love to see another one on here
Cheers
Its looks from the pics that its bare alloy which could mean its a 91 model as the 92 was powdercoated, at lease this will give you a better view on the suspect area's.
Mine was cracked heatube top fron edge on face about 30mm long, bottom edge front face at 30mm and the worst was 2 cracks at the lower rear where the weld holds headtube to downtube about 25mm apart. The more the headtube was heated for welding the more the cracks appeared !!
Also check at the rear around the seat post clamp area
I would love to see another one on here
Cheers
Gravy Monster":1c0z4xoj said:
not that is makes any difference but I reckon this might be a '92, aren't they remnants of paint on the headtube...
Isn't the seatstay bridge the deciding factor between a '91 and a '92?
(The '91 seatstay bridge was a really agricultural affair but by '92 it was quite elegant.)
Ok it's stripped now so I've bitten the bullet. Seems to be only the one "Y" crack on the headtube James, I've been rubbing the frame down- a good way to check it over eh? The rest seems fine, although not sure as yet.
Interesting if we can narrow down years and spec etc for these in one post! there's lots of info around the site.
Mine seems to have been painted, there is red and purple paint evident. The red is inder the purple, and the red is inside the seat tube too, not sure if it's primer. The seat stay bridge has Saracen written on it, and the serial no on the top. post some more pics later today if possible.
Interesting if we can narrow down years and spec etc for these in one post! there's lots of info around the site.
Mine seems to have been painted, there is red and purple paint evident. The red is inder the purple, and the red is inside the seat tube too, not sure if it's primer. The seat stay bridge has Saracen written on it, and the serial no on the top. post some more pics later today if possible.
DeletedUser006
Old School Grand Master
You have better eyes than me 
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That might be the one in this colour scheme (I've yet to see another)
is the rear brake cable using an outer all the way through? If so this was for the hydrolic hose guides for Maguras.
is the rear brake cable using an outer all the way through? If so this was for the hydrolic hose guides for Maguras.
ok got some more pics for those saracen lovers that are interested, god knows what's been done to this poor specimen in the past but it seems to have been stripped of most of it's glory over time, we'll see if we can do right by it though. Been rubbing the frame a bit today, no genie came out but most of the paint is off, along with the skin on my fingers. Some pics below anyhow. An ident for the wheels would be good?
