Saracen (Team Issue ????)

Given the spec Iit doesnt point to it. Not 100% sure but thought the team riders would have been on high end kili's (ti included) so dont think there was such a thing as a team frame.

Someone will come along and make me sound stupid, but I think seller is wrong. Either way I'd be keen to know 100%.
 
I agree with you coomber, bike is very tidy looking and would be plenty good enough for me but there is nothing top end about it.
 
Wow, prototype team issue with mounts for that team issue rear rack. And since when was 1995 'before suspension forks had taken off'?

Chancer
 
Yep, looks tidy and will make a good bike, most mid - top end saracens around that time had Ritchey components specced.

I'll pass though, bit small for me! :)
 
Even in 1993, Saracen's competition team were riding Kilis with RS Mag 21s.

That still looks like a good rigid Saracen, but I don't think it's anything out of the ordinary.
 
looks to me like a low end 92/3 frame. The pierced top tube is capped off with a flat "s" plate later models had a convex plate. Also the canti bridge thingy is very 92, welded both sides to the stays. Later models utilised one that was welded to the non drive side stay only and then in 94 I believe they used a canti noodle. Seat clamp is also 92/93

So yes chancer :roll:
 
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Looks like a 1992 Tufftrax, so yes fairly low end of the 'Off-Road Sport' range with a 400LX and Deore LX component mix. It would have originally been specced with Deore thumbshifters and brake levers too, which appear to still be there.
The forks, canti bridge, dropouts and top tube cable routing all point to a later 1992 production date. The colour and the 'Off-Road Sport' decal on the seat tube are a big clue too.
It also looks like the original Zoom stem rather than a Ritchey one as suggested in the listing.

The catalogue below shows an early 92 model, with different dropouts and internal cable routing. Early 92 models would have been built using elements of the 1991 range, leftovers if you will, such as the dropouts etc.

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It's possible that this bike was sold as a 1993 model year bike towrds the end of 1992 or in early 1993. As such it could have been originally badged as a 'Limited Edition' which was basically a way that Saracen rebranded last years bikes and sold them as new models the following year to clear surplus stock.
If this is the case them it would not have appeared in the 1993 catalogue and would have been a 'dealer special' often built up with a strange mix of parts.

I can see why the seller may believe it to be rarer or more unique than it actually is. But in truth it' no more a prototype team frame than a Raleigh Mustang is.

It is however considerably better than a Mustang, in fact with a decent Tange tubeset it will be quite a nice little bike.
 

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