Hi,
I’ve been looking at getting a new bike for a while but am unsure of how to spend my £1100 budget. I’d like a hard tail with 120-140mm forks, at least slx (or equivalent) chainset and between a 17 and 19 inch frame. I’ve looked at On-One, cotic, stanton, cove etc and have now come across the saracen zen 2. It looks like a pretty decent spec for the money but is it in the same league as the other brands mentioned? any feedback or opinions on the matter would be much appreciated! Thanks

Saracen Zen 2

chainset groupset

Looks pretty sorted to me.

What about a 2011 boardman pro ht?

I have a Saracen and really like it (not a new one though)
I also have two Raleighs and a Hyundai. I am not a badge-snob 😉 (although I did really hate the only Skoda I have ever driven)
Anyway, don’t let the fact that it has the Saracen name put you off. About the only downside I can think of is if/when you sell it it will be worth less than the other ‘posher’ named bikes.

Really liking them now. Their dh bike is very nice and quite liking the 160mm Ariel too.
I say go for it.

the zens are great bikes!

Some of the, the Zen included, are possibly the best off the shelf British bikes you can get I reckon. The fact that you won’t see anyone else on one is a bonus. Saracen was a great brand in the 90s, dont worry about what the cool kids think.

as long as you “r xc jeyboy” and you don’t mind that “ur bik is saricin” then they seem a pretty good option.

there is a video over there —-> of them at eurobike.

Dave

For that budget i’d also be looking at the Voodoo bikes from Halfords, they are more at the 140mm travel end of your spec but the Wanga looks promicing or for that price you could also look at the full sus bikes too.

Definitely better than Gloucester and Bath this season but I think they’ll struggle against Harlequins.

Not a bad way to part with a Grand, I’d say! I reckon your better off with a hard tail too, I bought an expensive full suspension mtb and regretted it as it’s way too bouncy.

Have a look at Genesis hardtails too, from same company.

And the Voodoo ones Rusty mentions.

Saracens look really good now though, and the residual snobbishness and gags on here abotu them are pretty lame tbh.

residual snobbishness and gags on here abotu them are pretty lame tbh.

And all the more reason to get one!

My first ride in the peaks was on a borrowed Saracen Havoc, which weighed somewhere in the region of 40lbs. And I loved it, having never ridden anything else except for a 1992 Kona Fire Mountain. Despite the budget triple clamps, the wayward coil shock and the iffy cable discs it felt like I was riding a magic carpet and my fitness levels were in a different league to my riding buddies so I never felt like I was slowing everyone down.

Two years later, I did the same routes on a Specialized Enduro and the penny dropped… That said, I still have fond memories of that bright orange Saracen.

i was a sponsored saracen rider (through a bike shop) in the mid 90’s and although theywere usimg ti and 853 for the hardtails they were shit back then. i had 4 (yes 4) frames crack in the same place in one season! i kicked up a fuss and they ‘bought’ my silence by giving me a free ti frame and sid forks, would have been a result only that frame was shit too! 😯

A friend recently got a cracking deal on an Ariel and he’s really pleased with it. Decent looking bike too.

I really like the look of the Ariel. The thing that puts me off isn’t the badge, but the reportedly short top tube length.

The top end 160 bike is a nice piece of kit too.

We have beaten the hell out of an ariel 140 here in Italy and its a great handling bike and survived the whole year…..nearly!!!

Have a look at Canyon Bikes, pretty good value for money. You could have a full susser for that money.

It’s nice to see one of the original names in British MTBing back again with some decent bikes at last, instead of the bottom end tat that they’ve become asscoitated with.

I’d really love a Kili Flyer Cromo frame:

I have a Tange Saracen frame from about 96ish. Must do it up actually…

how much do you think the frame from the zen 2 is worth new?