Another 27.5incher, this time from Saracen.

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News just in from Saracen, who are jumping on the Goldilocks bandwagon too… Here’s a press release, some pictures and a really nice green, loamy video to make you wish you were out in the woods, not stuck at your desk, on this most Monday of Mondays.

Saracen Ariel: Second Coming.

Big words indeed but we think the evolution of our Ariel is worthy!

We’ve been working away on our 27.5” platform since early 2012 when component makers confirmed they were developing the hardware we needed to make a killer bike. We knew very early on with our Kili Flyer development that 27.5” was the perfect format for our Ariel. We started with full-alloy mules to tailor the same riding characteristics that our Ariel was known for: fast neutral handling that’s a blast to ride on singletrack and climbing but when pointed downwards is a superlative experience.

Pivotal.
Pivotal.

We set the travel at 150mm combining the best of our 140mm and 150mm 26” variants and worked hard to reduce the overall frame weight without sacrificing durability and stiffness. In this process we engineered a Toray carbon rear triangle which gave us just the right balance we were looking for. Overall frame weight is less than the current 140mm frame.

Shocking.
Shocking.

Once the frame was sorted we acted on feedback from riders about spec. We did our homework and simplified cockpit controls and included dropper posts and chain devices.

Three flavours for 2014: Ariel 151 and Ariel 152 complete bikes at £2599 and £3199 and a build-it-your-way Ariel 15X frame kit at £1699 including a Fox Float Factory Kashima CTD rear shock, headset and seat clamp.

Bigger might be better.
Bigger might be better.

Jenn Hill was the deputy editor here at Singletrack up until her untimely death from Lung Cancer in October 2015. She was and remains an inspiration to us all here at Singletrack. Jenn Hill - 1977-2015

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