Sportline Show: 2016 Saracen Bikes

Milton Keynes was the hot place to be this week as Sportline (Madison’s company that handles all of its bike brands) showed all of its 2016 bikes in its showroom, and giant marquee in the car park. We’ll have a story on Genesis shortly, but first, here’s a look to see what’s new with Saracen for 2016.

Saracen Myst Pro

The Madison Saracen team has been making quite a mark on the World Cup downhill scene since it started five short years ago, culminating with Manon Carpenter’s World Championships win last autumn. The Myst frame that the team runs is still the same as you’ll find on the production Myst Pro bike which, at £2999 is a reasonably priced privateer race bike out of the box. The bike features 27.5in wheels, an alloy front end and carbon back end giving 203mm rear travel, matched with the same travel from the Rockshox Boxxer RC up front. It’s a pretty good start for anyone.

 

Saracen Ariel

‘Built from the ground up for 27.5in wheels’ says the blurb, the Ariel is a 150mm trail bike (don’t say ‘enduro’) that comes in two versions – the £2799 Pro and the £3499 Elite. The frame only 15X is £1599. Here’s the Pro:

For 2016, the Pro gets a Marzocchi spec, with the new 350CR fork and the(catchy!) Marzocchi 053 S23C2R rear shock. There’s also a one-by Shimano 1×10 Zee and SLX transmission, keeping with standards that all bikes shops and home mechanics should have access to.

 

Saracen Jump bikes

Saracen has quite a roster of pro stunt riders (like Blake Samson, Matt Jones and Joan Carlos Renom) and it shows in this range of hooligan bikes. Up top is the bright red Al Team at £899, the cromo CR3 at £749 and at bottom, the £549 CR2. Bikes designed to be dropped from a great height. Preferably the right way up, with you on them, but if not, no matter…

 

Studio 74

And now for a complete change of pace. The £499 Urban Studio 74 is a simple round-town commuter bike with a great, chunky rack up front that’s designed to keep your laptop bag securely where you can see it (although it’s no coincidence that a case of beer fits in just as well). 27 speed Shimano Altus gears, hydraulic Promax discs and full mudguards. Saracen gets extra points for also having a model called the ‘Urban Myth’ too.

Saracen Mantra

The Mantra is Saracen’s definitive ‘UK trail hardtail’ and comes in versions from £499 up to the Mantra Carbon Elite at £2099. The carbon Elite gets a brand new XT 1×11 drivetrain for 2016, Fox 32 Evolution 120mm fork, M615 Deore brakes and WTB Trail Boss tyres.

Tufftrax

For many people, the TuffTrax was their first mountain bike, back in the day and the name still lives on as Saracen’s entry level mountain bikes. It’s also where we’ll find the sole 29er in the range in the TuffTrax Comp Disc 29 (£449) – a bike designed as a dual purpose commuter bike that’ll work equally well off road. The 27.5in Comp Disc is below at £449

 

Saracen Kili Flyer

The 130mm travel Saracen Kili Flyer has been slimmed down to one bike for 2016 (along with a frame-only option) in full carbon, with a ‘Bike Journo Pick’ spec. It features a full carbon frame (with travel upped slightly to 130mm to match the 130mm Fox 34 forks) and a full XT 1×11 groupset. And what about those tan wall tyres?

The Kili Flyer X frame set is also full Toray carbon, costing £1999 and offering 130mm rear travel. This paint job is either inspired by the Lancia Stratos/Martini racing cars, or the old M-Series racers. Either way, it’s a hugely distinctive look.

The bikes should start to appear this October. In the meantime, there’s a hint of things to come over at saracen.co.uk

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