We tested it (See other post) out last night with a night ride across
Bristol to Leigh woods. I give the Saracen to Rob to ride for a bit for
three reasons:
1) I wanted to see if it broke and Rob's fond enough of a challenge to fall for it
2) I thought that riding it 5 miles on tarmac with a 2:1 would be tedious
3) Rob's an awful lot fitter than I am.
To answer these one by one, we have
4) No it didn't. The transmission was the bit I was worried about and it took what we gave it
happily. The suntour mech has a fiesty spring.
5) I rode it to work today and it is very tedious.
6) Rob still got across the city before I did.
I found the SS to be very good where the trails are twisty rather than particularly up or down.
Random grindy transmission noises familiar to those who ride the UK in winter are totally gone and
you can really get on with the business of getting you and the bike scuttling along at a good clip.
chainsuck? piffle! mech slap? pah!
The old Saracen and the Q21 are well suited, both to each other and to the SS idea; I've always
loved the manners of the frame (if not its durability - couple o crack repairs over the years!!).
The Quadra is very simple, takes the sting out of bumps while being much stiffer than its
overextended Indy descendants.
All in all, I like it. It cost me four quid and it works well. For twisty singletrack, it might just
be the daddy. A mountain biking panacea? as long as there are really steep climbs and long, fast
downhills, I doubt it, even if I'd spent twice as much.
Andy Chequer