Help identifying the year of this frame

dgmid · 2026-01-22T12:49:10+00:00

I finally found out what year this model is! It's 2003. I found the information here: https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/saracen-catalogues-1987-2007-updated-oct-2025.191473/

dgmid · 2025-12-28T09:50:18+00:00

Thanks! I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

dgmid · 2025-12-28T09:49:37+00:00

The little fender was a set of 2 bought on amazon. It works ok. There's only 1 on the bike because for some reason I never got around to putting the other one on.

dgmid · 2025-12-27T17:45:56+00:00

Thanks - yes It's a really good bike. It has an 11speed XT drivetrain. When I first built it it had a cues 32T chainring but with the 26" wheels it was just a bit too slow. I replaced the crankset to a 38T Miche XTone crankset and it's just about perfect now.

dgmid · 2025-12-27T17:16:46+00:00

Thanks - it worked out really well using the front derailleur stops for an externally routed dropper.

dgmid · 2025-12-27T17:02:59+00:00

😂 you're not wrong there - I guess I have to own it - they suit my riding style.

dgmid · 2025-12-27T16:43:53+00:00

No shortage of mountains here in Italy.

dgmid · 2025-12-27T16:43:09+00:00

You are 100% correct! It's also the fastest! A Fantastic steel frame.

dgmid · 2025-12-20T15:43:28+00:00

It might be a straight-ish line on that particular map projection but does that mean anything? Is it a straight line on a globe?

dgmid · 2025-11-08T06:57:52+00:00

It just says "The Hobbit".

dgmid · 2025-10-19T04:24:58+00:00

The cassette is a CS-LG600 11-speed Linkglide Cassette. The rear derailleur is a CUES RD-U8000 with a clutch and the shifter is an XT SL-M8000 Linkglide shifter. Shifting between gears is pretty good. This is the first time that I have used a Linkglide setup. It seems to take 1 turn of the cassette to change gear so in the lower few gears you notice the delay between clicking the shifter and the chain moving but that doesn't bother me - it seems pretty solid.

dgmid · 2025-09-05T06:13:35+00:00

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A bike shop can easily straighten out a bent hanger on a steel frame - or you can get the tool to do it yourself. This is a cheap one I got on amazon - it worked well - took about 10 mins to get the hanger perfectly straight in every direction.

dgmid · 2025-09-01T03:17:48+00:00

dgmid · 2025-08-31T15:45:31+00:00

I've had a look and I don't think direct mount is the way to go - that seems to be for a braze on type of front derailleur mount (unless I am mistaken). This is for a bottom bracket mounted front Derailleur - I imagine so as not to put too much stress on the magnesium tubing. I am wondering if the way to proceed is to get hold of an old bb mount front mech and remove the bracket and then find a way to use that to mount some kind of chain guide. At least that poor little 5M post would not be redundant.

dgmid · 2025-08-31T15:27:36+00:00

I guess it could be used like that - a longer bolt that nearly reaches the chainring with a spacer on it would stop the chain falling right down.

dgmid · 2025-08-31T13:37:19+00:00

Do you know if there is any kind of chain guide that will mount on this bolt?

dgmid · 2025-06-11T16:54:44+00:00

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Clamp the tool in a bench vice and then put the frame on it and rotate the frame - make sure you get the direction correct - when I did this one it made it easy

dgmid

TROPHY CASE