# Should I admit to this??



## Salad Dodger (27 Oct 2009)

I am a "born again" rider - dusted off my old rigid fork Saracen a few weeks ago and have done a few gentle rides, which reminded me how much I used to enjoy riding, before life got in the way....

Anyway, it seemed like a good idea to get to a newer bike with suspension, to ease my aching old back, so I visited Decathlon and came away with something more up to date. Have ridden back roads and footpaths on it and I am well pleased with the bike.

So much so that now my wife has acquired a new one, too.

Fast forward to Sunday and my wife and I dropped her old bike off to a friend, who wants to do some riding for exercise. So we went for a short ride from the friend's house. Which took us past the local supermarket. Which has a rather inviting set of steps running down one side of the car park. While my wife took the ramp down to the lower level, I "boinged" down the steps. I cant believe how comfortable it felt. My nerve and my bike handling skills must be coming back ever so slightly....

But was I being a hooligan? (Of course, I would not have attempted the steps if there had been any pedestrians around....) 

Or was I being an idiot? Is it a case of pride coming before a fall?


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## Norm (27 Oct 2009)

Enjoy.


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## lifebehindbars (27 Oct 2009)

its great to ride free isnt it?no steps to steep no wall to large i know its good to ride,nothing wrong with saracen still my best frame (i must be sad) x-ess ltd gunmetal ed outlasted all other frames ive used to free ride.Made a good choice with that ride i bet it made you feel ever so better going down steps again?


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## Cubist (28 Oct 2009)

Have a severe online bollocking


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## 02GF74 (28 Oct 2009)

boining down the steps?/? I used to do that on a rigid mtb, saracen it so happens, in stockholm but kinda lost the nerve a bit now. takes a bit of getting used to - most off my offs have been due to braking going down steps!!

the real challenge though is to ride up them!!

BTW - what bike did you get, nay photos? wasn't a £ 99 Argos!?!??!


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## mr Mag00 (28 Oct 2009)

get on with it i say


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## ianrauk (28 Oct 2009)

No complaints here... next time.. try doing it a little faster...


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## Rhythm Thief (28 Oct 2009)

Soon you'll be able to do this.


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## Matty (28 Oct 2009)

Salad - you'll be comforted to know that on my first family bike ride on my new MTB I got a frown from wife/child for riding up and over the railway bridge steps. Boing. Was rather chuffed to get up to top!


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## mr Mag00 (28 Oct 2009)

excelent rhythm thief, i have some stills of a french trials championship in the alps a couple of years ago, must dig them out, amazing


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## GilesM (28 Oct 2009)

ianrauk said:


> No complaints here... next time.. try doing it a little faster...



Exactly, and see how many steps you can fly over on your way down


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## mr Mag00 (28 Oct 2009)

more danny macaskill tv car advert


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## Panter (28 Oct 2009)

I think that hammering down steps on any new MTB is compulsory


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## Salad Dodger (28 Oct 2009)

Phew.... at least I didnt get a ticking off for my exploits. Just as long as I dont fall off doing something silly, cos as my wife would surely remark "there's no fool like an old fool - you silly old s*d"

New bike is from Decathlon - Rockrider 6.3


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## mudplugger (29 Oct 2009)

you could try this

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yiR6Oc4mpg


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## Kirstie (9 Nov 2009)

Steps? Well it would be rude not to, really....


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## yenrod (9 Nov 2009)

Salad Dodger said:


> I am a "born again" rider - dusted off my old rigid fork Saracen a few weeks ago and have done a few gentle rides, which reminded me how much I used to enjoy riding, before life got in the way....
> 
> Anyway, it seemed like a good idea to get to a newer bike with suspension, to ease my aching old back, so I visited Decathlon and came away with something more up to date. Have ridden back roads and footpaths on it and I am well pleased with the bike.
> 
> ...




No, jsut feeling the excitement.......

Also, were you wearing a helemt BTW


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## Salad Dodger (9 Nov 2009)

Helmet? Yes.... I always wear one when on my bike. I feel uncomfortable without one...


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## Alan Whicker (9 Nov 2009)

Good lad. I wouldn't have been able to resist either.

(During WW2, the real Alan Whicker used to ride his Jeep back to his digs up the Spanish Steps in Rome after a night out)


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## yenrod (9 Nov 2009)

Salad Dodger said:


> Helmet? Yes.... I always wear one when on my bike. I feel uncomfortable without one...



Sensible, gimme five !!! 

At least someones got common sense !


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## urbanfatboy (10 Nov 2009)

"New bike is from Decathlon - Rockrider 6.3"

so they are still doing them? they seem to be gone from the website, they used to be a sub £300 bike a couple of years ago, mind if I ask how much they are now? Also, what forks do you get?


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## Salad Dodger (12 Nov 2009)

Bike was £360 something.

Forks are Suntour 100mm travel.

Full spec here: http://www.btwincycle.com/EN/rockrider-6-3-33279404/

I thought from Decathlon's website that this bike was only available abroad, not in UK. I was pleasantly surprised when I went into the local Decathlon and they had loads of 6.3's


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## Tollers (27 Nov 2009)

What is your saracen? Tufftrax? and what year? Any chance of a pic?

Tollers


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## Mr Pig (27 Nov 2009)

Quote from bikemagic.com:




> Just been reading about £300 bikes in the August issue of MBUK: The Decathlon Rockrider 6.3 came out on top and its a full suspension bike too!!!!... MBUK believe this bike should cost over £500 with the performance and spec it has. So its an absolute steal!


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## Salad Dodger (30 Nov 2009)

*My Saracen*

Sorry for the delay in replying about my Saracen. It's a Fastrax from circa 12 or 13 years ago.....


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## 02GF74 (6 Dec 2009)

blimey - how big is that frame?????  looking at the amount of exposed seat post, that frame is too big for ya.

here is minie, '94 Saracen. (17 in but 18 would have been better)


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## 02GF74 (6 Dec 2009)

now wit attachemnt ...


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## Valy (11 Dec 2009)

OP - well, I bet it was pretty exciting?


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## guitarpete247 (27 Mar 2010)

How do I attach a photo. I've got an "88 Tufftrax. Still 99% original, down to the Biopace chain set.


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## bauldbairn (28 Mar 2010)

Welcome to the cc forums.

To attach a photo - when you post, click on the paper clip. It'll then go to the file on your computer that you request. Click on the photo and it's added to your post.
It must be straight forward - I'm not very good with computers and I managed it.

Good luck.


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## CopperBrompton (28 Mar 2010)

Danny Macaskill is currently under investigation by the Physics Police. It's believed he has breached the laws of physics on numerous occasions.


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## guitarpete247 (28 Mar 2010)

Here's photo of my Tufftrax then. If this works. It's an "88 with chainstay braks and Biopace chainset.


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## hotmetal (30 Mar 2010)

I too used to have an old Saracen. It was my 1st ever MTB and was the "Limited Edition". It had the Biopace chainrings and the odd rear brake down by the bottom bracket/chain stays. Black powder-coated steel frame, which was also too big for me because back then, most bike shops were run by retired roadies who had no idea and probably thought MTBs were "for kids" and wouldn't catch on. Actually the bike would have been OK if it had been the right size - but then I wouldn't have got my 1988 Cannondale Beast of the East…


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## guitarpete247 (2 Apr 2010)

I bought mine second hand from H.O. Smiths in Doncaster 20 years ago. I first met the guy who ran the shop when he used to sell BMX from the front of my mates jewellery shop. So he was used to new fads and bikes. Smiths was a proper LBS which has now gone the way of many others.


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## Dayvo (2 Apr 2010)

02GF74 said:


> I used to do that on a rigid mtb, saracen it so happens, in stockholm



Not these, was it it?


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## MikeO (2 Apr 2010)

Great stuff Salad...i'm now thinking about doing some steps myself next time i'm out lol, but if I break my neck i'm gonna blame you !!


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## Trumpettom001 (4 Apr 2010)

Ahhh I had a saracen hardtrax - it was a freebie from my place of work as I had my bike stolen while working from them.... I resented it at first, but then grew to love it as it was so much lighter than the old one... now have replaced it, but still did love it...


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