British bike maker Saracen has just revealed their 2018 mountain bike line-up and it’s chock full of new trail bikes. At the top of the of the list is a new premium carbon Ariel LT enduro bike that takes inspiration from Saracen’s race-winning Myst DH sled. The Myst gets a bit of an update as well, with improved pro-inspired spec and new team graphics. Another All-Mountain bike – the Kili Flyer – gets both a new entry alloy option and a new women’s build of the affordable carbon Kili Fyler Elite. The trail ready Zenith 29er hardtail also gets a new carbon version. There’s even a new eMTB hardtail if that is your cup of tea.
Saracen Ariel LT carbon enduro mountain bike
The all-new 165mm travel carbon Ariel LT takes several cues from the carbon DH bike both in looks and suspension design. But paired to a 170mm Fox 36 Factory fork the Ariel LT is all about climbing to the top before bombing down the mountain. The mixed 24T/40T/3K Toray carbon builds the frame tough to survive trail bashing. It also includes features like an adjustable headtube that lets riders alter reach by +/- 5mm to dial in the ride like on the DH Myst.
Internal cable routing & an internal downtube Di2 battery mount make setup clean, as well for the stealth routed dropper post. The bike is of course Boost and gets large 37mm main pivot bearings.
The complete bike for £5000 sticks with a Shimano XT 1x group with XT brakes, plus a DT Swiss M1900 wheelset with Maxxis Minion DHF II rubber. Finishing kit rounds out with an MRP 1x guide, some Saracen components, and a carbon Enve bar.
Saracen Ariel Elite alloy enduro mountain bike
A more attainable alloy version – the Ariel Elite at £3300 – gets the same geometry and an SLX spec, while still being ready for some enduro race action.
Saracen Myst Team & Pro carbon downhill mountain bikes
Both the Myst Team & Pro return for a second year. The 203mm DH bikes though, both getcompletely new low key looks for 2018, plus updated specs. The £5700 Myst Team remains a proper pro-team build that is race-ready out of the box, with a solid World Cup pedigree. Only available in limited numbers the Myst Team gets Fox Factory DHX2 & 40 suspension paired with a complete Saint group and Pro Tharsis cockpit.
The £3700 Myst Pro is much more affordable as a solid privateer DHer with a Fox Van RC shock and Boxxer RC fork. A Shimano Zee drivetrain & brakes pair with the easy to dial suspension to have the bike ready to race every weekend.
Kili Flyer & Kili Flyer Elite Womens affordable all-mountain bikes
A new aluminum 120mm Kili Flyer joins the Kili family as an entry trail bike at just £1850 with a 130mm X-Fusion fork. That’s a bit less travel for the alloy linkage driven single pivot bike, but it promises a lot of value with a Deore 1×11 at the sub two grand pricepoint in a long & slack design ready to hit the trail.
The more pricey carbon Kili gets a new women-specific build with the same 130mm travel and base frame, fork & build. But the £3500 Kili Flyer Elite Women’s gets minor updates at the contact points to better fit female trail riders. It also gets it’s own vibrant color scheme that actually looks nicer than the unisex original.
Saracen Zenith Carbon cross-country mountain bike hardtail
To top out their trail hardtail category, Saracen has added a carbon 29er cross-country bike that can still take out whatever your local trails dish out. Paired with a 120mm Fox 34 Float Perfromance fork, this is no skittish XC bike, but rather a lightweight trail bike ready to hit the trail.
The £2400 Zenith Carbon is built of a mix of 24 & 30T UD carbon and gets Boost spacing, a tapered headtube, fully internal cables including for the dropper post, plus neat Di2 integration. The complete build goes with a mix of Shimano 1×11 drivetrain & brakes, plus a healthy dose of Saracen house brand cockpit parts to keep the bike high on value.
Saracen Zen E
If you are looking for an e-bike, Saracen has got one for you too. Last year’s Zen+ gets a pedal-assist sibling updated with a Shimano E8000 drive setup, paired to a 130mm Rockshox Recon RL fork. The new eMTB uses wide 27.5x 2.6″ Maxxis Forekaster rubber to put the power down. Bringing the price up to £3400 to help you up the hills, the Zen E gets a Shimano SLX 1×10 drivetrain, a dropper post, and a bunch of house brand finishing kit.
There are still more new bits beyond all of those with updates & women specific builds for some of the alloy Mantra hardtails, the alloy Hack all road bikes, and Amplitude dirt jumpers, plus a few updated Mantras for kids.
