Submitted by
An Amature Freerider
a Weekend Warrior
from Newcastle Date Reviewed: August 18, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Chopwell
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
N/A
Strengths:
Good looks
Pretty good brakes
Ok tyres
Good rear suspension design
Adjustable dampning on the rear shock.
Weaknesses:
Weight
Forks
Plastic pedals
Similar Products Used:
Club Roost DH8 w/Rock Shox Boxxers
Bike Setup:
Totally stock apart from a Maxxis High Roller on the front.
Bottom Line:
I got this bike for nothing as I chose it as a replacment when my Scott YZ1 was stolen so I can't really complain on price.
I have been learning how to ride more extreme terrain on my Saracen and I have had no major problems with the bike. It has held up well hitting rock gardens, jumps and some small drops but there are some things which let this bike down.
Mainly being used to a Hardtail I find the weight a bit heavy for my liking. I have been getting used to this as time goes on. If you were stronger i doubt this would be as big a problem.
My main big problem with this bike is the stock fork. The Marzocchi MZ Race fork is horrid. I am quite heavy being 13 stone and they dive half way through their stroke when i sit on the bike. This is not good when riding as it effectivley reduces the travel by half. Surely Saracen could have at least put a decent fork on the bike as stock.
Second is the stock pedals? I honestly don't get the reasoning of Saracen to do this. Tektro Hydraulic brakes but plastic pedals. For £500 I would expect some decent flats. In the wet these things are hell. I can't keep my feet on the pedals for love nor money. Quick fix I have not gotten round to doing.
But even with the flaws this bike has taught me alot about riding and for a begginer with a low budget could be a suitable bike. I have ridden this bike now for a year and i have realised one thing. You can't get a good full Susser for £500.
It's Impossible.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jamie
a Cross Country Rider
from Newbury Date Reviewed: June 30, 2009
Favorite Trail:
none
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$545.00
Purchased At:
berkshire cycles
Strengths:
cheap and a good all rounder, it has quite a nice feel to it and looks great while youre riding it
Weaknesses:
not much good for jumping and ive cracked my headset apart from that no problems
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
-
Bottom Line:
great bike for the money, I dont do serious riding but this bike has given me lots of confidence. I havnt had any of the problems that other people have had apart from the headset so overall good
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
evansy boy
a Weekend Warrior
from uk Date Reviewed: June 19, 2009
Favorite Trail:
coed y brenin
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
winstanleysbikes.co.
Strengths:
frame-tine and only one pivot system, but very strong and resonsive, rear shock a tad soft.
Weaknesses:
poor choice of forks, ok, they're marzocchies but its an all mountain bike, and they put light xc forks on???
Similar Products Used:
nothin,
Bike Setup:
as stock but with new hope rotor, bent old tektro ploughing into a tree
Bottom Line:
great preforming bike for the money, cheap and easy way to get into the sport. however, if you are a serious rider, i e upgrading your bike, dont' just get it becuase its a cheap full susser. i'm only 14 and i've managed to work that out. the forks don't hold up to vigourous am riding. i've ridden it everywhere, and it's taken it all, but as soon as jumps come into it, it fails. the forks bottom out straight away and you have to fight to save your self from up ending. (this isn't landing forks first either) we're not even talking big dirt jumps, just 2-3 foot trail jumps. the more you ride the forks, the more they knacker, and i keep getting huge play on the front wheel. the cones are ground to a pulp and the bearings are flat. new hub coming up!
if you were to buy this bike as a full susser, i recomed you buy a pair of rockshox argyles to go with it, as they are solid cheap freeride forks that can take a beating, anda new rear brake with a 180 rotor as it is just not powerfull enough. for this you get a brilliant preforfming bike for under £750.
although the spec is low, the drive chain all holds together and i am pretty impressed with it. like i said though, needs new forks...they just let it down
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Yam50
a Cross Country Rider
from scotland Date Reviewed: April 26, 2009
This is a superb bike for the money and a credit to Saracen. It is a touch heavy but when you get to the top are you in for a treat. I am by no means a skilled downhiller but friends of mine who run quality hardtails can`t keep up with me such is the confidence you get from this bike.
Mine is used every other day without any problem. Rocks, jumps, water, mud, nothing has given it so much as a scratch.
If you want a reasonably priced full sus then this is the bike!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kylep943
a Downhiller
from ellesmere port Date Reviewed: December 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:
delamere llandegla
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$840.00
Purchased At:
bike2udirect.com
Strengths:
nothin
Weaknesses:
apsolutly everythin its an apsoilutly s*** bike
Similar Products Used:
...
Bike Setup:
replaced parts that iv broken
Bottom Line:
the sarcen raw 3 2008 f***in s*** bike iv had for 3 months an i do light downhill on it 30 to 40 second long runs. an iv broke apsolutly everythin on it apart form snapping the frame.
1) 6 deralier hangers adding up to £132 of hangers in 2 months
2)burst shock on first ride so got an xfusion vector for £130
3)seized bearing in pedals so dmr v8 were bough
4) snapped sram sx4 for i spent £70 on a sram x7
5) weels buckled, bearing going
6) cracked headset meaning i got an fsa pig
7) burst seals in rear brake meanin im goin out later an buyin an avid juicy 5
8)crankset and bottom bracket apsolutly f*ucked
so dont even thing about gettin this bike unless you are only doing road riding. only rason i bought it is because i was desperate for a cheap full sus. but the week efter i bought it i found specialised big hits on ebay for £500 an that . so dont buy this bike unless u like speding stupid amounts of money on repairs
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brad4922
a Downhiller
from Northern ireland Date Reviewed: August 12, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Leadmines
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Bike It
Strengths:
Is a good looking bike and looks like its up for everything
Weaknesses:
every thing snaps ive managed to brake a dropout with out it hitting something. ive broken the head set cycling it about.
Similar Products Used:
lots of bikes
Bottom Line:
after all that i dont think i would rush back at all to buy it again and saracen really do need to think about sorten that bike back before they get a bad name.
i think this bike would be best suited for a young child to cycle about the park on.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Deano
a Weekend Warrior
from Stafford, UK. Date Reviewed: January 22, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Aztec Cycles
Strengths:
Fairly lightweight bike, good hydraulic disc brakes & Didn't cost me anything!
Weaknesses:
My Saracen Havoc 2003 was stolen from my local bikeshop so they supplied this as a replacement. I picked the bike up and on the way home the Left (plastic) pedal snapped, on the way back to the shop the right pedal snapped too. When I arrived back at the shop the shock was leaking oil too. The pedals and shock was then replaced. After about a week, the shock started leaking again so once again it was replaced. After a further week, the rear derailleur sheared off and wrapped itself around the back wheel, which again was repaired. This lasted for about 4 more weeks and sheared off again.
Similar Products Used:
Saracen Havoc 2003 - Heavier but much more durable and with a far better build quality.
Bottom Line:
Seems to be a lower quality bike with a suspect build quality. Maybe I've just been very unlucky. I would be interested to hear other people's views on the RAW3. I'm just glad I didn't pay for it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
What's New
»
BEST OF MTBR - Check out the highest rated bikes, parts, & gear!
»
LED BIKE LIGHT SHOOTOUT 3 - We test all the newest products and latest light and battery technology in this comprehensive guide»
$
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
