Madison Saracen Unveils 2013 Lineup

Jan 4, 2013 at 5:50
by Saracen Bikes  
madison saracen

Having run a successful six man squad since its inception, 2013 will see the team will feature four World Cup riders in the form of Manon Carpenter, Harry Molloy, Phil Atwill and new signing, Sam Dale.


Sam Dale
Sam Dale joins Madison Saracen on a two year deal.

Sam’s 12th place at the World Championships and 8th at the Fort William World Cup show him as a rider with massive potential and we are excited to have another great British rider within our ranks. Sam has signed with Madison Saracen on a two year deal and here’s what he had to say about his move:

bigquotesI'm very excited for the next two seasons with Madison Saracen. I've had plenty of time to test the Myst out and I'm getting on well with it. We have some testing booked in February and March to do some fine tuning before the races begin. To be working with Will 'The Thrill' Longden (Team Manager) will be awesome too. He was rad enough to have long hair and a lycra back in the day and if his hair wasn't falling out I'm sure he would still be rocking it today! He's got many years of experience behind him and I'm sure I will learn a lot from him. - Sam Dale

We can’t wait to see Sam pilot his Saracen Myst to more impressive World Cup results in 2013 and beyond. Sam will be joined on the team by three other riders, Manon Carpenter, Harry Molloy and Philip Atwill, all of whom are now in their third year as Madison Saracen team riders.

bigquotesIt's fantastic to have Sam on the Madison Saracen team, he's done so well over the last few years with limited support and we're looking forward to giving him full factory backing to help him achieve his ambitions. Sam is a great character and well respected UK rider, so he is the perfect rider to compliment the rest of the team. For Harry, Phil and Manon having Sam on the team will give them an experienced lead to follow and I'm sure everyone will benefit. Saracen is doing a fantastic job developing the Myst DH bike and Sam will be a part of that continued drive to see Saracen on more World Cup podiums in 2013. - Will Longden, Madison Saracen Team Manager


Manon Carpenter
Few photos to go up with the new team video from Bringewood BDS and Norway WC

Manon had a fantastic first year in the Elite field which started with an impressive second place at the first World Cup of the year in Pietermaritzburg. Despite picking up an injury mid-way through the season, Manon still finished the season on a high with a Bronze medal at the World Championships, as well as wrapping up the overall British Downhill Series with consummate ease.

To have Manon re-sign with Madison Saracen is a great feeling: Manon has been with Madison Saracen for two years now and in that time has truly risen to prominence on the international circuit. We look forward to more fantastic results both domestically and internationally from Manon in 2013.


Harry Molloy
Few photos from the MSA Windham leg of the world cups this season for the new video going up tomorrow.

Harry is another rider remaining with Madison Saracen for a third year. His consistent finishes at World Cup level and numerous Top Ten domestic results gives him the perfect springboard for a promising 2013.


Philip Atwill
Few riders from the finals of the 2012 BDS at Llangollen to go up with the last video.

Phillip Atwill had a fantastic 2012 with Madison Saracen, taking the Junior British Downhill Series title in his first year of trying. After getting a solid year of experience behind him on the World Cup circuit, we can't wait to see Phil continue to develop as the 2013 season progresses.


Keep up to date with the team at saracen.co.uk

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63 Comments
  • 41 2
 Was NOT expecting Sam Dale to join Saracen... good luck to him though!
  • 7 0
 I remember taking the chairlift with Dale on the Sunday after the World Cup in Hafjell, and he was on a Scott Gambler, so I was thinking he would be headed there! But all the best of luck to him on Sacren!
  • 3 4
 Its probably been one of the worse kept secrets that he was joining Saracen have you been living under a rock ? The team rumours picture for months was to detailed not to guess he was going to be with them
  • 3 3
 Sam on Scott, seems like Sam on Transition it was, or someone else you ve seen !
  • 1 2
 the one I seen hinted at him going to a UK brand, which could have been one of a few, Orange, Saracen etc.
  • 2 0
 Orange are never going to sponsor a good rider again not one getting top 20 results thats a fact, saracen have more money and it was always going to be saracen.
  • 2 0
 He's going to need some shoes and pedals before he gets on that bike. Good luck Sam. Nice beater, too.
  • 11 1
 Do these contracts actually pay a decent wage now? I take it that pro riders no longer have to find a second job to pay their way outside riding?
  • 7 0
 I'm curious about that too. I doubt it is a ballers wage, but hopefully enough to live off of at least. I am sure outside the top 20, maybe even the top 10, you basically get enough from your sponsors to do the races, but the rest of life is out of your own pocket.
  • 7 2
 well if depends how big your sponsors are, like for example, look at CG he probably makes the most money out of any DH rider i the world simply because he has his own riding program (CG racing brigade) and he has HUGE sponsors that give back to him, he has his own custom brakes and Santa cruz frame every season, it all depends how high up you are in terms of sponsors, cause some sponsors are companys worth million of dollars so they can affor extra for theyre good riders.
  • 4 2
 It definitely depends, but it seems in the majority of cases, they don't make much money, but their sponsors give them Waay more of their products than they need. For example when I was at COC Micayla Gatto said she doesn't really make much money, but Oakley will give her like 20 pairs of $400 sunglasses that she can just sell.
  • 2 5
 doubt it, he's probably been paying for most of the things of the last few years out of his own pocket from what he earned back in the day. He is a privateer basically as I see it, because he isn't on the SCS, although he is sponsored by wild wolf (is that a big company?), hayes, panaracer.... He switched from the sram program to fox/shimano because SCS did, but i think he pays for it himself.
  • 10 0
 CG is a real estate developer who also owns other businesses, a sports marketing agency among them. Dude has always had a good business sense....
  • 9 0
 There is absolutely no way CG pays for a single component himself. Santa Cruz are not going to turn to him and ask him to pay for a frame when he would go elsewhere and get possibly the most media coverage of any DH racer for their company instead.
  • 1 0
 The riders of big company's will not have to work. But I do remember seeing on Tracey Hannah's Facebook that she has to work aswell Madison are the biggest importer in the uk for bike parts so they will make a lot of money through that Let alone just selling Saracen bikes They get paid a good enough wage and they are traveling half the year and that's all paid for so that don't speeded much during the summer any way. I would make it stretch if I could travel the world riding
  • 1 0
 Quite a few of the top 20-30ish will have 2nd jobs in the off season , marc beaumont was on a building site roofing according to an interview i read with him last year , and he's a solid top 20 guy on a big team so I guess it's pretty much the same for most of the guys.
  • 3 1
 A lot of them guide in resorts like Morzine. I had a couple of days with Dale this summer. Top guy.
  • 1 0
 CG owns a bar in Andorra and his family has a vineyard. But some other big name DH racers have to work. Check out Sam Hill's jnstagram page, he has pictures of his work/trade laying industrial pipes.
  • 1 1
 If your living in England in this day and age surly you'd be happy to have any job paying something ? Minimum wage is 14,400GBP im sure they only need to sell 4 or 5 bikes to pay that.
  • 1 0
 I think Sam doesn't have to work but is because he has just had a kid. His specialised contract(ex contract) would have been worth heaps. Watch 48 hours with Sam hill. He has a really nice house
  • 2 0
 Only the top 15 or so are earning enough to make a living. Top 30 will be earning enough to probably have just no other job, but will have to sell stuff and live real cheap the rest of the year. Outside of the top 30, most riders will have a job. But it all depends on how much coverage you get. There are plenty of riders outside the top 30 earning a living from racing...
  • 1 0
 @Kristo lol he rides hope brakes man... they ingrave his name on them and shit. he switched to fox because the rest of santa cruz switched to fox...
  • 2 0
 Interesting stuff, when i meet a pro rider, which im sure i will one day then im gonna have to ask questions like this, along with, 'can i have a go on your bike?'
  • 1 0
 and "what's the worst crash you've ever had?" my fave question haha
  • 2 0
 You guys also have to remember that each of these racers need a backup plan in case their career ends unexpectedly. Thy would be stupid not to pick up some sort of work or trade in the off season because there is only so much room in the bike industry for ex-racers. Yes, most of them probably need to work but others also choose to work.
  • 1 0
 I heard about one bloke who was a top UK rider, pro since he was 18, in MBUK every month... couldn't get a mortgage until he was 27. I would be surprised if Sam is making much more than that 14.4k in actual cash. He won't have to spend any money on travel or equipment, but he isn't getting P.A.I.D I'll bet.
  • 1 0
 The sponsors will pay out more, a basic wage of around 20k then plus sponsorship, for example for every time Gwyn get's a podium mavic will pay him £5000 for wearing a hat redbull will pay him another 5k for holding a redbull bottle. TLD will pay him another 5k for his kit being on TV ETC ETC so after one race he will get off his sponsors like another 10-20k in sponsor money. then trek will pay him a bonus for every top 10 position another bonus for every podium bonus. this is why you see a lot of riders now holding their helmets on the podiums for extra sponsorship money.
  • 2 0
 All the pros like Gwin and Sam are most probably sitting at their computers reading this, shaking their heads and wishing they got paid this much haha lol
  • 1 0
 Gwin has won a lot, Sam Dale hasn't won anything yet I don't think. There must be a vast chasm between their resepctive earnings. And I'll bet it's more like RedBull pay him a hundred quid and a crate of RedBull to sell to his mates or the local corner shop, Troy Lee pay him a hundred quid and three new race kits to sell to his mates... and at the end of the season his two bikes and kit are his to sell.
  • 1 0
 This is such an inherently British conversation! Its making me home sick. Apart from that I'm pretty sure many of the USA riders are trust-fund kids. The years spent getting up to pro level at the young ages they did it probably means many came from silver spoons for the most part. What 16-17 year old kid gets a $4000 dh rig under the tree at xmas?
  • 2 0
 Exactly. I had to go to work the get my bikes, and that meant I only did about three races a year. "We want you to work weekends, that's why we got you" is what they always used to say. And that was when racing was 13 quid a race. I just read that article about the Halo BDS being 70 quid a race and you have to pay for five races upfront, 350 quid. I don't know any 15 year olds who could afford the race entry fees, let alone a bloody bike, especially at British prices.

I'm going to push my son into golf. Easier to make a living and less dangerous.
  • 1 0
 Generous parents?
  • 6 0
 Good to see a strong team backing Dale, he deserves to have a good sponsor supporting him. Hopefully we'll see some top World cup results from him this year too
  • 7 1
 Nice to see Saracen doing well, no one would have been seen dead riding one of their bikes a few years back!
  • 3 0
 I've got a hardtail hidden in my garage, now it's gonna get to see the light of day.
  • 2 0
 Madison have done a great job resurrecting the brand. Prior to madison buying the name I think they where pretty much selling very basic asian catalogue bikes. Nice to see the pedigree they used to have twenty odd years back when they first arrived on the scene
  • 1 1
 My mate designed their bikes. His name is on the chainstay. Not bad.
  • 1 0
 Why neg prop jaame?
It's not that unlikely. Quite a lot of our machines come out of Taiwan.
Why would he lie?
  • 2 0
 A genuine mis-click there, sorry!
  • 1 0
 lol
Did his mate design them Smile
  • 1 0
 If his mate is Ryan Carrol, who is one of our design team, then yes!
  • 1 0
 Congrats on making saracens look good again. I was the proud owner of a Saracen Trekker and Killiflyer back in the day.
Really like the look of the mist and the ariel.
Sadly I'm a tight poor F**ker who only seems to buy second hand these days... Perhaps one day I'll buy new and I reckon I'll be giving yours a look.
  • 2 0
 Bang on boys! Ryan is one of the TW posse!
  • 6 0
 Two good options for Dirt Fantasy League right there.
  • 5 0
 come on manon i know you can win a world cup this year
  • 3 0
 great news etc. but it still doesnt explain why Im still waiting for my new headset 3 months after it was promised me.
  • 4 0
 Probably better contacting Madison rather than commenting on Pinkbike... Wink
  • 1 0
 I wanted one of those Saracen bikes so bad! The new ones look sick! Can't get them in the states so I had to settle for my Wilson.
  • 1 0
 Its funny how the unobtainable seem better. There are a bunch of US brands that seem exotic over here due to the price that I guess you guys see as common place. Saracen over here started a trend in affordable dh bikes when it came out with the myst, I guess if you imported on it would be hellish expensive by the time it got to you.
  • 1 0
 I just want something that is a bit different. I am sure when I lived back in Bristol I would want a V10, but everyone here has Demos & V10's, so I got a Devinci just to be different. I do like them V10's tho...
  • 1 0
 Good to see Saracen are stepping up their game, good luck guys I'm reuting for you!
  • 1 0
 This season is full of surprises! Fair shout to Sam Dale on getting a ride with some one who will support him!
  • 1 0
 With Madison backing them up they might be better off financially than some of the "big" teams...
  • 1 0
 Is Lance McDermott still on Saracen? Not seen much from him Frown
  • 1 0
 Lance McDermott has retired in their place stay Blake Samson.
  • 2 0
 Ah no way, gutted for Lance! He was really ripping and frontflipping things before everyone else. Good news for Blake Samson though!
  • 1 0
 Good luck you guys! Tear it up!
  • 1 0
 Anyone remember madisons "freewheel" catalogue from back in the day.
  • 1 0
 hope sams on it this year! these saracen bikes are getting smart now!!!!
  • 1 0
 sams back wheel looks hella thrashed
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