Note - Pics to follow.

The Saracen 2012 range is a big step up from last year, it's as though the older brother is back from his gap year and is building on what has gone before. The Saracen 2012 lineup is more complete, more rounded and has a professional finish to it. Highlights include a team edition for the Myst, an all new Ariel 160, a revised Ariel 140, plus an all new and grown up Mantra.

The big surprise to many riders since the rebirth of Saracen was the Ariel, a brand new platform which, according to most of the reviews worked straight out of the box. Well for 2012 it's going to be a massive, the 140mm travel bike has been redesigned making the frame lighter, improving the look, but leaving the essentials of the bike well alone, add to this a new 160mm travel version and the Ariel is going to be a big hit in 2012. After spending a couple of days riding this years Ariel on the steep flowing trails around Finale in Italy I can see why the reviewers were pretty unanimous in their praise of this bike. It just works, you might want to play with the suspension settings, change the tyres and for me chop the bars down (I know that's not bang on trend, but I hate hitting trees, and my arms are not that long!), but if you buy this bike you will end up loving it.

For 2012 Saracen are again offering the 140 mm Ariel in three spec levels, no Fox fork on the entry level 141 for 2012, but a decent spec Rockshox Sektor isn't a bad substitute, and for less than two grand you're still getting an RP23 shock controlling the rear end. An extra £500 for the 142 gets you a Fox Float RL on the front, sealed bearing hubs and an SLX drivetrain, more bang for not much more buck.

The 160mm Ariel adds 20mm of travel to the platform and creates a bike which is suitable for Euro Enduro style racing. It's not my style of riding so I can't really comment, but the rest of the room looked impressed. The Ariel 160 range will take a coil shock so are suitable for a pretty burly build with 36's, chainguide, coil shock and through axles front and rear.

Next up for big changes is the Mantra, it was a good bike before and with all new hydroformed tubing and revised specs it's looking great for 2012. Actually, the best thing about the new Mantra is the way it looks. It's not flashy or gimicky, but is a bike that someone just getting into the sport will be proud to own. The range starts at £450 and goes all the way up to £1100, but even the entry level Mantra has hydraulic disks, infact Saracen have totally banished cable disks for 2012, which is a breath of fresh air, no more 'fashion over function' cable disks! Fantastic!

The entry level Tufftrax is pretty much unchanged for 2012, well if it ain't broke don't fix it, new colours, but the bike is the same. Also, mostly unchanged is the Myst Pro at £2499, new colours but the bike is essentially the same. You can now buy an off the shelf Myst Team, which is very similar to the bikes the Madison Saracen team are using. A world class DH bike for £4299.

There are also small revisions to the Hybrids and Kids' Bikes, but you'll need to pop into the shop and have a chat or a look at the catalogue.

The big brother is back, he's added some discipline, but not so much that the creative flair from Saracen has been muted, rather it's been focussed and refined. The bikes are looking great, the team are looking proud of their efforts and if you're looking for a new bike for 2012 you'd be a fool not to consider a Saracen.

We'll be running some demo bikes of the Ariel 142 and probably the Myst in 2012. There will be a 2011 Ariel arriving hopefully next week, that one will be mine, but I might let you borrow it if you ask nicely.

As an aside what a refreshing change from a dealer's point of view to be invited to a product launch in the cycling trade before you've already seen all the products in the magazines and newssites a month earlier. It shows that Saracen really value their dealers and riders, and are serious about developing a real partnership, rather than purely selling to us in the hope that we will sell to you. Thanks Saracen!