The Story Behind the Paint Job: The Downhill Mountain Bike That Turned Heads

By now, you’ve probably seen the radical new paint jobs on our limited edition Saracen Myst full suspension downhill mountain bikes, but where did the inspiration come from? There’s more to this one than meets the eye—read on to find out the full story behind the look that’s been lighting up the downhill scene.

Designing the Future of Full Suspension Mountain Bikes

Let’s rewind to 2023. While planning for the 2024 Downhill World Cup season, the Madison Saracen Factory Team set out to do something different. We wanted to elevate the look of our flagship full suspension downhill bikes with a creative twist that would match the performance pedigree of the Saracen Myst.

The idea? Three unique and striking paint and kit designs to roll out across the season (excluding World Champs). Each design would feature for two races, keeping things fresh while highlighting the stunning silhouette of our World Cup-ready downhill race bike.

A Fluid Concept Brought to Life

The process began with rider kit design, which then influenced the bike’s paintwork. Saracen designer Matt Kemp explained: “I tried experimenting with more fluid patterns and organic feeling textures. Where the colours would blend together and end looking like water, liquid or marble. Some of the patterns had a melted or liquid camo feel to them.”

We started experimenting with tonal patterns and different colour options. After some of the early designs (above) we knew we were onto a winner, but it took a few iterations to get it right. We liked this green one but it wasn’t quite bold enough. This black option is the same pattern as the final design but in a more tonal camo. We knew liked it but wanted something to ‘pop’ a little more on the kit and the bike. 

From here we decided it looked great when the colour flowed in gradient from one to another, like the below.

Standing Out on the Downhill World Cup Stage

The final ‘Liquid’ design was chosen to stand out in the pits and on the track. After countless tweaks, it debuted at the iconic Fort William World Cup, turning heads with its bright, flowing aesthetic. The custom-painted Saracen Myst full suspension mountain bike instantly became a fan favourite.

From there, we continued the season with two more custom designs:

Each design followed a similar creative process but brought a unique flavour to the Myst’s race-ready chassis.

We picked the final design as we wanted something bright and that would stand out on the track and in the pits. From there we implemented the design on to the bike. Once we knew we had the design we wanted, it was just a case of tweaking and perfecting until we nailed it.

The final ‘Liquid’ design for the clothing and bike

Here’s how it looked in the flesh. First seen at the Fort William World Cup.

Fade was raced for the final two rounds at Loudenville and Mont Saint-Anne

Design Manager, Gary Rough added: “As designers it’s not often we are given free reign to let loose and we had a lot of fun with this project. We came up with some mad designs – you should have seen some of the ones that we’re not allowed to show you!”

From Factory Race Bike to Limited Edition Frame

At the end of the season, we ran an Instagram poll to ask fans which design stood out the most. Liquid won by a landslide. That told us everything we needed to know: it was time to turn the team’s World Cup full suspension bike into something riders could own themselves.

We looked into colour options using the same design as the team ran and you can see just a few of the bikes that didn’t quite make the kit.

Loved it, bit too dark…

A bit too bright!

 Almost there! 

We explored countless colour combinations—some too dark, some too bright, and a few that almost made the cut. After refining the visuals, testing finishes, and a little gentle persuasion from our Senior Brand Manager Andy, we landed on three showstopping limited edition models:

Own the Look. Ride the Performance.

These aren’t just eye-catching frames—they’re built on the legendary Saracen Myst platform: a race-proven full suspension mountain bike with World Cup credentials. Whether you’re chasing podiums or just want to turn heads on your local trails, these limited edition designs bring pro-level performance and serious style.

Explore the range, choose your favourite design, and ride a piece of downhill history.

Got a favourite? Let us know on Instagram or Facebook—we’d love to hear which version you’d take to the start gate.