Strengths: good on steep stuff, very VERY strong frame, feels bigger travel wise, very nice handling on single track, pedals well, fun!
Weaknesses: not good spec for money but the price starts droping almost as soon as they come out, awful jumping flea rear hub (smashed 3 then put a pro 2 on), scetchy on jumps and bigger drops, hard to get the suspenion set right, the rear mech hanger bends every time you crash and you can only get them from marin, triple chain ring and long mech??!!
Bottom Line:
Find a second hand frame or bike if you can. Its a proper indestructable frame (and I do mean its bomb proof!!) The spec is mostly good even though the bike is over priced. My main problem is the way it lands off bigger things (4ft +), there is an unpleasentness (if thats a word?) to the back end and its not the rebound or compresion I've exhausted all options where thats concearned. That being said I may be expecting too much from a 140 travel bike.
The few mods I made to the bike made a big difference especially the stem! The only others I would consider is a lyrik fork and bigger rotor on the back.
If your looking for something harder and more aggressive than your average trail bike, but still want to pedal all the way to the top its a good, very fun bike.
Similar Products Used: lot of bikes but none i could really say were similar
Bike Setup: i think its the 6.8, hope 50mm 25 degree stem, 22&34t with bash guard, panaracer rampage tyres,
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
PJMatthes
a Weekend Warrior
from United Kingdom
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2010
Strengths: An absolute riot on the descents
Sharp pedal response in the middle ring
Frame stiffness
Decent climbing ability considering weight and geometry
Confidence inspiring handling
Weaknesses: Top tube a little short
Granny ring pedal bob
Some components low spec for the price
Weighty for it's travel
Price
Bottom Line:
If you're looking for an all day xc friendly big hitter then there are better bikes out there, but that is missing the point.
On the surface it would appear that Marin has taken quite a big risk with the Quad 140 platform, with 140mm travel and downhill bike geometry, competing against longer travel descent bikes and lighter AM machines.
However, it doesn't take long for the Wolf Ridge to make sense. In fact it'll all come together the very first time you take one by the scruff of the neck on a sketchy descent. The bike's ability is astounding, always feeling secure yet very entertaining, it encourages you to push harder but never bites back when you overcook it. The surefootedness is down to the dialled geometry and the frame stiffness which eliminates any flex induced fuzziness in the feedback.
The 6.7 is a heavy bike however, weighing in at 34lb without pedals. The ISIS crank is a weighty item that I replaced at time of purchase on my bike for a Stylo double and bash setup saving myself best part of a pound in the process. Likewise the Marin branded post, WTB saddle and Formula hubs are all weighty items which will save you quite a few ounces when you come to upgrade them.
The stingy spec choices lead me to my biggest bugbear with this bike - the cost. The price of the 2008 bike was a borderline bargain at £1550 however hikes in 2009 have pushed the price to £1950, a very steep price given the quality of the competition from Specialized's excellent Pitch.
Other quibbles include the elastic feeling chain when climbing in the granny ring and the shortness of the top tube given the bike's stubby stem and wide bars.
That said, if you can bag yourself a previous year's bargain then I'd thoroughly recommend it. It's a bike that'll transform your riding and will reward in spades. If you're into all day epic rides over rolling countryside then this isn't the bike for you - it's too heavy, too slack and too aggressive. However if you're looking to push your riding to a new level then you can't really go wrong.
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