Submitted by
max
a Weekend Warrior
from west chester, pa
Date Reviewed: September 19, 2001
Strengths: rides awesome, climbs better thn my hartail, makes me want to jump off stuff (ACUTALLY, IT MAKES ME HAVE TO JUMP OFF OF STUFF) just to feel ohw smooth it is when it sucks up a nice drop!!!
Weaknesses: more expensive to ride than my hartail. it makes me go so fast i just end up breaking more parts. well worth it though.
Bottom Line:
this thing rocks, others have said it, i verify it. it will make you want to ride more, ride faster, and you'll ride better. you'll be dropping into things you never done before.
Similar Products Used: old marin hardtail i broke and then i warrantied to get this frame
Bike Setup: psylo xc, old ass components from my hartail. 8-speed and trying to keep it that way.
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Submitted by
MIKE
a Cross Country Rider
from SO. WEST CO
Date Reviewed: April 22, 2001
Strengths: GREAT CLIMBER FOR A 31 LB. BIKE ( WEIGHT IS MY CHOICE) NO FLEX.....BOB???...THATS A GUY I KNOW....RIDES FAST SINGLE TRACK LIKE IT'S ON RAILS....QUICK AND NIMBLE...TAKES BIG HITS AND EASY TO GET AIR....FLYS OVER THE ROUGH.....BLAH...BLAH.....BLAH......
Weaknesses: DID NOT COME WITH A 50,000 CHECK
Bottom Line:
HEY....I'M SO HAPPY WITH THIS BIKE....AND TELL YOU WHAT.....I'M SO SICK OF THE F*****G HYPE IN THE MARKET PLACE TODAY....MAKES ME SICK.....NICE TO SEE A COMPANY THAT DELIVERS A SOLID PRODUCT......WITHOUT ALL THE bull s***... climbs better than my home grown....oh...i broke that frame to...lol...lol...even with my lx stuff on here...thing rips....oh....thats more hype also.....lx dose the job just fine....dont listen to the bull s*** from the industry....i ride in the south west.....moab....and around this area...THIS BIKE CAN HANDLE THE ABUSE.....AND THIS BIKE CAN CLIMB LIKE A HARD TAIL.....OUT OF THE SADLE IS NO P....I WEIGH 200 LBS....AND AM 42 YEARS OLD.....AND I BLOW AWAY SOME LOCAL YOUNG GUYS WITH THERE 3,000 WONDER BIKES....I REMEMBER RIDEING WITH FAT TIRES IN 1980....SO I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRY.....THIS BIKE IS BEST FOR THE BUCK...HANDS DOWN....WHATEVER YOU GET...OR HAVE NOW....JUST GET ON THE f****** THING AND RIDE FOR GOD SAKES....LATER....
God I love this bike. I bought the 1999 model, and had it stolen, so replaced it with the Y2K model. The Mars is a better (stiffer) fork, and the Easton components shave half a pound off the total weight.
Very comfortable and fast machine, and the componnts have so far been faultless.
A few creeks from the pivot -- looks like I'll spend my weekend with a grease gun in my hand.
Bike Setup: Full XTR, Manitou Mars C, Chris King Headset, Fox Float R, Easton stem, bars and post.
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Submitted by
Joe Transue
a Cross Country Rider
from Bath
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2000
Strengths: Rides well for heavier riders(200+) Fox Rear shock is excellent good color scheme Race Ready XC/DH bike Named my future daughter after it frame only is great price(995.00)
Weaknesses: The Company-doesn't treat you like you are a customer. Always carry an extra drop out. Seat post-why 30mm they are the only ones that make that post? No one else makes that size.
Bottom Line:
If you ride 2-3 times per week and like to race this is the bike. It is pricy, but more than worth it. Like I said i am naming my future daughter after it(Feb 5th "Marin")
Bike Setup: All custom: SID 100(A MUST), Mavic 517 citron wheels, all xtr components, svr/blk Race Face Cranks, Shimanon 858 pedals, Gore Ride On Cables, Sella Italia Seat, Red Race Face Stem, Race Face handlebar 1in riser, LP Jr's bar ends, Cane Creek C-2 headset XTR hubs THE Fender(red)
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Submitted by
karen woodruff
a Downhiller
from Bend, Oregon, USA
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2000
Strengths: Very comfortable fit. suspention adjusts to body weight. Very forgiving. Made me feel the need for speed.
Weaknesses: Made me feel the need for speed which may not always be a good thing.
Bottom Line:
I fell in love with the bike. After about 5-10 minutes on the bike I felt like I'd been riding it routinly. I preferred the gear ratio to my previous bike. (Although I couldn't tell you what eith one is). I loved it so much I bought the bike!
Submitted by
Chip Wernig
a Cross Country Rider
from Grand Junction, CO USA
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2000
Strengths: The Mount Vision Pro defines XC riding.
Weaknesses: Cables cross on top of the rear schock, requiring the use of a boot to avoid wear. Thats it.
Bottom Line:
This bike is necessary, and puts a whole new dimension on your favorite trails. It seems to find lines where none exsisited before. Riding the geography and geology of western Colorado with any sort of skill, requires top end gear. Climbs better than my hardtail. Why spend 5-6 grand on a Moots?????
Submitted by
Carsten Fisker
a Cross Country Rider
from Aarhus, Denmark
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2000
Strengths: ATT: All you Marin MT Vision fans out there. I´m a great fan myself and have been riding a totally rebuilt Marin MT Vision Pro for about a year. As most of you state: once you have ridden this fantastic bike, nothing will ever be the same. It´s like being born again and you will see full suspension XC mountain biking in a hole new perspective. It simply takes fear out of the game and puts you in total control. Actually, the feeling is impossible to describe, but you know what I´m talking about once you tried this bike yourself.
Weaknesses: None, but until now it has been almost impossible - in my opinion - to find a fork that performed as well as the rear suspension on this fantastic bike. Wouldn´t it be great if this bike has an integrated fork of the same high quality as the rear suspension. I´ve had wet dreams about such a frame and IT IS NOW A DREAM NO MORE....
Bottom Line:
ATT.: There is a new bike out there. John Whyte - the designer of the Marin MT Vision bikes - has just made a new bike called: PRST-1, (code name: PRESTON). I have never seen anything like it - integrated rear AND FRONT suspension. Some british MTB mags has already clamed it to be the best bike (compared to both hardtails and FS-bikes) ever built. They have a website where you can see this new monster at:
www.whytebikes.com
I havn´t had the chance to ride this new bike yet, but since this is the only bike ever to outcompete the Marin MT Vision (according to tests), I´m planning to buy one as soon as possible. I will be placing a review as soon as I can get my hands on this frame. But go to their website and see for yourself and it someone out there has ridden this bike, please post a review :-)
Bike Setup: Pace RC37 dual crown fork. Hope XC 4 piston discbrake. Syncros Steel Revolution crank. XTR front/rear deraillure. Mavic 317 disc rims. Continental Twister Pro Tection.
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Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2000
Strengths: Responsive, great rear suspension (no biopacing), light
Weaknesses: Red paint chips, cable housing wears on paint and metal (Superficial, but these are the only weaknesses I can think of).
Bottom Line:
After a year of riding this beauty, I wouldn't trade it for any other bike. Offer me a brand new bike of any make and I'm still not interested (I'll take the cash in lieu!). I love this bike...it climbs like a billy goat, carves like a snow board, and eats up any terrain that I subject it to. This bike is nimble and tough. The single pivot design offers great trail absorption and does not require a lock-out. You crank, and it responds. When I climb hard in the saddle and out, the back end is astonishingly stable. The Mt. Vision Pro's frame design offers hard tail-like stability, vertical and lateral, and all the benefits of full suspension. This bike gets five chilis without question. Too bad Marin doesn't seem to have the marketing power that the big boys have, but then again, it's nice having a unique set-up that I'm thrilled with, rather than being one of the masses that eat up the marketing campaigns of the more popular makes.
Bike Setup: Out of the box with Hutchinson Python Gold and Conti Explorer Pro tires
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Submitted by
bob brown
a Cross Country Rider
from beaumont, CA , usa
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2000
Strengths: I purchase this bike for my wife. She would not ride the Litespeed Unicoi I bought for her as it was too uncomfortable in her words. She started riding almost everyday the instant she got. A friend of mine and I took it out with our Unicois and tested it. We both bought one the next day. I was so impressed with It i contacted Marin and am now working for them. If a bike can make my wife ride everyday of the week and ask to go to the mountains on the weekends it is truly something special. The bike is light, turns and accelerates with any hardtail and will flat outclimb any thing I have ever ridden.
Weaknesses: the swing arm needs to have a better powder coating as it does seem to scratch quite easy.
Bottom Line:
Coming from the sport of motocross I have seen many different products come on the scene. I have had my own company (Wolf Creek Cycles). And had many high level amatuer riders race for me. I feel I know the sport and equipment pretty well. I have never seen a piece of equipment make such a difference in every person that gets on it. The bike will instantly make you a better rider in all technical instances. You will feel safe and under control on terrain you would not normally ride. It will outclime anything I have ever ridden. We have a Pro rider from georgia who has never raced anything but a hard tail., He is racing one this year and has raced the 2000 mode 6 times in AMBC, Arizona state championships and California state championships, in the six races he has competed in his worst finish was a close second. Needless to say the rest were all first place finishes. He states he would never race a hard tail bicycle again. And basically would never ride one again.
This is the best bicycle available in every aspect for XC mountain bike racing or riding. Get one you will be the happiest person on earth other than my wife who just went out the door with hers.
Favorite Trail: Santa Ana River trail Angeles Oaks
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Similar Products Used: specialized m 4 litespeed unicoi. Canondale lefty
Bike Setup: I have completely upgraded my bike as I bought and East Peak to start with. I have RST XMO fork, Chris Kings head Set, East bars and seat post with easton stem. Bontrager rims with chris king hubs and revolution spokes, SRam 90 Sl shifters and rear deraillure, XT front deraillure ( I like micro drive ), Kooka cranks and brake levers, world class ti bottom bracket, flite ti seat, and speedplay pedals. I have float R with lock out. The bike weight 22.5 pounds
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Submitted by
RON
a Cross Country Rider
from COPIAGUE , NEW YORK
Date Reviewed: April 1, 2000
Strengths: XTR MEGA 9 GROUPO , one main ,no maintenance pivot , very reliable Fox Vanilla FLoat R rear shock , excellent climber , still handles singletrack like it is on rails .
Weaknesses: Manitou SX carbon fork is way too flexy on technical terrain , rocky , rooty , I upgraded to a Marzocchi Z3 Flylight 100 air fork . Ritchy Fuzzy Logic Headset felt rough.Needed a shim for the Thomson seat post to fit the 30.0 set up .
Bottom Line:
I reviewed this bike a year ago last may and I only tuned up the XTR stuff only once . the shifting is as reliable and crisp as it was then .I have the same Fox AIR VANILLA FLOAT R shock I had last year , and it remains as plush-no air leaks ( Fox website has a maintenance schedule that can be downloaded ) I upgraded the front shock to a Marzocchi Z3 flylight 100 = 4 inches of plush travel ( wth front disc mounts) and unsurpassed lateral stiffness that instills more confidence, especially on rocky or rooty single track like out here in the eastern part of the U.S.-combined with the Fox rear , this thing now rides like a cloud .the Kore 25 degree Elite stem was added to take pressure off my arms and wrist and improved my comfort significantly .the Raceface aheadset was added to improve steering. overall , i thought the MVP was a great bike when I first bought it . but with the new upgrades , it is now an awesome machine , one awesome machine .I only added about 10 ounces or 260 grams ? to the overall weight but it handles and climbs and corners sooooo much better.the stand over height is still good , even after adding 1.5 inches to the front with the new fork . it only took me about an hour to get use to mounting and dismounting and I have had no problems doing that off road . I upgraded the tires to the IRC Notos 2.1 Kevlar tires because there are some sandy conditions around here .it is still so cool to get this bike to drift in the turns and the wheel stay incontact with the ground . take on for a test ride , a real test ride , like at a MTB event . I garrauntee you will buy one . I will be the best bike you ever owned !! THE MARIN MOUNT VISION PRO ROCKS!!!!
Bike Setup: XTR Mega 9 groupo Marzocchi Z3 Flight 100 air sprung fork (Ferrari red to match the rear swing arm). Kore elite 25 degree stem . RACEFACE headset Thomson Elite seat post (shim required). IRC Notos 2.1 tires ( Kevlar bead) . Mavic 517 rims with DT spokes . Speedplay Frog pedals .
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Submitted by
Andrew Falk
a Cross Country Rider
from Pittsburgh
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2000
Strengths: light weight, low maintenance single pivot frame with best in business Fox air shock, stand-over height, good mud clearance, good single track handler, comfort and speed, climbing traction, XTR everywhere, nice grips
Weaknesses: rear braking mutes suspension, rear suspension movement can be sensed in the pedals when using small chainring over rough terrain, so-so headset, swing arm hides front derailler adjustment screws, Manitou SX Carbon was faulty (OK after warranty), too many house brand parts for price, seat post was faulty (off-center machining, warranty), seat post diameter is rare 30.0mm diameter, house brand stem and bar combo made creaking noise, incorrect length housing for rear derailleur loop, too flashy for urban commute
Bottom Line:
I really love riding this bike! After years on inspired steel and Ti hard tails, this "soft rocket" is my only MTB.
In an unscientific comparison to my lighter ti hardtail, a 9 minute climb ON THE ROAD, takes me about 30 seconds longer on the Marin Mount Vision Pro. I call it about even.
More telling, a local short single track loop (when dry!)takes 10 minutes on the ti hardtail. The first time I timed myself on the Marin, I was faster. I timed myself AT NIGHT, I was still faster than on my hardtail.
Light weight, to accelerate! Great suspension, to maintain momentum! Buy it for fast single track comfort, big grins!
Similar Products Used: owned all hardtails, rode brother's GT LTS some, borrowed a low end Mantra, and mid priced Diamond Back
Bike Setup: substituted CrossMax wheels, 1998 SID fork, Ritchey stem, Chris King headset
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Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairfax, CA USA
Date Reviewed: February 16, 2000
Strengths: Great right out of the box! Full XTR, Manitou Mars C front, Fox Float R back, Easton carbon handle bar and seat post. Mavic rims. Nice and light.
Weaknesses: Mine came with a funky Mutant road stem. spec'd with an Easton stem. don't know what happened. Swapped it with my Hardtail stem, not a problem.
Bottom Line:
This is a great ride!! I was hesitant about falling for a full suspension, but it didn't take long. Handles like a dream! No need to climatise to it from my hardtail that I have been riding for the last 8+ years. This could be my one and only for awhile.
Favorite Trail: Tamarancho/ Pine Mt., Flume, Wilder Ranch, Moab
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Similar Products Used: 1992 Team Marin, Specilized M2, 1999 Mt. Vision
Bike Setup: As spec'd, except for the stem.
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Submitted by
Dave Hooper
a Cross Country Rider
from Taunton,S omerset, England
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2000
Strengths: Durable, for a bad bike handler like me its keeps me out of trouble. Climbs well, reasonably light. I participate in many national mountain bike orienteering events and it copes well.
Weaknesses: Ok so maybe marin country is dry. But back hear in old blightey we have lots of mud. 9 speed shimano is too fickle and time pedals would be an improvement. Finally the frame should have cable runs/guide because with the suspension movement in the rear I quickly wore away the metal. Several Zip ties sorted it out but it doesn't do its looks any good.
Bottom Line:
Very good bike, durable, almost bomb proof, needs a rear lock out as in orienteering in Uk I spend some time on roads.
Well, I have raced on the Mount Vision Pro all season in the races here is Alberta and also in a 24 hour race and it still is as enjoyable to ride as the day I purchased it. This bike is truly a solid machine and is extremely versatile. The only problem I experienced was following the Canmore World Cup race, which was EXTREMELY wet and muddy, the rear shock would creak occasionally. But a quick e-mail to Marin and they sent be a few suggestions on a how to disassemble and lube the bolts that hold the shock in place and I was riding quiet again. This bike is good up and down the hills, people are always amazed as I pass them on some of the steepest and most demanding offroad climbs, but the suspension always seems to keep the wheels in contact with the ground. I even raced the Marin in a Cyclocross race and did quite well, although it is hard to shoulder. I have over 3000 km's of hard milage on this bike and have had no mechanical failures yet. Awesome and a joy to ride, I would buy another for sure!
