Submitted by
Simon Raistrick
a Cross Country Rider
from London UK
Date Reviewed: September 30, 2004
Strengths: A beast! Unbreakable.
Weaknesses: Aluminium corrosion appeared.. weird but doesn't seem to affect strength.
Bottom Line:
I've now got a stable of trick bikes but can't let this one go. Nothing compares to that sweet smooth ride, and the 'half crosscountry, half freeride" build defys todays categorisation - its just a good all-rounder. I've hauled mine over some really long races, and although it's not as nippy as a yeti, its really plush, and my marin's been through so much i know it can stand anything. a truly dependable bike.
a classic suspension design that was way ahead of it's time - just look at all the pretenders who came afterwards and copied it. This still doesn't feel like a 5 year old bike. A true classic and mine'll probably still be good for high speed rocky trails even when I'm not any more.
Similar Products Used: Yeti asr-sl, sworks 03, wolf ridge 03, vpfree.
Bike Setup: replaced all the components .. now has hope minis, 03 xt, sids, panaracers on mavic etc.
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Submitted by
Graham Mitchell
a Weekend Warrior
from Perth, West Australia
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2004
Bottom Line:
Coming up to the five year mark on my '99 Mount Vision I thought an up-date was appropriate. Basically this bike has been tremendous.It's had a few component upgrades - Easton riser, W.C.S. stem & post, 747 pedals, Conti Vert Pros and King headset. I'm on my second Manitou SX with travel reducer removed to give 80mm in place of original 70mm (massive improvement!), boots are gone with new Evil Genius seals in place and delicious Ti custom spring kit as before. In the space of five years my speed and trail skills have improved immensely and yet this bike is more than up to the task. The frame is as tight and as true as new despite the battering it has recieved in the very harsh Australian environment.What more can you say? I dread having to replace it one day as I've grown to love it so much and they're as rare as hens teeth in Western Australia! Possibly the most sorted single-pivot ever.
Submitted by
Graham
a Weekend Warrior
from Perth, Western Australia
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2001
Strengths: Great frame design/ light weight/ shock protected by seat tube from the elements/ value group set & components.
Weaknesses: Poor fitting swing arm/ swing arm srength?
Bottom Line:
This is a well designed, comfortable bike sold with high quality components. However I have had some major problems. Within a couple of months of taking delivery of the Marin, I noticed the upper stay section of the swing-arm had started to show signs of stress and distortion- the once flat metal was now 'rippled'. This was replaced by the importer, under warranty, after a wait of several weeks. Further one of the bearings was also clearly damaged. After a year or so of riding on the new swing-arm, considerable lateral play had developed at the main pivot-not good. This has been corrected by inserting a shim between the frame and the swing-arm. All that aside, the Mount Vision is an excellent well balanced bike, robustly built and highly enjoyable. The Fox shock is superb and the SX Ti has proven to be a fully adjustable, easily maintained, super-plush fork.
Bike Setup: Full XT/ Easton carbon riser/ Ritchey stem & post/ 747s/ Mythos kevlar 2.1s/ ODI grips
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Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2001
Strengths: Great ride - what else do you want? Handles like a greased pig on superconducting magnet levitating rails
Weaknesses: It's a little heavy? I dunno.
Bottom Line:
Excellent bike. Has a great feel to it. I actually have the '98 version, but same difference. Once I change out the Manitou SX-R shock, it will be a little lighter. Did I mention how well this bike handles? I can kick my hardtail friends' asses even on the smooth stuff. Don't know why exactly.
Similar Products Used: Specialized Stumpjumper, Slingshot, Trek 850
Bike Setup: Pretty much stock, except for the stuff I've busted. Must have my Panaracer Dart in front, though.
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Submitted by
Steve Lyons
a Cross Country Rider
from Northampton, England
Date Reviewed: March 3, 2001
Strengths: Couldn't afford a new Marin, so hunted round for a 2nd hand Mount Vision. Couldn't believe the feeling from the 2 year old XT shifters & brakes. OK, so the sprockets, chain & chainrings need replacing, but I've save over £1000 ($1500) on a new one. There's no noticeable flex at all in the rear swingarm, something which seems to be a feature of some new bikes.
Weaknesses: Previous owner had wide bars & big, fat DH tyres. Now I've changed them, the bike's perfect. I reckon I saved 1/2 kilo on each wheel by ditching the DH tyres in favour of a pair of Panaracer XC tyres. Pretty much the best place to save weight on a bike.
Bottom Line:
I'd suggest anyone with between £600 and £800 (around $1000 to $1500) - to forget about the shiny new full sus, or even hardtail, they've spotted in the local shop. Go for a second hand Mount Vision instead. It'll last longer... slightly worn XT will ALWAYS be better than this years STX-RC or whatever a new, cheap bike comes with... it's almost definately a better design than anything but this years Marins... you'll be able to afford the petrol and accommodation expenses to have some brilliant weekends away at Coed-y-Brenin.
Oh yeah... on a 2nd hand bike, you wont look like some green bean while out on the trails, either.
Similar Products Used: A load of new full sus bikes under consideration, but none of them could match a second hand Mount Vision for value, quality, and long term durability.
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Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Edinburgh
Date Reviewed: November 21, 2000
Strengths: Plush, plush, plush. Solid Build. Fast over the rough stuff and climbs like a demon. Great spec. Light. And looks great.
Weaknesses: The ahead set on my ’99 model was crap. Replaced after six months. Saddle was not comfortable. Front brake squealed like hell. Stupid semi slick rear tyre.
Bottom Line:
I love this bike, it inspires confidence, it makes me want to push myself each time I ride it. Everytime I know I'm heading back home I just want to turn around and do it all again. My other bike never made me want to do that! I would recommend this bike, or any Marin Full Sus. to anyone who enjoys their mountain biking. It’s an expensive bike, but I have never regreted spending my dosh on it. The bike is just bleedin' marvelous!
Bike Setup: Replaced flat handle bars for Icon risers. Replaced saddle for a Fizzick Giro. Replaced XT Brakes for Hope XC2 Disk Brakes, expensive but I can’t reccommend these brakes enough, they are fantastic. Swaped semi slick rear for a more grippy IRC Mythos.
Strengths: Geometry, Weight, Strength, Ride, Components. Geometry--I liked it. Weight--There isn't much. Strength--Nothing has broken yet. The bike doesn't creak. The rear suspension is built tough. There doesn't need to be multiple pivots to have a great riding full suspension bike, and this bike proves this. Ride--It's just a really good ride. Components--The all XT set up is ultra smooth. It has the most fluid shifting I've ever experienced. The breaks have excellent stopping power.
Weaknesses: Tires and pedals. Tires--The tires are probably just a personal preference. Pedals--After reading reviews I decided to go with the Time pedals. Everyone seemed to think they were great. Everyone was right. Also, the breaks squeak if the rims don't get cleaned regularly.
Bottom Line:
This bike has a smooth ride. The shifting is also incredibly smooth. I spent a lot of time looking for the right bike. After test riding bikes in the same price range this bike was an easy choice. If you're debating on what bike to buy take the time to ride this one.
Submitted by
Julius Marstrand
a Weekend Warrior
from Gloucestershire, England
Date Reviewed: May 18, 2000
Strengths: Fabulous Frame; Robust Rear Suspension - especially pivot bearing; Low Step-over height; Great all-round performance
Weaknesses: Frame Seat-post could be longer to give more support; no bosses on downtube for crud-catcher mudguard; old gold/orange colour scheme
Bottom Line:
Fantastic Bike - I've had it less than a month and already done Coed-y-Brenin, in the Welsh mountains, with Cheltenham & County CC MTB Section. We did the 'Karrimor/Experts' Trail, which now includes some of the technical sections from the 'Red Bull' Trail and part of the 'Red Bull'. The Marin got me out of situations that I wouldn't have got through on a hard-tail. It rode brilliantly and kept me grinning all day. It didn't let me down, if anything, I let it down! It's a lot more competent than I am. Ideal for experts, or less experienced riders wanting a full sus bike.
Similar Products Used: Gary Fisher X-Caliber with Marzochi Z2's & Use Suspension Seat-post
Bike Setup: Std except for 26" Bars & Kore stem; Shimano 535 SPDs; & Conti Traction Pro, Kevlar wall tyres.
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Submitted by
Karen Heater
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, Co. USA
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2000
Strengths: Excellent suspension system. This bike offers the smoothest ride I have experienced in riding the Rocky Mountains. Great value for any mountain biker - novice to experienced. If you like the color (orange) and you like off road cycling, single track, technical trails or just weekend riding on the paths, this is absolutely the bike you want.
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
I love this bike. It is one of the best performance bikes I've ever ridden on the mountain terrain of Colorado. This bike is perfect for someone wanting an easy ride over technical terrain. Great control, very solid ride, sturdy, and very light. The flexibility is outstanding in this bike!
Strengths: XT groupset... Superior suspension design...
Weaknesses: Crappy headset on my model year... Couldn't get VP cleats easily in the UK... Bottle cage mounts useless...
Bottom Line:
This bike has been ridden every week through all conditions for almost 2 years, without any major faults, except those caused by wear and tear (only just replacing wheels and B/B). Any other parts that I've replaced have been to loose weight, except the headset, which was a piece of s***.
About to upgrade shock to a Stratos XC Pro and probably fit Easton carbon risers, to shed even more weight.
Expecting big things of the Stratos shock (having read the reviews on this site), as I think most riders have the suspension set too hard, so that it doesn't bob too much on the road or smooth trails. With the lockout on the Stratos I'm hoping to get the best of both worlds!
Spent a lot of time tuning the Manitou SX-R forks, now running with the longer coil spring from the X-Vert R (again, after referring to this site!). This gives a much more active ride, and costs only 20 pounds.
The only reason I can see NOT to have a Marin Full Susser is that they are soooo common here in the UK!!!!
Bike Setup: Mt Vision '98, Chris King headset, Shimano 747, Icon stem, WTB SST '98 saddle, USE seatpost, Titec risers.
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Submitted by
andy green
a Cross Country Rider
from london, England
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2000
Strengths: Comfort from simple, effective rear suspension.
Weaknesses: Suspension affecting braking performance from bobbing due to brake placement. Disks will improve this. Throw over the front feel, due to head angle. Colours scheme.
Bottom Line:
The bike is a Superb climber especially for a full-suspension. Increasing the rear shock air pressure to 250lbs for my weight 180lbs seems to help a great deal. Have rode it at varying pressures. Easy to maintain, but V-brake cable over rear tyre is unsatisfactory to the excellent frame design for Muddy UK conditions. Discs may sort this? Full power braking with rear suspension and V-brakes generates a bobbing effect, which is difficult to get used to as opposed to anchor like feel of hardtails rear dragging into ground. Frame is a little short. Seatpost is a little weak unless really torque it up! Saddle is cheap and ripped in less than two months. Front deraillleur position makes difficult to adjust limiter screws. Steep head angle causes throw over front feel, does slacken with set-up but still steep! Cable routing causes seat tube to be cut into!! CAUTION should be made when pedalling on corners, as suspension may be compressed and pedal MAY strike ground!! BEWARE. I still think its a great bike but these are some of the realities.
Similar Products Used: Mtn Cycle MOHO CXS, Klein Mantra Pro, Specialised FSR, Kona Manomano
Bike Setup: Standard 17 inch frame except; Answer Taperlite 2.5inch risers cut to 25 inch, tyres change with ground conditions (Panaracer Mud Pro 1.7 in UK Mud or Cross Country 1.5) or tyres specifc to terrain.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
acstn
a Cross-Country Rider
from Carlsbad, CA
Weaknesses: Skinny tires, no manual or shock pump included for the Fox airshock
Bottom Line:
Nice bike, handlebars/stem and tires were optioned for a real racer, not a trailrider. After spending over 8 hours trying to adjust the Manitou fork I installed a Z-1 alloy from Speedgoat. I've probably taken a nice light cross country bike and converted it to a 28 lb. beast, but I really like the way it handles with the new fork and balloon tires (2.25). LBS was way off base on setting the sag on the Fox airshock, and no manual was included. Download the manual from Fox and don't leave the dealership without the proper shock pump.
Submitted by
A DUNNING
a Cross-Country Rider
from CLEVLAND,UK.
Date Reviewed: October 11, 1999
Strengths: ALLROUND A1 BIKE,FROM X COUNTRY/ DOWNHILL.
Weaknesses: GETTING TOO CARRIEDAWAY!
Bottom Line:
I'VE HAD THIS BIKE 2 YEARS NOW AND I COULDN'T AMAGINE RIDING A HARDTAIL AGAIN, A GREAT BIKE! EASILY SET UP AND ADJUSTABLE.I'VE HAD NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.I LOVE IT!
Bike Setup: STANDARD APART FROM RISSER BARS,WILGRIPPER TYRES,LIZZARD SKIN ON REAR SHOCK.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew Wong
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: October 8, 1999
Strengths: lightweight full susp XT gear throughout
Weaknesses: weak rims
Bottom Line:
Good alround bike for cross country. Not really built for harder downhill stuff. Have busted the rims quite easily, will be getting mavic D521s soon to replace the standard mavic 222s which are junk. Have replaced the bars with double walled Azonics which makes the bike easier to handle on the jumps and some downhill stuff. The standard front shocks were very light but are nothing compared to the marzocchi drop offs I replaced them with...these shocks are so plush and with 5 inches of travel they really soak up some big hits.
