Weaknesses: I heard they WILL break if you huck em
Bottom Line:
If you are an aggressive trail rider & don't mind knowing the weaknesses of the frame then it rips....Don't attemp to do drops over 4' to not risk breaking the frame.....Fast normal rough DH runs are sweet...More like a 1-time race frame lightened up already-But requires a solid rear AXLE to keep the swingarm from flexing ALL over the Earth!
Weaknesses: eVERY THING IF YOU RUN IT ON FULL TRAVEL OR 9.8 IN. THE OTHER SETTINGS WONT WORK ANYMORE, CUSE THELL BE OVLED OUT. THE FRAME BUSTED, THE SWING ARM BUSTED AND MARIN HAS BAD WARRINTY THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I BEGGED OR SWORE AT THEM.
Bottom Line:
The supension was very good!!! the componints sucked shi%. The frame *&$*$*&%$*(%^^)^$(%*^%#&^$@#^*#*%)(%^($&$*^@#^$#(*%*#$%#(%^($%$%#% that is what i say to the frame and the guys at the warrintiy department. dont buy this bike. it is a pice of mother %&$%#^& shi%.
Similar Products Used: THERE IS NOTHING AS CRAPPY AND SHI&& AS THIS, A WALL MART SPECIAL WOULD HAVE HELD UP BETTER.
Bike Setup: bOxxERS, hays, fox dc.
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Submitted by
John Smith
a Downhiller
from Rossland
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2001
Strengths: Brakes and stem
Weaknesses: Everything else. I broke it all. The frame broke at the pivot point on a weld and the company is not warrantying it.
Bottom Line:
Buy this bike if you are a light rider who wants to ride cross country on an 10.7 inch travel bike. I live in Rossland and this bike was not the bike for our terrain. I was only able to ride the bike for 2 and a half months before it snapped in half. If Marin wants to enter the freeride market they should make their bike a lot stronger. Thankyou.
Bike Setup: Wildcat frame, Stratos Superstars, Doublewide rims, Hayes,and etc...
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Submitted by
Matt Krei
a Downhiller
from Spokane, Wa USA
Date Reviewed: April 24, 2001
Strengths: Fist off, i didnt have the Wildcat Trail setup, i had the 2000 model Team DH frame with a few different parts. This frameset does not have too many strengths to it, for the 6 moths that i owned the bike i ran into many problems with frame weakness.
Weaknesses: The frame is a paper thin monocoque knock-off, the shock mount fins as the rider before me has noticed bent and break. Also, all of the pivots are bushings, none are sealed bearing, making the bike squeaky after a few rides, plus you need to replace the busings more often than you would on a sealed bearing system. Please read "the bottom line" section of my review for the whole scoop.
Bottom Line:
Heres the deal, they geometric design of the pivot system on the bike is completely messed up, they couldnt have possibly spent more than 10 mins trying to figure out a good system. First off, if you set the bike into DH mode, 9.8 inches, it puts major stress on the shock vertically, Marin even told me that if you leave it at that setting too long that it would eventually break the shock from abues, what a crock of sh*t. If you do leave your shock in the DH position, you will notice that the other 2 mounting holes on the frame are no longer round, but ovals, making it impossible to remount the shock in a different position on the frame <----- Bad design. Other than the weak mounting tabs and bad geometry, the bike is quite plush all around, providing enough travel to take up the big hits when you are on the downhill course, other than that, i really cant find anything too apealing about this frame, for the price, i guess its okay, but you could opt for something better, at the same price, such as a Santa Cruz Super 8, or Bullit X. There are a lot of new frames on the market besides this one at such a low price, and the majority of them are better than this one. I urge you to look around at other things before buying this frame, you will end up upset, trust me.
Bike Setup: Hannebrink LT-8, Hayes, Fox RC Pro DH.....
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Submitted by
Nerrad Early
a Downhiller
from Victoria BC
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2001
Strengths: Geometry, design...
Weaknesses: Marin the company, its warranty and policies in general.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is Marin screwed up a good thing. They have a decent layout. Problem is they try to cut weight. By cutting weight, the plates for the shock mount are too thin, thus cracking the mainframe due to swingarm twist. They call it my fault, so I'll be paying for my replacement frame. Essentially a roadie back home snapped one of these frames. My reccomendation would be to never buy a Marin ever, solely due to the fact their warranty department is the most belligerent I've every had to deal with. The CEO of the company himself didn't answer when asked about the frame modifications for 2001 which supposedly address these problems. That tells me something. He was unwilling to listen to anything I said. Shame on you Marin.
Submitted by
Taylor hatton
a Downhiller
from woodacre,cal,
Date Reviewed: February 16, 2001
Strengths: lots of travel!!fully adjustble head angle,bb height,and rear travel,rear wheel travel is adjustable from 7.8' to 10.7',high bb 14.7,can run 24' in rear, stable under big drops, you can keep lots of courage through big rocky sections
Weaknesses: lots of frame flex,running a 24' is a requirement you will get frame rub on seat tube cant run a 3.0 and wont be able to get all 10.7' of rear travel if you run a 26',high bottem bracket,
Bottom Line:
If you are into big drops, sick air, monster rock courses and are on a buget this is the bike for you!! by the way, I dont have the wildcat trail but it is the same frame.
Purchased At: sunshine bikes(where i work ,that is why i cant tell you the price)
Similar Products Used: super 8,all aeon bikes,armegedon,turner
Bike Setup: 01'boxxer,hope dh4 brakes,azonic cockpit,azonic cranks,azonic a frame pedels,mr dirt gizmo,xtr,sun double wide(24')in rear with 2.7 intense tires,dt hugi hubs
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Submitted by
MOTHA SUCKHA
a Downhiller
from dh ville
Date Reviewed: November 13, 2000
Strengths: The frame (lots of travel, allow almost no flex to the rear wheel)
Weaknesses: I suppose the x vert is not really appropriate for this bike. 120 up ront and 180 under your ass must feel really weird.. I have a superstar so no probs there!
Bottom Line:
really cheap for a 9er, not to heavy for those who cares, corners like a king. 6 foot drops wont affraid you once you'll have try this bike! cuz I suppose if you read this its mainly because you plan to buy one!! or you have nothing to do! its up to you but its a great deal, enough said
PS: I dont have the wildcat trail but I have the same frame....
Favorite Trail: COUPE DU MONDE, BROMONT REPRESENT!!!
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Similar Products Used: Super 8, VPS1, Armagedon, Dominatrax, RM9, TMX, etcccccc
Bike Setup: Y2K team Dh frame with superstar, magura gustavs, 24 wheels and 3.0 gazz but by the way, the 3.0 are NOT for mud... designed for dry terain cuz they like float in the mud. Azonic cockpit, raceface northshore crank
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Submitted by
Timm Collins
a Weekend Warrior
from Oak Ridge, TN, USA
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2000
Strengths: Good geometry, buttloads of suspension, good componentry, brakes like hell!
Weaknesses: Heavy ass wheels & mediocre fork.
Bottom Line:
Just got bike...love it so far. Dealing with 2 broken legs thanks to encounter with a car. Let you know soon on final verdict. Go buy one soon!
Weaknesses: 1 cracked mainframe, 2 cracked swingarms, on weld near disk brake.
Bottom Line:
Even with the cracks, which happens to every bike I own, its the best bike I've owned. Too bad Marin calls me an abusive rider, which I am not. Its a new bike so they should expect some defects, not just jump on me for being something I'm not, not to mention they have never seen me ride. All that aside, the bike PERFORMS. It climbs beautifully, and It's my only ride. X-cntry to DH, it does it all if you want it to.
Submitted by
zack nyquist
a Downhiller
from marin CA
Date Reviewed: July 12, 2000
Strengths: Buryl frame, nice brakes, great performing fork.
Weaknesses: the Ovation components are not very good, but Marin had to cut cost somewhere. otherwhyse most of the components worked great.
Bottom Line:
Nice frame and great components make this one of the best DH bikes in the price range. I wuol recomend it to beggining downhillers who want a great bike that will last.however the compenents to weak for a very extreme rider(the frame will make it).
