Submitted by
Mick Richardson
a Weekend Warrior
from Durham, UK Date Reviewed: March 4, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Esh Woods
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At:
Hardisty Cycles, Newcastle- upon-Tyne
Strengths:
Lashings of travel, with a mean handling frame
Weaknesses:
Bottom bracket about 1" too high and the heavy fox vanilla coil-over shock
Similar Products Used:
Specialised FSR, Giant XTC, Orange sub 5
Bike Setup:
As per the Marin with the HOPE Hydraulics upgrade
Bottom Line:
This bike the all singing all dancing bike that Marin claim it to be. The bike is awsome on single track, clearing some hugh boulderfields and undergrowth alike. My friend has a sugar 3 and just can't keep up once were into the technical trails (which i personally find a lot more fun than slogging up hills or along tarmac). There are lighter bikes out there but for sheer grin factor Marin know exactly what they are doing. This bike would have got an overall rating of 5 Chilis if it hadn't been for the coil-over shock. I am a bit on the chunky side of the weight scales at 15 stones. Even the highest spec coil that Marin supply isn't heavy enough for anyone over 13 stone. As a result I loose a lot of energy when pedallig uphill - which is knackering, as well as frustrating. Having said this, my wife has exactly the same bike and has no problems thanks to the correct spring weight rating. as a result i am about to upgrade to a Rockshox air shock to eliminate weight and get a more tunable rear end. By the way I ain't fat so its not a case of just loosing some body-weight - so don't take the piss!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shaun G
a Downhiller
from Bay Area, California Date Reviewed: January 25, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Any downhill
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
Pro Deal through REI ( they suck, bunch of hippies!!)
Strengths:
A great all around bike. Decent components. Good 5 inches of travel in the rear. Not too bad on the uphills. Takes the abuse and Marin has a great warranty.
Weaknesses:
Some components need to be switched out for Freeriding/Downhilling. Some peddle-induced bobbing on the climbs. One pivot rear suspension.
The bottom line is that this bike was a great first buy. I am more into Freeriding and DH so I needed to switch out alot of the components.First thing to do was switch out the tyres and get a new fork ( you want at least 5 in. in the front to match the rear). Due to the single pivot frame, the chain slakens when the R. suspension is compressed which leads to your chain falling off. I fixed that with the Truvativ system(Chain guide, cranks and BB)Great Freeriding and Urban Assault bike!! GREAT BIKE, GREAT COMPANY, GREAT EMPLOYEES(always willing to help)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa Canada Date Reviewed: December 12, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Gatineau park various trails
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Mountain Masters
Strengths:
Strong frame, great looks, plush feel.
Weaknesses:
Pedal induced bobbing. Weak seatpost.
Similar Products Used:
x
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
This is my first mountain bike. I'm glad I went for a good model and not a cheap one. It's just great. I've attacked all kinds of terrain with it. There's nothing like a fun ride with a plush bike like this. The one thing that gets on my nerves at times is that theres quite a bit of bobbing when pedaling. All and all it's a great bike. I'm not crazy about the tires, I have a pair of Tioga DH on the way to replace them. Avid 25's have good stopping power, but I have a pair of Avid mechanical disk on order to replace them, because I need the extra braking power. I bent the seatpost on a downhill a month after getting the bike. That part could use upgrading too. The component set on the bike is good, I have had a great summer. I rode over 700km and enjoyed it like hell. I didn't even go through a set of brake pads they are so good. I rode the bike until I didn't have a choise but to put it away. My last ride I had to pedal downhill the snow on the ground was crusty and it was a real momentum killer. Then I experienced ice on my rims... That was scary. I can't wait till the spring. If you want a solid bike with a good component set go for it. If you want the most efficient rear suspension system, don't !!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
joe p
a Racer
from miami, fl/ arlington, va Date Reviewed: November 20, 2000
Favorite Trail:
all
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
big wheel bikes
Strengths:
all the stuff on the bike is great. i highlight the hollowtec crank shimano xt fow vanilla r avid breaks and rochshox phsylo xc and nice frame design! for a f/s bike the you can climb a hill with no bob is great and then do a nice down hill course
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
most everything, i work at a bike store
Bike Setup:
as seen in Strengths
Bottom Line:
i got the bike so cheap b/c i work at a bike store and marn gives great prices and have very nice employes. i feel the i will be happy with this bike for a long time
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver, BC Canada Date Reviewed: September 27, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Squamish
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1350.00
Purchased At:
Deep Cove
Strengths:
Light setup 27LBS, good XT & LX components mix, etc...
Weaknesses:
None found yet
Bike Setup:
Stock except for SID 100mm front shock upgrade to match 5" rear travel. Change tires to IRC Kujo DH.
Bottom Line:
I replaced my stolen Rocky Mountain Spice with the Marin because it rode like a dream. I was dead on replacing the Spice with an Element Race, but when I test rode the Wolf Ridge, I was sold - especially when the saleman offered it to me for the same price as the Element.
The rear suspension was plush with virtually no pedal induced bobbing when hammering up a hill. Beautiful geometry for doing trials riding. The 5" rear and 4" front suspension, coupled with the 26x2.25" Kujo tires produces a great freeride bike.
This bike gives a novice like myself confidence to ride harder and faster thru the more technical trails found in the Whistler/Squamish area. Give this bike a test ride, you won't regret it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Whitehead Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Halifax Date Reviewed: August 2, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Uphill/Down Dale in Yorkshire
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Does everything well and very little badly.
Weaknesses:
Marin advice is for a 5 ft 8" rider like myself to get the 17.5" frame but when tested I found this size too big. Couldn't get my arse far enough back out the saddle on the steep downhills. My advice is to at least try the smaller size frame before buying. Notos Tyres are extremely light but not grippy enough for UK bridle-bogs. I'll be swapping them out soon.
Similar Products Used:
Tried a GT full sus when on 'holiday' in Canada which was brilliant on the singletracks but wouldn't take the beating a Wolf Ridge can.
Bike Setup:
Standard with hope disc brake upgrade.
Bottom Line:
If you want a bike that will take you anywhere with confidence, buy a Wolf Ridge - but change them tyres first.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phil O'Dwyer
a Weekend Warrior
from UK Date Reviewed: June 6, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Price, simple design & performance.
Weaknesses:
Tyres. Wheels - Spokes breaking a couple of times but now no problems.
Similar Products Used:
Various
Bike Setup:
Stock + hopes discs
Bottom Line:
Good price for what you get. Very easy to adjust front and rear suspension. Very good all round bike, light enough for XC & strong enough for the fun stuff.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Duro Mikurcik
a Weekend Warrior
from Slovakia Date Reviewed: April 16, 2000
Favorite Trail:
soblahovske luky
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
simple, low maintenance design, good spec, great price
Weaknesses:
tyres, too long stem
Similar Products Used:
santa cruz heckler, cannondale v
Bike Setup:
manitou x-vert, lx chainset, shifters and fr.mech, xt rear mech, Hope hydraulic disc brakes, race face stem
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike about 7 weeks ago and my impressions after this time: I made a good decision. It offers your own setup with easy adjustment of plushness at each end, it's sort of somewhere between XC and downhill machine. It's quite a good climber, and in downhills it feels stable most of the time. When purchased, I got the overlong stem and avids swapped for a shorter stem and discs. The only thing I would change now are tyres. IRC are good make but notos is just not grippy enough for the kind of riding expected from this bike. But overall, it's quite impressive.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Downhiller
from NY Date Reviewed: March 25, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
NOTHING
Weaknesses:
EVERYTHING
Similar Products Used:
MONGOOSE D-40R
Bike Setup:
RIGHT FROM STORE
Bottom Line:
ALL OUT I THINK IT THE WORSTBIKE IVE BOUGHT YET
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MIKE S
a Downhiller
from Knoxville , TN Date Reviewed: February 25, 2000
Favorite Trail:
LONGMIRE
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
-Rear travel 6.5"-8.. or- 9.7" with 24" wheel--Strong Frame--
Weaknesses:
Could use some more travel up front4.75" -
Similar Products Used:
MARIN B-17 MONSTER T HOPE 04's
Bottom Line:
PUT a MONSTER T on it and" Fa get about it "--BUILD a 24" rear to use it's full travel potential.....frame angles are nice--components too -- MARIN ROCKS.......
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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