Submitted by
mack
a Weekend Warrior
from new haven, ct, USA
Date Reviewed: February 20, 2003
Strengths: this bikes kicks bootah! i just bought the frame and fork. it every thing u want and nothing u dont!. the 7 inches of travel is awesome and works good with my manitou black elite
Weaknesses: NONE except a little heavy but on a long xc ride just poop it into 4inches of travel and its like a lock out
Bottom Line:
THIS BIKE RULES. EVEN THOUGH IT IS MY FIRST DUAL SUSP. IT BEATS THE TREK BY A MILE. if u want a xc/fr bike this is it. they dont make it any more so get the rock springs or whatever it is now. The frame gets more attention than a hooker in church! and is really strong! this bike rules and who said the jamis dakar xlt is the best bike for its price? well mnt bike ACTION ur wrong!!!
Similar Products Used: trek fuel, gian raineer, gt avalanche
Bike Setup: avid mech., specialized tires, mavic rims, manitou black elite, shock werks shock
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Submitted by
Aaron Clark
a Racer
from Rangiora, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: November 25, 2002
Strengths: Rear end adaptablity. Light but strong frame. Standover height. Single pivot point tracks rear wheel to ground well.
Bottom Line:
Rebuilt bike from last custom frame-up build to save weight with 2003 Sid Race fork, and Mavic CrossMax XC Disc wheels with UST. With 3 pounds shaved off, the bike is now 26 pounds and a pleasure to race, climb and descend on. At this weight having something so versatile that is comfortable on the flat and fast downhill is a plus in any event. A good XC/freeride bike that with a few bits swapped is very ready to race.
Similar Products Used: Wheeler, Giant, Specialised, Mongoose, Marin
Bike Setup: 2003 Sid Race fork, Mavic Crossmax XC, Hayes Disc, air shock, Ritchey components, Michelin Tyres.
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Submitted by
Gary
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle,WA USA
Date Reviewed: September 23, 2002
Strengths: Nice cross country bike. It's not a full downhiller but the 100mm of travel in the front fork, and 4->6" travel in the rear keeps it on the trail bombing down a hill. The rear suspension has almost no side to side play. The thumb shifters shift nicely. Stand and mash can move the frame enough to up shift the rear, but I'm riding the largest frame (19) and am 180lb., so sit and spin and you win.
Weaknesses: FS is too bouncy for hill climbing on the road. On the trail it seems fine, but standing on the pedals and mashing just winds up the suspension. If you sit and spin you can climb 6% hills. After that, the front wheel starts to lift off the dirt. If you stand and lean forward over the handlebars to shift your weight forward, then the rear spins out, breaks loose, (in loose dirt) and the frame pogos. So I walk. Hey, its faster! Anyway tightening up the spring and putting the frame in the 4" rear travel position reduces the pogoing to a minumum and its not bad. (But not a hard tail)
Bottom Line:
This bike at this price is a deal. Overstock.com carries the 2yr old stuff from Marin that didn't sell out and its worth it. I sort of wish I'd gotten the Wolf Ridge last year but last year I didn't have the $$$ to spend on a bike. The basic difference is a set of disk brakes. But maybe in another year or two I'll swap them out. The frame/hubs that are stock have the mounts, and that's a large part of the cost of switching. FS is overkill for gravel RR trails but nice on single track.
Similar Products Used: Alpine wolf trail. (basicly the same bike with disk brakes.)
Bike Setup: stock.
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Submitted by
RYAN PELLETIER
a Downhiller
from WOLCOTT, CONNECTICUT
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2002
Strengths: HMMMM.....EVERYTHING? I'M ACTUALLY A FREERIDER, NOT A DOWNHILLER, BUT I USE THIS BIKE FOR, JUMPING, DROPS, DOWNHILL, XC, AND ROAD RIDING. I LOVE THIS BIKE, MY FRIENDS SPENT $2000 AND $1600 ON THE WOLFRIDGE AND ROCK SPRINGS. THE WOLFRIDGE IS A BETTER BIKE, BUT ITS ALOT OF MONEY. SO THE PRICE IS A BIG STRENGTH. THE FORK ROCKS. 6" OF TRAVEL IS SWEET FOR THE ROCK BEDS, BUT THE GUY I BOUGHT THE BIKE FROM SAID IT'S MORE LIKE 7" BECAUSE ITS LOWER THAN THE NEWER TARA BIKES.
Weaknesses: HAYES MECHANICAL DISC BRAKES, UPGRADING TO AVID BALL BERING SOON.
Bottom Line:
GOTTA LOVE THIS BIKE! THEY'RE CAN'T BE A BETTER BIKE FOR THE PRICE. I EVEN GOT THIS BIKE W/ HAYES MECHANICAL (YEA THEY SUCK, BUT THEYRE BETTER THAN RIM BRAKES). I WILL RIDE OR JUMP ALMOST ANYTHING, SURPRISINGLY I DONT BREAK TOO MANY THINGS. THIS BIKE CAN CLIMB, AND D/H IF YOU WATCH OUT (SHORT FORK + STEEP HILL + LARGE ROCKS = BAD, VERY BAD). BUT, AGAIN MY FRIENDS AND I ARE FREE RIDERS, AND AFTER I GOT USED TO THIS BIKE, IT FLYS, AND LANDS SOFT! GREAT BIKE, I LOVE IT!
Similar Products Used: MARIN ROCK SPRINGS, MARIN WOLFRIDGE, GIANT AC AIR, GIANT AC AIR LITE
Bike Setup: STOCK W/ ROCKRING AND 2.4" DH TIRES
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Submitted by
Aaron Clark
a Racer
from Rangiora, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2002
Strengths: TARA rear adjustability gives true and noticable differences to the rear end for all kinds of riding. Very strong flex-free frame. Great stand-over height.
Weaknesses: I knew the bike would be heavy for a race bike, but this is offset by its reliability and strength.
Bottom Line:
Great value for money frame. Rear end adjustment means you can race in the 4 inch setting (I do), Cruise at 5 inches or have fun in the rough stuff at 6 inches. Constant traction when climbing the steepest & roughest ascents, stability and confidence when you point downhill again. I've done several 100km+ races & rides on this bike with no pain, and no component failures. If you want one bike to do everything, get a TARA Marin.
Similar Products Used: Wheeler 5000CZX (good riddance), Marin East Peak, Specialised FSR.
Bike Setup: Full build from frame up - Judy XC 100mm, Air Shock, Hayes Mech Disc Brakes, XT cassette & derailleurs, Truvativ cranks, RaceFace Rings, Ritchey stem, bars, seat & post. Taurus Rigida DB Wheels with XT hubs. IRC Mythos XC tyres.
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Submitted by
Damien Campbell
a Weekend Warrior
from Wellington, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2002
Strengths: Strength of the bike - I had a huge spill that broke my arm in 2 places and my collar bone in 2 places as well as smashing my helmet. Not a single bit of damage to the bike. Price was good. The price of USD 1600 included upgrading to Time ATAC pedals and Avid mechanical disc brakes. 3 settings for the rear shock is great. Easy to swith between the 3, as long as you release the coil fully first. The 6 inch setting is very smooth and soft. Marzocchi Z-5 100m fork is soild.
Weaknesses: IRC Mythos tyres. They maybe good in the dry, but in mud or slippery tracks they are shocking. Componentry isn't that great, but it doesn't matter too much for Free Riding. I'll wait till things break before I replace them. No problems with any of the componentry at this stage though. Not so great on tight techical downhill runs. Actually found my Diamondback better for reverse camber switch-backs than the Marin.
Bottom Line:
Very well balanced bike. We do a lot of downhill and free riding. No excuses for crapping off this bike the way it is set up and balanced. Even with the rear shock set at 6 inches, it is not hard to ride up hill (although I would not like to race with it in that setting). Ideal bike for someone who likes to ride downhill tracks (not racing) and freeride but isn't too serious about it. We do a lot of drop-offs and jumps. Nothing has failed me on it yet. I am 5'8" (170cm)tall and weigh 175pounds(80kgs). This bike seems to be very good for my height and build.
Strengths: Good base frame. TARA allowing 6" of rear travel. Marin frame warranty.
Weaknesses: The forks. apparently. it's my first bike with any suspension so who am i to know?
Bottom Line:
What you get here is an excellent frame. I bought it over the east peak because of the coil rear shock and TARA - handy for drops. The traction is excellent. It is a little heavier than some owing to the coil rear shock and cheap fork. Components are up to the job but when they break, you've a fine frame on which to build.
Strengths: Very Plush rear end. Excellent design almost allowing 3 bikes in one.
Weaknesses: This is a heavy bike. The fork is sh!t - (I have the UK spec bike with an InSync Fork). Expensive for what you get (on the UK version).
Bottom Line:
This is a good first full suspension bike. I bought it for my wife and I was going to get a wolf ridge for myself until I found out that the UK spec bikes are sh!t and way over priced. So I had to wait until I could get the US bike, so I have used this Alpine trail quite a bit.
The rear suspension is very plush on the 6in setting. It does tend to bob a bit up hills but when you consider the travel you realise that this is a well designed bike - like my old alpine trail. Some people think that you need a more complex suspension design to eliminate the bob etc. but I have tried a lot of different ones and in reality they all bob the same or worse than Marins, except for GT iDrives. But the beauty of this design is that it is light and maintenence free. The thing that makes this particular bike heavy are the crap components and the coil shock and budget fork.
I fully reccomend this bike as a quality entry level bike if you are buying the US spec one.
If you are considering the UK bike then know this... The fork on the UK bike is an absolute piece. The brakes are crap too. The fact that Marin retailers in the UK are stricltly controlled and you basically have to pay full retail on any current model bike. - and you get ripped off with the copmpnent spec. I just imported my own US wolf ridge which was a hell of alot cheaper and far better spec than the UK version - (a review will follow once I have a bit of riding on it).
I have briefly tried the US version and it is a better bike mainly due to the fork, but this review will have to be based on the UK bike. Why do we get scammed in the UK by Marin?
Similar Products Used: 99 Alpine trail (used for 2 years - nice first bike). 01 Wolf Ridge (US spec) - just got it this week - oh yes. Short rides on various full suspension bikes - GT/Spesh/KHS/Haro/etc.
Bike Setup: Stock UK spec bike. ie. same as above but InSync Fork, 8 speed Alivio/Deore.
Okay, I feel kind of lame asking this question, but I'm in a tight spot and because I've been on a hardtail so long, and live in a very small town, I just do not have the experienc Read More »
Okay, I feel kind of lame asking this question, but I'm in a tight spot and because I've been on a hardtail so long, and live in a very small town, I just do not have the experienc Read More »
