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Reviews 1 - 7 (7 Reviews Total)
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Submitted by
Davey
a Cross Country Rider
from CanadaDate Reviewed: November 9, 2002
Strengths: Strong frame, Cool paint job (Red)Weaknesses: vomit inducing pedalsBottom Line: Rides great, but is a little heavy. I love droppin the seat and showin up my buddies by doin some free ride on this XC bike. It takes it all. I have only bent the seat rails and the seat post mounts, but they were replaced on warranty (thanx steve). Bottom line- Strong hefty and gud
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$550.00
Purchased At: Local Shop
Similar Products Used: 2000 Specialized Hard Rock comp fs1
Bike Setup: Stock except for a new saddle.
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Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Pleasanton, CA, USADate Reviewed: August 13, 2002
Strengths: After riding my Trek 930 for the past ten years, this bike rides like a dream. Responsive and strong frame. Great value for the price paid. Steel is Real!!!Weaknesses: Pedals. Will switch to Sun-Ringle Zu Zu .Bottom Line: It was great to find a decent bike at this price range. Bike climbs well and maneuvers well on the downhill. At overstock.com the listed price was $389.00. They had a promotional offer that gave me an additional 10% off. After doing some research, I found out that the frame description on their site was listed incorrectly and I was given $25.00 more off my purchase. The initial installation was easy, but I still had my local bikeshop tune the bike for optimal performance. Ray, the red one is definitely a badass color.
Favorite Trail: Pleasanton Ridge
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$327.00
Purchased At: Overstock.com
Similar Products Used: Tested Kona Cinder Cone, Giant Iguana 2003, Trek 4500, Kona Lava Dome.
Bike Setup: Stock.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Weekend Warrior
from Houston, TXDate Reviewed: August 13, 2002
Strengths: The frame. Let's all thank Marin for continuing to make a strong steel bike for those of us that don't need or care about the latest and greatest.Weaknesses: Deore rear deraileur.Bottom Line: This is a great bike. I have been riding my fully rigid steel GT Karakoram for the last 5 years. Great bike, solid steel frame, but my arms and shoulders could not take the beating anymore. Had to upgrade. I went out and looked at the "great" aluminum frames being made today. I hated how they rode, very harsh and unforgiving. After doing some research I found the Marin. Granted it weighed more than the KHS, by one whole pound. The fact of the matter is the lightest bike doesn't win the race, the best rider does. After doing some more research I found the bike for $389 at Overstock.com and couldn't turn it down.
The Geometry on this bike is perfect for me. 5'10" 180lbs on the 17" frame works great. Very responsive and climbs like h***. Another review described this bike as being more under you than you on it, I definitely agree. The bike goes exactly where I want it and never complains.
All in all, great bike and for under $400 you cannot find a better deal anywhere!
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$390.00
Purchased At: Overstock.com
Similar Products Used: 199? GT Karakoram Fully Rigid (rode for 5 years, bought used)
KHS Alite 2000 and Comp ST (test drive)
Bike Setup: Stock with Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1 Front (in Black) Ritchey Logic Comp V2 Clipless Pedals
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Submitted by
ray
a
from austinDate Reviewed: July 15, 2002
Bottom Line: update: Still suprises me. I didnt realize how crappy my old bike was untill I rode it after riding the Bear for a while. I'm climbing hills I couldnt before. The small paint chips are still bugging me, although I haven't gotten any new ones. I covered the old ones with some candle wax. I also feel bad because overstock.com just dropped the price to $389. and thats for the badass looking red one. Oh well.
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
ray
a Weekend Warrior
from austin, txDate Reviewed: June 16, 2002
Strengths: The sweet frame. Who needs (wants) aluminum when Marin in making steel frames like this? Sticky tires.Weaknesses: I've heard bad reviews about the Manitou Magnum that came with it. I didn't bother to find out, so I immediately upgraded. The paint chipped after my first ride, altough that might have happened on the car ride over.Bottom Line: The deal they have at overstock.com is awesome. I 've read reviews where people were saying they got a good deal, while paying >$600. I bought mine for $450 with a 1st time customer discount, and a few days later they mark down the same bike (although a different color) to $409!!! Bottom line, great bike all around, the super low price will make me think about buying another.
Favorite Trail: barton creek
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At: overstock.com
Similar Products Used: specialized hardrock (1999).
Bike Setup: Stock, except for I put on a rockshox duke C. Took off the toeclips.
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Submitted by
Ed
a Cross Country Rider
from Tahlequah, Ok, USADate Reviewed: July 25, 2001
Strengths: Chromoly frame, decent components for the priceWeaknesses: Those horribly crappy pedals, which are easily replaced. "Edge" tubing is rigid and looks cool, but can be a little hard on the shoulders when the terrain gets nasty and the bike has to be portaged-- a t-shirt wrapped around the top tube makes some nice padding though.Bottom Line: This is a great bike for the money. The chromoly frame is tough as nails, and the stock drivetrain is all you'll ever need unless you're going to be doing some really serious racing. It's a more than adequate off-road bike, but it also looks pretty cool toolin' around town, too. If you haven't seen one up close and personal, be forewarned that the Bear Valley looks absolutely nothing like the pictures in Marin's catalog-- it's much slicker than the pics make it out to be. The fade-out paint job (I think Marin calls it "two-tone") is very nice and organic, kinda like a fish.
The Manitou Magnum forks weren't all that impressive and I replaced the stock oil with some thicker stuff, but I don't really care much for suspension anyway so mine probably isn't the best opinion in that area; I just keep them really stiff.
I've had the bike for several months now, and my shins still haven't completely healed from the gashes I got from those really bad pedals and even worse toe clips. I replaced them pretty quickly with clipless, but even if you're not comfortable with clipless, invest in some better pedals-- the stock ones don't keep the toe straps very stable, and in traffic, you'll get run over trying to kick those pedals around to get your foot in the clips. The reflectors on them just aren't that cool either. If Marin is really concerned about rider safety, they might consider dumping the silly reflectors and putting on stock pedals and toe clips that can be used.
Overall, though, the bike is a nice ride, on and off the road, and the real steel frame can take a lot of abuse.
Favorite Trail: Ouachita National Forest
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Purchased At: Paceline Cyclery, Tahlequah,OK
Similar Products Used: GT Agressor, Fisher HooKooEkoo
Bike Setup: Stock; Deore drivetrain
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Stu
a Cross Country Rider
from Reigate, SurreyDate Reviewed: June 21, 2001
Strengths: Feels well solid - more underneath you than you sitting on top of it - which is a good thing! Superbly balanced it seems to me: climbing seated doesn't cause as many problems with where the bike is going than I was expecting (apart from the obvious muscular probs!) In my limited experience all I can say is that I have have an incredible amount of fun on it and am well happy with and confident in the bike: it goes where you want it to (aside from some glaring rider errors!) I can chuck it down hills and only occasionally wonder whether I'm coming out the other end!!!! Superb paint job too (shades of gunmetal grey)!Weaknesses: At first the seat was INCREDIBLY uncomfortable - I mean sore, sore, sore for the first few rides. However, you soon build up a tolerance! Forks are a little soft but OK, although I have bottomed them out on one occasion under extreme pressure (saved my life though!) Some trouble changing top to middle chainwheel on the front - hangs - but not all the time. I notice this was a prob with 2000 bikes, reading the reviews: it's still not fully sorted. Considering buying an LX front mech to try and sort it out.Bottom Line: If you can have this much fun on any bike then there is no point in writing reviews! It is absolutely superb and the minor problems fade miles into insignificance (an LX front mech as standard would be nice though!) when you thump your way up a hill, get to the top and then hurl yourself down the other side! I have no experience of the hallowed heights of owning a bike worth grands but any bike up there will really have to go some to be THAT much better!
Favorite Trail: Up and around Colley Hill at the moment
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Purchased At: Finches, Reigate
Similar Products Used: Specialised Rockhopper 2001 FS (although not very often - only to compare mine with my mates!)
Bike Setup: As factory.
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Reviews 1 - 7 (7 Reviews Total)
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