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Submitted by
str8.cash
a Cross Country Rider
from Park City, UT, USA
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere in the Wasatch | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$550.00 | | Purchased At: | Adrenaline | | Strengths: | Poorman's VPP | | Weaknesses: | High BB | | Similar Products Used: | Demoed: Kona Dawg, Ellsworth Moment, Santa Cruz Nomad | | Bike Setup: | Fox Float R 140mm, Fox RP23, 2x HFX-9, XT R-Der, XTR Trigs, DT Swiss Onyx hubs w/Bont Rims | | Bottom Line: | Surprised there aren't too many of these out there for sale considering REI and other big outlets distributed tons of these bikes. Folks must have retained them out of some strange fondness that can only be derived from riding a bike so unique. The center of that charm must be the rear suspension. The Jon Whyte quad-link suspension is a stroke of genius and thankfully has been retained in subsequent Marin products. The path of the rear axle is up and back, similar to VPP and other floating link suspensions. This means, according to myriad product literature, your rear wheel will not get(or so easily get) hooked up on sharp objects during compression.
The rest of bike suffers from poor design, apparent after a quick scan of the bike's geometry. The bottom bracket is atrociously high, making those dicey turns a little sketchier with a higher center of gravity for the rider. My DH rig sits several inches lower and turns with a million times more confidence.
The head tube angle is pretty tall, too. Upping the fork to 140mm (the original was spec'd with a 120mm) did help on the steep and nasty terrain but did not quell every nerve. The bike still can be twitchy.
The steep head angle and the rider-forward layout of the cockpit suggest XC. The quad TARA system, however, says all-mountain. The final word is the weight; and this is no sub-30lb rig, regardless of how it is fitted.
The geometry ultimately proves the downfall of this bike as the quad-link (in this iteration) on the Wolf Ridge is too burly for a XC bike's dimensions. And lord knows why the BB is so high- I guess bashguards were not thought of when this bike was designed. And who uses a large chain ring any way?
The quality, by the way, is top notch. The welds might not have the symmetry or artistry of higher priced offerings but they are strong. The suspension bushings (read: simple) have proved reliable and easy to maintain. The monocoque frame, although creaky, has not developed any cracks.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
seans
a Downhiller
from san rafel, ca, us
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | lower velocity | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: | easily adjustable front and rear shocks. the bike was able to handle all the terrain on the downhill courses that i could and it was still light enough to climb where there was uphill | | Weaknesses: | a couple of the zip ties that held the brake cables in place snaped while i was riding and they started bouncing around, the back skewer came out more than half way two times while i was riding, but it was easily fixable | | Similar Products Used: | marin mount vision | | Bottom Line: | The wolf ridge model by marin is a great bike for the begining downhiller that likes to occasionaly ride cross country, because the bike was light enough to ride uphill when the ocasion called for it and it held up great on the downhill course. over all the wolf ridge is a great all around bike. It is an awesom downhill / cross country bike. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike G
a Cross Country Rider
from Endwell, NY
Date Reviewed: May 6, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | The downhill ones | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Loft | | Strengths: | (2006 Wolf Ridge) - All around solid bike, great suspension components. The higher bottom bracket helps clear roll overs and the "Chain stay" is very rigid. VPP suspension really performs when you're cruising fast, it rides over logs, rock and roots like they aren't there. This was an upgrade from a 4-link full suspension bike with bushings, the bearings really make the ride smooth. The ride is extremely plush when you open up the RP3 and it climbs well when it's closed. | | Weaknesses: | I'm not a fan of the truvativ cranksets, the crankarms flex when I'm pedaling up a steep hill. I'll be happy when I can replace 'em with an XT crankset.
WTB Laser Light hubs suck! - The free wheel hub failed after 100 miles of riding, it's warrantied but it should never have broke after such little use. Hoping to put on a new wheel set with XT hubs.
| | Similar Products Used: | KHS FXT Pro, Rush, Prophet | | Bike Setup: | Stock - Fox RP3 rear, 130 Float RL, LX/XT drive train & hayes hydraulics | | Bottom Line: | Demo this bike or a Quad XC before you decide on another bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
MIke
a Racer
from Irvine, California, USA
Date Reviewed: July 28, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Adreniline Bikes | | Strengths: | It handles downhill great | | Weaknesses: | It's not the greatest climber | | Bike Setup: | Manitou,Splice fork Fox Float RP3 shok | | Bottom Line: | Its a great bike for those local trails with crazy downhills | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alan
a
from Canada
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Price Paid: |
$3000.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Great bike overall for XC, ok weight. | | Weaknesses: | The welded frame looks cheap just like Specialized esp when the entire bike front and rear triangle is welded. Personally, I don't like the Juicy 7 Stock Wavy rotor as the have horrible feel and performance. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Stock - XT, Juicy 7, Fox F100 RLT, FSA carbon seatpost, WTB laserdisc wheelset
Plus the following: Chris King headset, Thomson Stem, RaceFace carbon riser bar | | Bottom Line: | At this price MSRP $3700 CDN + tax (approx $3000 USD), I think there are many choices of FS XC bike I can get with better Fork and wheelset if you shop around. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Etienne
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Barn Auckland | | Strengths: | Lots of travel! Smooth - brings out the best in you! | | Weaknesses: | None as of yet - wide handle bars maybe, but the jury is still out on that one. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialzed Enduro, Scott MC 3 | | Bike Setup: | Standard - 200 psi in rear, 90 psi in front. | | Bottom Line: | This bike rocks and looks good too. Climbs like a monkey with minimal bob at the rear. Feels solid out of the box. I juts love the bloody thing. Makes me look and ride faster and better than I actually am - just point and she will do the rest. Buy one now - much better value for money compared to the specialized. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Napa, CA
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Annadel | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Authorized Bikes in Vallejo | | Strengths: | Climbing, downhills, everything! Marin takes care of you with the major parts like brakes and suspension. Then uses lower end components to keep the price down, but you can upgrade these later on when you have more dough. | | Weaknesses: | Having a hard time finding one, did destroy my rear rim on about the 3rd ride, but that was more my fault than the bikes. | | Similar Products Used: | Test road Blur, Stumpjumper, Rocky Mountain | | Bike Setup: | Vanilla R fork, Float R rear, Hayes Hydr. love the 8" front rotar that comes standard, xt front deral. (updgraded), xtr rear deral (upgraded), everything else standard | | Bottom Line: | I got caught up in the Blur hype. But after visiting a few shops to talk with guys who know their stuff and riding both bikes at a local trail, the Marin really impressed me. The Blur is a great bike no doubt, but you can get almost the exact setup with Marin for over $1000 less. While the Marin frame doesn't have the patent VPP technology, I'm more of a believer in the school of thought that says ride the bike hard, and don't worry so damn much about if your frame is in the exact optimal position. Plus the Marin frame allows you to change the rear travel from 4-6". I've played with this and a small adjustment with the quick release changes the whole geometry of the bike. At first it was set right in the middle at 5" by the shop, and i was a little frustrated with the climbing, as soon as I moved it up to 4" the bike climbs like my hardtail! Or drop it to 6" for a downhill treat. The guys at Authorized Bikes were great, they sold me the bike and upgraded my front/rear deraillers and still able to price it at $2000! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc
a
from Atlanta, GA.
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Bear Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2100.00 | | Purchased At: | adrenalinebikes.com | | Strengths: | see my first review | | Weaknesses: | see my first review | | Similar Products Used: | see my first review | | Bike Setup: | see my review below, plus fresh good-n-evil grips and blue
Fire XC's with Stan's of course | | Bottom Line: | I'm doing a follow up to my first review now that I've logged some serious miles on the bike. Let me first say, that I have ridden the S*&% out of this bike. I've done a 35 mile version of the Windy Gap epic, Mountain Town (23ish miles), DuPont Forest, and Black Mtn./Claw Hammer too name a few of the intense rides this bike has done. I have only needed to replace one set of brake pads, the grips and tires. The bike is still solid as a rock, and runs beautifully. The finish has held up as well. Understand if you buy this bike you will need to invest in body armour as you will be decending at silly speeds. I am now waiting at the bottom of any given decent for my friends on their trail bikes. I was always competent going down...but this bike makes you ridiculous. Picking your line is purely optional now as the Marin smoothes out baby heads logs, whatever, whenever, wherever. With this bike you can literally point and shoot. And again...it climbs extremely well when seated. I also love the high bottom bracket as I have hit my peddles on rocks, oh, maybe twice. The only thing that bothers me is the way the front derailleur is mounted. I cant get it adjusted quite right, the cage sits a little too high and can not be adjusted. That, I will say is a nuisance. I do wish I had sprung for the TALAS RLC as well, as the R model bobs more than I would like when out of the saddle. Buy one, now! You won't be disappointed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jose
a Weekend Warrior
from Irvine, California, USA
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Light weight, tracks excellent, ease of suspension adjustment, Fox plush suspension, looks cool | | Weaknesses: | None thus far. | | Similar Products Used: | Old Diamondback Apex. Friend's Foes FXR, Diamondback Moto, and Diamondback Response. | | Bike Setup: | So far stock. Not going to change anything until I see a need. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is for the rider that likes to go anywhere, minus the big dropoffs. The linkage system does what Marin claims. It keeps the rear wheel tracking while giving you the great cushion of suspenion. I am still learning to ride hard but I have yet to bottom either the fron or rear out.
The light weight frame is excellent when descending (easy to manuever) or when climbing (not trying to lug heavy metal uphill). The climbing aspects of this bike are awesome. The Fox RP3 in conjunction with a John Whyte design makes climbing a cinch. The suspension does not gobble up your energy. Not to mention for those that want to really climb all day you can adjust the level of propedal on the shock and set the bike to the 4" setting. I ride in the 6" setting and still it climbs excellent. Since the amount of travel that the rear wheel use and the shock use are not proportional you get a plush ride that doesn't bottom out, and retains traction.
Customer service is superb. Rode with the reps up in Sea Otter one evening and enjoyed the bike so much I got one. I've dealt with Marin many times over the years and have found them extremely helpful.
More people should get this bike because its a awesomnely fun practicle, feel comfortable ride. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta, GA.
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Bear Creek | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2100.00 | | Purchased At: | adrenaline bikes.com | | Strengths: | build quality, value, weight (considering it's a 6" bike
climbs very well when seated, decends at freightening speeds. | | Weaknesses: | piss poor dealer network (at least on the east coast) and I had a less than pleasurable experience ordering the bike online. | | Similar Products Used: | I owned an NRS for a year and a half, but have ridden many a Blur, Heckler and other trail bikes | | Bike Setup: | floatR shock, talas R fork (mine is a 2004) Daves speeddream wheels w/ king hubs, hayes hydros, king HS, monkeylites, xt shifter, & cassette, Thompson post, Rocket saddle, Atac XS composite peddles | | Bottom Line: | This bike rocks. I wanted something different from every other Blur on the trail and this fits the bill. As long as you stay in the saddle there is no appreciable bob whatsoever. And when there is from getting out of the saddle it's coming from the talas, not the rear end! My bike weighs 29 as is, which is pretty remarkable, and it is as smooth as butter. It doesn't accelerate like my NRS, but I can peddle in a lot of situations where I was hanging on for dear life. I've only got about 25 miles on the bike...but every foot of it was in 6" mode. And it is as efficient as I could imagine. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Graham
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 3, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Terrace | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$3200.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Bros | | Strengths: | Best combined features of an XC bike and freeride bike. The Quick Release feature allowing easy changes between 4, 5 and 6 inches of travel is awesome. Light hucking works great in the 6 inch mode. True Cross-Country performance and weight when in 4 inch mode. I can't beleive Santa Cruz and Marin haven't had legal problems over the VERY similar suspension on this and Santa Cruz's VPP. I'll take this over the much more expensive Santa Cruz any day of the week. | | Weaknesses: | I don't like Truvative Cranks - Shimano would have been better, but i must admit that the Stylo's work great and look cool. If i were hucking more often, I would want heavier duty rims even though the Mavic XM17s seem to be holding up (they're great for xc). | | Similar Products Used: | Tried many different types of 4" travel. This one won because I had the option of going into 6" mode if i wanted to be silly. | | Bike Setup: | Stock! (For now) | | Bottom Line: | This bike rules. If you aren't dedicated to only doing XC or only freeriding, this thing does both awesome. You can actually ride up, turn around, and bomb down without suffering in either direction. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jerzy
a Cross Country Rider
from west babylon, ny, usa
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | shoreham | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2500.00 | | Purchased At: | frenchies bicycle world | | Strengths: | light, 30.3 lbs in 17.5", fully adjustable, stiff, active, non bobing | | Weaknesses: | wellgo 310's. cassette, sram 950 [ new for 2004, but crap ], wtb grips [ gone after 500 miles ], | | Similar Products Used: | iron horse hollowpoint expert trial, yeti 575, trek liquid 50, jamis dakkar xlt1&2, giant VT2, mongoose grand marquise | | Bike Setup: | stock.
minus: wheels [ xt disc/ dt revo db / F519 mavics / maxxis hansventure 2.35 - now ], lx shifters [ sram X9 ], cassette [ sram 970 11-34 ], rear mech [ X.O. ], grips [ oury ] | | Bottom Line: | swapped my xc marin full sus for this rig. i am faster, jump higher and having much more fun. huge improvement over single pivot....eventhough everyone is jumping into singlepivots for 2005 [ yeti 575, cannondale prophet, gf cake ]. turns fast, climbs like a mtn goat and looks great. with front and rear air and travel adjustments this bike is a real swiss army knife. rode over 1500 miles so far, and love it even more. still lighter than most competition....virtual pivot point for sensible money...
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Submitted by
Ade
a Weekend Warrior
from North Somerset
Date Reviewed: August 11, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Nortons Wood | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1700.00 | | Purchased At: | Royles | | Strengths: | 3 Bikes in one adjustability | | Weaknesses: | Cracked a rim,but Royles/Marin were great and replaced it | | Similar Products Used: | 2003 Rock Springs, 2000 GT XCR1000 | | Bike Setup: | UK factory standard | | Bottom Line: | I have ridden this bike 3 times before writing this review, but already I can tell that the gap between the old single pivot Taras and the new quad design is a very wide one.
The bike is far better on climbs and general riding due to the quad design and pedal pro fox shock.
Worth the extra money for the better frame and the gorgeous Fox forks.
The forks steer so well it is like you are on rails.
I could go on all day singing the praises of this bike.
The bottom line for me is the best bike I have ever owned if you get the chance test ride one then buy one.
I'll give it 4 chilis over all because there must be better bikes out there, just I hav'nt ridden them yet | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Perkin
a Weekend Warrior
from Runcorn
Date Reviewed: February 28, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Daresbury Hills | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2400.00 | | Purchased At: | D + M Cycles Warrington | | Strengths: | Small bumps on trails fly by as if they don't exist. Fantastic rear and front suspension. Any trail can be yours to conquer at the flick of a lever. | | Weaknesses: | Not impressed with wtb clipless pedals (310), should change. Bars can be a bit wide in some situations. | | Similar Products Used: | Wolf Ridge 2000 | | Bike Setup: | Standard exept for XT front mech, XT shifters and ovation rise bars. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is wonderful. It's like having three bikes in one package - downhill, xc or just cycling down the street looking for bumps to go over! Very plush fox talas forx and a brilliantly designed rear suspension which realy does what it says it will. (The difference between the quad tara and the old sigle pivot design is amazing - hardly any bob). Brakes (Hope mini dh) have not let me down. If you have the funds, buy one. I cannot wait 'till spring / summer when I can ride it in the evening also. Highly recommended. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Howells
a Weekend Warrior
from North wales
Date Reviewed: February 10, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Nanerch dh course,red bull route at coed-y-brenin | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1700.00 | | Purchased At: | Leisure lakes,manchester,uk | | Strengths: | Can transform from cross country missile, to hard hitting freeride-downhill machine! | | Weaknesses: | None found so far. | | Similar Products Used: | specialized enduro. | | Bike Setup: | 15.5 inch frame model,no extras or upgrades. | | Bottom Line: | I have had this bike for just over a week now, and have only just been off it long enough to write this review,so far i have ridden it at coed-y-brenin, both on the red bull route and the mbr, and also at Nannerch downhill course and it has handled everything i`ve thrown at it, this is by far the best bike i have owned so far, what i find has got to be the best feature on the bike is its adjustable travel, when set on short travel, thats 4" on the rear and 85mm on the front there is no problem with bob, thank christ because he`s an irratating b*****d! it will power up hills nearly aswell as my hardtail, but is still forgiving on all but the big hits, switch it to 52 on the rear and 100mm on the front and it still handles climbs and cross country trails well but is a lot more forgiving on the downhill sections, and when you really want to up the anti, switch it to 6" rear 125mm front and you have got yourself a super plush rocket which has taken some huge hits and drop offs without any problems. The handling on the bike inspires confidence, makes me ride things id only look at before, the rest of the bike is also to a very high standard excellent brakes,gears,etc,etc | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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$ 2099.99
