US made Aluminum 3VH extruded front triangle with multiple position shock mount, extruded 3 position adjustable Travel swingarm with Disk Mounts. • Psylo Race, with Tullio 20mm axle, 100mm of Travel Fork • Fox Float RL, with Rebound Adjuster and Lockout Rear Shock • WTB Momentum Comp AL Threadless 1 1/8" Headset
Submitted by
Basil Keyes
a Cross Country Rider
from Novato, CA
Date Reviewed: March 7, 2005
Strengths: Stong frame, adjustable 4 to 6 inch range on rear suspension. Built to fit serious hucking, freeride type forks. Bike soaks up rough terrain. It changed my riding style from pick a good line to go like heck and love the line you hit.
Weaknesses: Has a seriously bad tendency to bob when doing hills. This is no surprise for this type of bike, but it should come with handlebar control of rear shock and front fork lockouts or at least an option.
Bottom Line:
I'm heavy at 215 lbs so I needed a bike with suspension that worked under heavier loads. This amounts to a cross country bike plus some for me. The added weight hasn't changed my ability and speed to go uphill, but the bike has certainly increased my speed and fun going downhill. I didn't know how much fun I was missing.
My dog doesn't like the bike, he can't keep up anymore on the downhills.
Bike Setup: Marzocchi Z1 front fork, Avid 6 inch mechanical discs, XT componets.
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Submitted by
Byron
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto,ON, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2004
Strengths: This is a great bike overall. The adjustable rear travel is a fantastic idea for anyone who only has one bike, but rides in different areas and conditions. The rear adjustment is fairly straightforward and I can change my bike from a very competant 4" XCish ride to a burly 6" freeride machine. A couple of other tweaks (ie change tires and get a coil shock as well) and it is a full Jekel and Hyde split personality. This is my second high-end Marin and it is hard to beat it in terms of value for $$$
Weaknesses: Phsylo Race is a piece of you know what. Have already blown it up twice and the adjusments seem to have no effect. I am changing it this season. Fox float RL as a little light duty for this bike (in freeride mode).
Bottom Line:
It is a great bike that can legitimately be a serious 6" freeride bike or a 27lbs (in a large) tough, XC bike. Very good value for $$$
Similar Products Used: Santa Cruz Heckler/Bullet. Rocky Slayer/Element. Marin Mount Vision Pro
Bike Setup: Full XT/XTR, Thompson post/stem, Race Face bars, Rhino lite rims, Swiss DT 20mm hub
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Submitted by
John Shanklin
a Cross Country Rider
from Shoreham NY USA
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2003
Strengths: Suspension, fox float RL and Psylo race, take a little set up but when you get them right it feels wonderful. Lockouts front and back and adjust on the fly pretty cool. Shift smooth, perfect balance for me. Inspires confidence, dont mind throwing down steep technical stuff, brakes outstanding. Name even appropriate. Frame nice light and stiff, can't say enough good about this bike. I guess I'm in love. Called factory for tips on setup and was really impressed with their response. Got helpful MTB enthusiast not sales pitch.
Weaknesses: Color of forks. Gold goes with what color? Not used alternate travel settings. Not sure they add much for me at least.
Bottom Line:
Rode for 2 years on hard tail. Bought this bike, thought it was going to be overengineered. It is so outstanding I cant even tell you. Full controll all the time. Riding double diamonds after 2 or three trips out. Balance perfect. I am a big guy(220) and can't imagine how well it sucks up the terrain. Have done many sports and bought incrementally better stuff as I went along. This time bought class and loving it. My friend who is on his 5th incrementally better bike has spent almost double in total and doesn't have as nice a bike.
Strengths: Just got the frame built it up rode it 100 miles of hard single track and wow is it sweet. For 699 they sent me a fully back anodized late model 2002 frame, nice quality frame and light for a 19". Very fast and loves to go uphill on a good spin, running mostly 5" setting front and back but go to 4" on long climbing days, and 6" for the couch ride down. Very forgiving in turns yet makes it easy topush harder and faster.
Weaknesses: Horrible cable routing, exposed cable runs right behind the front wheel should be avoided, I ran all continous cables with no breaks and zip tied them in place. Shifts and brakes like a dream. Marin would not return my email on questions so I struggled a bit on setting up the XTR rear, still looks like a hanger problem, hope to track them down on a fix.
Bottom Line:
After I built it, I was a bit nervous the Z1 might be too much fork but was I wrong. The Z1 is a perfect match if you are into heavy trail riding and some light freeriding. Just set it up to have the steapest head angle and hold on. Amazing how one can get extra weight on the front in the turns and the back just follows like a happy puppy. Running the Fox coil and its great so far, no need to carry a shock pump to change travel, just preload a few clicks on the rebound and take off... Vees a bit weak but hey hate to spend another 600 on new wheels just yet when old ones still running fine. If you like to ride hard this bike is a must, climbs as good as can be expected from a single pivot and goes downhill fast and stable, turn great get it!
Similar Products Used: GT I drive, Kliens, Specialized MX
Bike Setup: King headset, 2002 Z-1, xtr/xt/scram7.0 drivetrain, Hadley hubs on maviic 521 and some POS old Avid Vee's (hey they are light as sin and I live where there is no mud)
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Submitted by
Sarvan Sumra
a Cross Country Rider
from N. Wales
Date Reviewed: December 11, 2002
Strengths: Very strong, VERY light (a little under 27 lbs.) and very plush.
Weaknesses: Not really any. Though paint scratches quite easily - a superrficial element though.
Bottom Line:
This is a follow up review after much hacking at it in Mid-Wales and around and about the North. The only thing that I could suggest is that you get some gloves because in winter's cold weather, ...you'll still be aching to get out there when everyone else has gone to sleep.
Bike Setup: Stock, with Mini's, Avid flak jackets (good for keeping cables from scratching)
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Submitted by
Sarvan Sumra
a Weekend Warrior
from N. Wales
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2002
Strengths: Strong frame, very light bike, comes with top kit and gives a really plush ride.
Weaknesses: If there was any, I'd tell you.
Bottom Line:
Great bike. A very stong lock and a shock pump are two definate essentials. The only reason that you'd ever change this is because you're not able to handle it. It's that good. Great bike. The best I've ever ridden to date.
Similar Products Used: Too many. RM 7, Gary Fisher, DDG, GT, etc, etc, etc.
Bike Setup: XT/XTR, BLack Super, Mini's, great setup. Stock with discs (a must).
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Submitted by
Mike Young
a Weekend Warrior
from Macclesfield
Date Reviewed: July 18, 2002
Strengths: Solid, highly adjustable suspension soaks up everything. Value for money disc brake upgrade, I have Hope Enduro 4s
Weaknesses: Seatpost is single bolt, this needs to be really tight, it still makes creaking noises, I wonder if the bolt will snap. The TARA adjustable travel system is not usable out on the trail unless you carry a shock pump with you. I have the rear shock set for 5" travel, if I put it into 4" the spring is too stiff, if I put it into 6" it is too soft. So set the bike to suit the ride before you leave home. Drag from disc brakes is annoying you have to keep them clean, yes you can get mud on them, but at least they still stop you unlike V brakes. With this kind of bike it will be heavy so it ain't going to climb fast, still when I go back to riding my hard tail in trail quests I zoom along.
Bottom Line:
A bike for all seasons and all conditions. Long suspension travel good for the rocky bridleways of the Dark Peak or Yorkshire Dales. Good components for the money.
Similar Products Used: Santa Cruz Superlight & Heckler.
Bike Setup: UK spec, i.e. frame painted matt black, manitou black elite air front forks. Tyres changed to panaracer 2.1 trailblaster. Pedals changed to time carbon atac pedals
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Submitted by
Paul Smedley
a Cross Country Rider
from Montrose, CA USA
Date Reviewed: May 15, 2002
Strengths: Out of the box, this is the best all around bike I have had the priveledge to ride. The first thing I noticed is how responsive the bike rides on fire road and single track. Normally for me, bikes seem to excel on certain terrain. This bike excels in a variety of terrain. Cornering is as if the bike were on rails. There is no need to compensate for over/under steer during a turn. The bike is very predictable. Steering is definitely improved by the Rock Shox Psylo Race with 20 mm thru axle. Once the suspension, front and back, was dialed in for my tastes, the bike soaks up wash board as if the stuff was not there. The bike has 3 pivot slots at each mounting point of the rear shock. I am currently running both in the middle slots. I find this a happy medium for overall performance while climbing and descending. This bike's ability to climb also surprised me. It feels light and nimble ascending with not much noticeable bob from the suspension-the suspension locks front and rear if you need the complete rigid climbing sensation. The frame is both solid, nice to look at, and rigid. Marin is offering a performance chassis with solid parts to match. The Hayes Disc brakes are the best hydraulic brakes I have used. They are powerful, predictable, and highly ajustable.
Weaknesses: Setting up the front and rear suspension is intricate and time consuming, but the end result is pure elation. The front deraileur takes a lot of tweaking to get it just rigtht. I have yet to find and other weaknesses.
Bottom Line:
If you are searching for a great all around, fun performer, this is your machine.
Similar Products Used: Several Mtn. Bikes from Cannondale and GT. I have used Hayes mechanical disc brakes and Shimano XT quad-piston disc brakes in the past.
Bike Setup: Bike is set up straight out of the box with a few modifications that I prefer. I changed out the Marin stem and handlebar with an Easton Magnesium Stem and Carbon Monkeylite XC bar. I changed the Wilderness Trail Seat and Marin seatpost to a Selle Italia Ti saddle and Thompson seatpost. And finally, I changed the Box pedals to Shimano 959 pedals. Otherwise the bike is stock.
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Submitted by
Owen Roberts
a Cross Country Rider
from Cardiff, UK
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2002
Strengths: Ultiamte versatility thanks to adjustable rear travel - 4, 5 or 6". Light. Stiff frame.
Weaknesses: Slightly twitchy steering, especially in 6" rear travel setting. Fork can soak up energy on hard climbs if not locked out.
Bottom Line:
I love this bike! Adjustable rear travel is amazing - especially 6" for fast, rocky descents. Takes everything I throw at it and doesn't even blink. If you want a bike that will do anything - from XC to downhill to trails - get this one.
