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Submitted by
aliensatemyhead
a Cross Country Rider
from Karmøy, Norway
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2009 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$900.00 | | Purchased At: | a bikeshop in Newcas | | Strengths: | This bike is rock solid. Bought it in 2002 and it's still going strong with it's original component. Only thing I've changed is typical wear and tear components like brakepads, chain and wires.
I've riden this bike across and down some very steep mountain and hills and it's never dissapointed me. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Can't remember their names, a Raligh MTB and a Giant......... | | Bike Setup: | Original | | Bottom Line: | The last couple of years I've looked at other bikes with more fancy setups, but in the end I always end up with my trusty Marin Bear Valley. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dodgydave
a Cross Country Rider
from Manchester UK
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Peak district | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$950.00 | | Purchased At: | Epping cycles Essex | | Strengths: | Seems to be built to outlast me | | Weaknesses: | Nothing really | | Bike Setup: | All shimano components - same as when bought | | Bottom Line: | I bought this in 1992 and it had good reviews then. I've used this bike for commuting, easy trails, bumpy downhills and have taken it 1500 miles across Denmark and Norway, loaded up with everything you need for an extended 2 month camping trip. It's always been good and I have no gripes with it at all. Still using all original derailleurs and have only had to change rear sprocket twice and chain(of course). Now going to change bottom bracket and chainset but happy to keep using this as long as it lets me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sue
a Weekend Warrior
from Sheffield, UK
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Peak District, Kinder | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$900.00 | | Purchased At: | Leisure Lakes | | Strengths: | Bought in 1995 and since replaced by a Trek 6700, which is fine but I still love the Bear Valley like a best friend. It now lives at our house in France, and I wish I'd taken the Trek there and kept the Marin here. Nothing has been replaced apart from the saddle. It's light, responsive and very fast. Like someone else said, it's left for months without use and just jumps into life. It's so much easier to ride than the new bike. Much faster, more sure footed. | | Weaknesses: | Can't think of anything. | | Bike Setup: | STX. | | Bottom Line: | I shall cry my eyes out if anything happens to it!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Crichto
a Weekend Warrior
from United Kingdom
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Pendle Hill | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$750.00 | | Purchased At: | Leisure Lakes in the | | Strengths: | Bought it new for £550 in 1995 mostly because I wanted a steel frame (don't like aluminium bikes) and this one could take a child carrier on the seat down tube... It has been bullet proof. I do next to no maintenance on it and just about everything is original, even the tyres. The only thing I can think of that has gone wrong is the rear brake cable which went rusty and needed replacing this week. I have done about 3000 miles on everything from roads, gnarly downhill and with a huge childseat attached and nothing has come off or broken. Biggest thing for me though is that you can leave it for ages (the best part of a year), get it down off the wall and it will just work. The other really nice thing is that it has some spring, or life, in the frame and is not "dead" like a lot of aluminium bikes. You don't feel like any of your effort is wasted. It is also light compared to others even after 13 years. Some other post said that the cable routing under the bottom bracket had to kept clean. Never touched mine!... Shame that they have not kept the name. | | Weaknesses: | The seat was replaced because it was uncomfortable. I would agree that on some downhills it can feel a bit like you are about to go over the bars. I think that is down to the fact it is a big frame even with the seat as far down as it will go. | | Similar Products Used: | Klein Pulse Race. | | Bike Setup: | Mostly road use. Shimano STX gear all round. Dia Compe brakes. | | Bottom Line: | No complaints at all. It will go for another 13 years I'm sure. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Christo
a Cross Country Rider
from Zaragoza, Spain
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicicletas Sprint Zaragoza | | Strengths: | Very very very very durable (frame) and reasonably light for it's time. Middle class components made this bike a bargain compared to other offerings in mid 90's. Bought in 1994, maybe the 1993 model? | | Weaknesses: | Most of the original components aren't up to the task of heavy riding and racing. The original geometry is a bit too nimble for my taste, swaping a suspension fork relaxed the angles a bit for some stability at speed. | | Similar Products Used: | 2005 GT Avalanche | | Bike Setup: | At the moment of writing: Mixed XT and LX 9-speed components, XT V-brakes, Flite Ti saddle, Bontrager titec handlebar, Marzocchi Bomber Z2, mavic 231 rims, sachs sealed front hub, LX parallax rear hub. ritchey ahead stem, '07 spd pedals, and original marin barends! | | Bottom Line: | Indestructable. The frame has gone thru 6 years of amateur racing, and many more years of training, club rides and hard riding. First susp.fork was a Marzocchi XC500 that blew seals after 5 years, replaced for actual Bomber Z2. Shredded a couple of deraileurs (no interchangeble dropouts here), snaped original seatpost after big something-went-wrong jump, 2 sets of cranks and about 5 or 6 sets of chain/cogs/rings. Frame survived 3 sets of autmatic pedals, ...and probably will survive me too.
Now looking for new enduro-allmountain for fun rides and retire with honor my faithfull BV to do just road training and long-distance events.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
gavin
a Weekend Warrior
from Bristol UK
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Brilliant, just love it | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | original 1990/1991 bear valley | | Bottom Line: | My friend has just given me his 1990 or 1991 Bear Valley and I'm absolutely lovin' it.
This bike has been sat in a garage/loft for virtually its entire life so apart from dust, is like new! I'm not a big mountain biker but i just love this bike. It feels solid without being heavy, responsive, fast - just seems to have everything. Some hard core off roaders have said that the BV gets a bit hairy when doing fast downhills but being a novice at this, any bike would make me load my pants!
cant praise this bike enough. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marco Savoie
a
from Moncton, NB, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Dexter's Land | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | Mikes Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Everything , I bought the bike in 1995 and only last year did it break down on me. | | Weaknesses: | Absoluteley none. The only thing that broke on the bike was the frame above the rear hanger on the deraileur side.(I guess riding this thing downhill for so long with friends who have full susp. finally caught up with me. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 4900 | | Bike Setup: | All original had to replace rear deraileur because of my stupid riding(and if thet tree hadn't been in the way it would have never broken) | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is this is one of the best bikes I have ridden, from the first day I had it to the day when she was done, I have done nothing but ride it hard and always kept wondering how it did not fall appart. I tried finding a used one but it is such a good bike no one wants to sell them(can't blame them, I would never have parted with mine) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
radenko romanovic
a
from zagreb, croatia
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$800.00 | | Purchased At: | spectral, zagreb, croatia | | Strengths: | made for loving it, not just best buy or money vallue, great bike in any possible way that you can think of | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | scott, cannondale (price category) | | Bike Setup: | rapid fire shifters, stx/stx rc + standard equipment | | Bottom Line: | I just want to say that I ride this bike for 10 years now (1996 model) and never had changed anything on it. Maybe I'm not pushing it too hard but for past ten years I have enjoyed my ride so much. Rapid fire shifters works as they are bought yesterday, everything goes smooth, and after 10 years people can't get their eyes off it when seen on a street. Amazing, and after all this time I'm looking for new one 2005 series because from this year on marin is not producing this model any more. I know it is just a name but "bear valley" mean so much to me. Buy 2005 model if u can find it somewhere arround, Bye! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jerry Neuburger
a Weekend Warrior
from Lodi, CA
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | country roads | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1.00 | | Purchased At: | police bike auction | | Strengths: | Still all in one piece and rock solid after 10 years. | | Weaknesses: | Rubber finish on Shimano twist grips worn. | | Similar Products Used: | Various road bikes, closest in design is a Specialized Sirrus Expert. | | Bike Setup: | All original STX drive train, Terry Cita Y saddle, multipurpose tires, Cateye cyclocomputer, Bor Yueh rack. | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike at a police auction two weeks ago, not knowing the brand since the bike was totally covered with tape. I stripped everything off to discover that it was a Marin BV SE. A lot of cleaning and some cable housing replacement put the bike in perfect operating shape. The worn grips were replaced as well as the old platform pedals in favor of some combo SPD/platform pedals. The seat was replaced and a rack and cyclocomputer were added.
The frame, headset, bottom bracket, wheels and drivetrain are still perfect. The frame has a few paint chips and scrapes but no dings or dents.
I was amazed that after ten years, the bike is still in excellent condition. I changed the rear knobby to a smoother tire and find the bike, while not a speedster, won't embarrass you on the road. I've ridden on some trails and, while not a trail rider, find the bike responsive and light on inclines and descents.
It's now my around town-ncliment weather-fun bike and fills out my bike stable. I understand the bike sold for about $650 in 1995. At that price it would have been a real bargain. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Henrik N
a Weekend Warrior
from Copenhagen, Denmark
Date Reviewed: December 12, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | Cykelklubben, Denmark | | Strengths: | Durable every day commute. | | Weaknesses: | Rear wheel spokes started to break after 6 months | | Similar Products Used: | - | | Bike Setup: | Mavic rim w/36 spokes. Most equipment has been replaced with Shimano Deore over time | | Bottom Line: | Nice bike - still going strong. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mikolaj Zdebski
a Cross Country Rider
from Warsaw, Poland
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Gorce - Magic Polish Mountains | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Very strong and smooth, nice looking and light...
Seems to be immortal... | | Weaknesses: | Cabels are mounted on downtube, so must be cleaned often. | | Similar Products Used: | AUTHOR Colorado -very nice czech bike but too heavy... | | Bike Setup: | Manitou Magnum R, XT'98 v-brakes, XT front & LX back, Mavic 220(Michlain Sprint S or Ritchey ZMax tires)wheels | | Bottom Line: | I don't like alu frames and always wanted to have good steel frame, so 2 months ago I bought secod hand Marin Bear Valley SE frame of my frien from Dan Haag(Hol.) for only 50$!!!
I make my bike myself, so it's the best for me and I love ride it everywhere I want. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Main
a Weekend Warrior
from Scotland
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Meikle Bin @ Carron Valley | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | Dales Cycles | | Strengths: | Strong frame, very light, confidence inspiring, durability.STX parallax hubs still really smooth. | | Weaknesses: | Bendable rear dropout
Stickers on top tube came off after, like, a month
STX rear mech was pants. Front one still going strong though | | Similar Products Used: | GT Karakoram('92)
Trek 930 ('92)
GT Tequesta ('96) | | Bike Setup: | Xt r/mech
Deore V's
Continental traction 2.1 rear tyre
Panaracer dart (soft conditions) 2.2 front tyre
LX crankset
Crud catcher and race guard (a necessity in Scotland)
Downhill bar (planet X) | | Bottom Line: | This was a big buy for me in '96 and it hasn't let me down once. Most of the original gear has been replaced. Through wear and tear not poor quality. Still looks good. Still goes fast. It'll be years before i buy a new bike. This one's my baby. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pete Reid
a Cross Country Rider
from Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 19, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | BrockTel | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | The Frame! This thing is indestructible, and I break everything...no really, I do! | | Weaknesses: | Deraileur cables mounted on downtube. | | Similar Products Used: | Kona Muni Mula, Rocky Mountain Hammer, Diamond Back, KHS | | Bike Setup: | Girvin Vector 2, XT rear, Lx front, LX direct pull brakes and levers, RaceFace NEXT Lp, VooDoo Rims | | Bottom Line: | This Bike is no longer just a bike. It's now my best friend on the trails and has always gotten me home no matter how stupid my rides get. Great on the shore, and a ton o fun on marathon adventures into nowhere. Granted I have changed everything on this bike since I got it, I highly recommend MARIN steel frames to anyone who wants one bike that can do it all AND make it all enjoyable. Even abusing this frame, it was still more of an investment than a purchase. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Karl Friedrich Gauss
a Cross Country Rider
from Germany
Date Reviewed: May 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | The one I haven't found yet... | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | She's a tough one! This bike has been flipped so many times (due to my VERY slowly improving skills), and she still comes back for more. It's a fun bike to ride...infinitely maneuverable, always hugging the trail. Very light for a steel bike...lighter than my friend's aluminum frame. Awesome geometry. Came with WTB Velociraptors...easily one of the greatest tires out there. | | Weaknesses: | Only the original brakes (diacompe) | | Similar Products Used: | A 1984 Sears Philadelphia Eagles bike. | | Bike Setup: | 98 Marzocchi Z2 BAM, Avid Arch Rival 40 V-brakes, LX/STXRC drivetrain, 636 pedals. | | Bottom Line: | VERY COOL BIKE! I bought my BV in 98 without a front shock, because I wanted a good frame to add a shock to later. Since then, I've upgraded pretty much every component on the bike, and it's great! My BV is quick, reponsive, and tough...she holds up better than I do most days. Since I live on the East Coast, Marin's not a household name...but it should be. Buy Marin! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lari
a Weekend Warrior
from Helsinki, Finland
Date Reviewed: November 29, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Tullivuorentie Intl. DH Center | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Bomb proof frame, Good Geometry and lively feel, Great value | | Weaknesses: |
Paint job + stickers | | Similar Products Used: |
Marin Rock Springs `99 | | Bike Setup: |
Zokes XC 50, RS Mag 21, Bunch of other stuff | | Bottom Line: | My Bear Valley is a 92 model and altough I now use it as a secondary bike, I riden and raced it (DH) for many years and have found that it has one of the best hard tail frames out there, despite it`s age and low price. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sergey
a Cross-Country Rider
from Moscow(Russia)
Date Reviewed: August 23, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Bottom Line: | I MEANT 5!!!
DAMN good bike...Can't say enough good things about it...It`s coolest bike forever.I bought it for $680 in AlpIndustria...GOOD bike
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe Logan
a Weekend Warrior
from Brentwood, TN
Date Reviewed: August 21, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Slickrock | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
I have only owned this bike for a few months, but it has proved itself as a great bike. The frame has great flex and the stretched-out position feels great. | | Weaknesses: |
I think that some of the components are really lacking. | | Similar Products Used: |
Schwinn Moab 3 | | Bike Setup: |
99 Bear Valley, Manitou Spyder fork | | Bottom Line: | I think that this is a good, solid bike, but I would upgrade the drivetrain and the fork as budget allows. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Mettlach
a Cross-Country Rider
from Sandia Park
Date Reviewed: August 21, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Otiz Mountain Trails | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Good Flex In the frame- doesn't bang you around. | | Weaknesses: |
None so far | | Similar Products Used: |
cannondale,GT,rockhopper | | Bike Setup: |
Manatou Spyder fork-stx RC front and rear derrailers-richey headset and rims-shimano rc parrallax hubs ovation frame. | | Bottom Line: | Great bike!! It has been awhile since I purchased a bike (1991 Gary Fisher Montare) The frame on my Fisher finally broke so I was forced into buying a new bike. I was looking for a bike in the 600.00 to 800.00 dollar range The Marin was a 1999 close out that I purchased for 492.00-It had everything I wanted on it and I feel I got a great deal. I would recomend this bike to anyone- Its a great bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom Looney
a Cross-Country Rider
from Bowie,MD
Date Reviewed: May 15, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Seagull 100 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Good frame, nice height & setup | | Weaknesses: |
I thought that the bottom bracket height on that bike made it a little difficult clearing objects | | Similar Products Used: |
I have used a Titan Chaos , a Klein Mantra Race and a Voodoo Canzo AL | | Bike Setup: |
Cross country with Marzocchi bomber, M1 | | Bottom Line: | Overall I would probably give this bike a 8.5 for it's superior craftsman ship and strength | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rhodri Jones
a cross-country rider
from Sutton,Surrey
Date Reviewed: February 23, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
i ride my 1999 bear valley every day for work and at the weekend
after riding a 1990 ish palisades trail. First impressions are wow hot but brakes are oh shit oh skid and demand progression rather than anchors on
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan Pearce
a cross-country rider
from Lancaster ,Lancashire ,England
Date Reviewed: January 26, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
This bikes rocks I have only had it few days and already become attached to it , it was a replacement for a stolen bike I had stolen Just a few months ago. even though it has been raining solidly for the time I've had it i have still gone out and riden like like a mad git. it's like nothing else I've ever riden . | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex P.
a weekend warrior
from Mtn. View, Calif.
Date Reviewed: January 4, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
1999 Bear Valley, About 100 miles so far...I love this bike. My last bike was a 10 year old Marin Muir Wood, but it had started to show age. When I started shopping around for a new bike I thought I would not get another Marin for some reason (even though the old one lasted 10 years and is still on the road as a 2nd bike). I was determined to go with a more popular brand. When I saw how much I could get from Marin compared to other brands in the same price range, I was sold back into the Marin. The Matte Grey finish speaks of a bike in a much higher price bracket, so does the overall impression the bike gives one. First thing I did with the BV was to put on Town&Country tires and paniers and take off around town. I then took a loaded pack accross some Santa Cruz Mtn. fire roads with same tires and experienced no problems. I changed tires, removed the packs, and felt even more comfortable on those steep fire trails so common around here. I am not an extreme rider, but I do think the BV could handle extreme riding. The BV really is a find. Marin clearly has quality bikes for very reasonable prices. The BV lists for UD$650-600 in my area. I paid considerably less and am very satisfied. This is a 5 chile bike in its price range. I give it 4 here because I have had some eratic shifting and think upgrading from STX RC (rear) - Alivio (front) to XT's would be a smart next move. Then changing out the Manitou Spider for an upgraded suspension fork would complete the package. Kudos to Marin. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neil
a weekend warrior
from Sydney
Date Reviewed: December 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
My wife has the '97 Bear Valley & I have the SE. On a trip to the Lake District UK with a surprisingly inaccurate Ordanance Survey map of the Grizedale Forest, it wasn't long before we were lost. Going downhill on an extremely rocky river bed was a lot of fun on the bear valley's. And we don't have suspension! My wife had no previous riding experience of almost any kind as her Mum thought it too dangerous for her kids;-) Using her downhill skiing knowledge however combined with her Marin, she went like a pro.My only problem was at the beginning when the SE was supplied with a White Industries crank (my reason for upgrading to the SE in the first place). The crank had a fault and wouldn't release the chain! This was replaced with an STX-RC which has performed satisfactorily, though (and this is a big though) the finish on it is quite diabolical (but then it is made in Tiawan) I subsequently went to other bike stores to check the quality of finish and I was gutted to see that even the revered XT equip has the same lack of quality. Now before I am denounced as a heretic for dissing Shimano XT, just listen to this...My Grandad is an engineer, he used to build Lancastor Bombers during the war (not all by himself, no!) He took one look at my bike and pissed himself laughing, the welding he said was completely amateurish, while he couldn't even pick himself up off the floor after looking at the crank for laughing so hard. Frankly I would have to agree with him. The hype about all this supposed CAD engineered this, that n'tother is just that, to justify over inflated prices. I'm dissing chainset's now, not Marin's frames (which do have out of this world geometry). To put it another way, when you by a BMW, it comes with a superb engine with tolerances that can only be dreamed of and all for a price that you don't need to mortgage your house for. Their engines can handle 2500+ explosions a minute for 100's of thousands of miles with only an oil change etc now and then. Shimano recommend changing their entire chainset, crank and chain after just 3 months!!! Sorry guys, I (and I know I'm a rare breed) was not born yesterday. Shimano and the entire industry, while providing working equipment, little of it is is truely exceptional, and nearly all of it is grossely overpriced. It is dissapointing that the MTB magazines are staffed by people who think that replacing overpriced equipment regularly is normal.Thank you for getting this far. I'll get off my soapbox now :-) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Amy S.
a weekend warrior
from Boulder, Co
Date Reviewed: November 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
At first i liked the way the SE rode. I realize (too late) that the geometry of the frame makes you extremely hunched over, which gets very uncomfortable after even a few hours. I've ridden a number of mid-priced bikes, and most were a better ride than the bear valley. Going downhill gets a little tipsy when you pick up spead. I think i'm going to sell the frame for a new one. Everything else was great, but i would recommend really test riding (on the mountain) before you buy it. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe Arbuckle
a weekend warrior
from Lodi CA
Date Reviewed: November 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The Marin Bear Valley was one of the first bikes we introduced in our youth high adventure base camp program in 1991. For seven years the Bear Valley has been beat in every imaginable way a kid could abuse a bike. Today the Bear Valley is still going strong. We've tried other lower end bikes but none would hold up to the demanding abuse of the program. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Geoff Hunter
a downhiller
from Maryland
Date Reviewed: October 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had the bear valley for two years, with standard components and i have raced with it manytimes. I found that it is a stiff frame that does the job. It hasn't let me down yet and i love it. The only thing i have done to it is put some new downhill bars on it and a new derailer. The bike has held up well and i recomend it to any type of rider that doesn't want to spend a ton of money on a bike, but wants the quality that money can buy | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike koep
a cross-country rider
from Laguna Niguel, California
Date Reviewed: October 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a very early Bear Valley (11 years old) that has been upgraded with Judy XC forks. This is a truly amazing, bombproof bike. I ride the Pacific coastal mountain trails near my house 3-5 times per week. It just so happens that GT and AMP test their bikes on these same trails. You don't see many Marin's here, so mine is rather unique. This is an extremely well-made, well balanced bike that will run mountain trails forever and always get me home at the end of the day. My advice: Don't buy anything other than Marin!!!!!!!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
paul l.
a weekend warrior
from usa
Date Reviewed: October 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
i bought a bear valley se a couple of weeks ago and seems to be holding up whel. i did have some problems with the AVID 1.9 D V-BRAKES the right larm on the break was loking up tight enouf to were i could pull the bike acros a cement floor with out the rear tire moving. OVER ALL I GIVE IT A FIVE!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon
a weekend warrior
from London
Date Reviewed: October 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
After a break of about 10 years, I brought a Bear Valley 1998. With only 200 miles on the clock I am well happy with it. That is apart from the front wheel blow out the first day I rode it. (very painfull and embarassing) The rear drop-out bent which was a bit of a bind although cheap to fix.
All in all a great machine | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Francis Carney
a cross-country rider
from Cleveland, Ohio USA
Date Reviewed: September 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I recently upgraded from a '95 Marin Muir Woods to a '97 Marin Bear Valley SE. Originally I had my sights set on a Team Marin but there are very few Marin dealers in the Cleveland area so I had limited options. There was little doubt that my next bike would be another Marin and I purchased the Bear Valley SE for 50% of recommended retail (but would have eagerly paid full price due to my love at first sight reaction) and have yet to recover from my extremely good fortune. Since then, I have upgraded to Shimano XT hubs, 8sp cassette, deraileurs, shifters, IG90 chain & clipless pedals, while the replaced LX/STX-RC components are now residing comfortably on my my wife's '96 Marin Palisades Trail. Frankly, I'm embarrassed by the constant attention I get when riding. I frequently receive compliments on just how great this bike looks. The most memorable comment from a very experienced & knowledgeable trail-riding friend who declared the Bear Valley SE, a truly beautiful, CLASSIC, steel frame mountain bike. The good news is, this bike handles as well as it looks. With over a 1,000 miles on the frame (more than half of that off road) it has handled everything thrown at it, including my never-ending attempts to ride/hop over obstacles much larger than I'm presently capable of.
Three complaints, (otherwise this would be a 5 star review),
1. front & back wheels, intially both under-tensioned & requiring constant truing.
2. handle bars collide with top tube scarring the beautiful platinum paint job when passing through the entire arc of travel (not enough crown stem length to raise bar for clearance)
3. the very annoying cracking / creaking from the Manitou Mach 5 Pro XC fork. Good news, there is a remedy. Make sure to visit the Manitou home page (www.answerproducts.com) and access the technical/warranty section, frequently asked questions (FAQ's) for instructions. It requires a little extra effort from the owner/rider but it is worth it, silence is golden! Long winded, I know, but the bottom line is that Marin make a bike that represents incredible value for money. The build quality is outstanding, geometry is absolutely performance oriented and good looks, well, unsurpassed. I have compared their product line with all the mass market & designer brand bikes and have yet to find a comparable price/performer, I just don't understand why I haven't run into more of these best buys on the trail...... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Martin
a weekend warrior
from Wiltshire, UK
Date Reviewed: September 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought my Bear Valley SE second hand. It had standard componets except for the edition of some XT V brakes. I then added some wider riser bars and some Mozo pro forks to complete the package. The frame is excellent for the price and offers lively handling and feel. The frame is eaocksily strong enough to handle a few jumps. Some XC racers may find it too heavy-but I don't care about that! The only real problem is the easily bendable dropout-Take care not to Knock it too hard.
For the price It is perfect. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
steven troop
a downhiller
from bountiful,ut
Date Reviewed: August 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased a bear valley about a year ago and I am overall happy with your product. However, I have had some problems with my frame where the hang for the rear deraileur keeps on bending with not too much extreme riding is this a normal occurance. Other than that I have no real qualms. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dieter Hachenberg
a cross-country rider
from Brighton
Date Reviewed: July 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a 1997 Bear Valley, and have upgraded the fork to RST461. What a greta bike, very reliable, takes a good thrashing, rides like a dream! I have covered over 1,000 offroad miles, mainly on the South Downs and have used and abused it considerably and it still comes back for more. My only gripe is STX which I want to upgrade as soon as I can afford it! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Helmut Schröger
a cross-country rider
from Germany
Date Reviewed: June 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
i do not expect me to drive very tough trails when buying my 97er bear vally.
but the more i ride it the more i got addicted to mountain biking. so i was VERY
pleased that i had the full power in hand with my marin while driving the (partial) extremetrails in riva (lago di garda, itali).
i was pleased with the bike performance
driving long up-hills as well as driving panoramica trail. the only things are the really bad suguno parts and that there was no rock shox by default. know i
upgraded my bike with a judy xc and ... c'est ca !! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Craig Pollard
a racer
from London UK
Date Reviewed: May 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased my Bear Valley in the States, this was because it is cheaper to fly over and get it - than it is to buy one here. I found the bike reasonably stable at slow speeds, but not so much at downhilling where it becomes a little tippy. I have ridden and owned a number of bikes including Trek, Cannondale, Mongoose, Giant, GT and now Marin. While it is not the best bike I have ever ridden (that goes to a Mongoose), it is not the worst (that goes to Trek, but to a large extent you choice really comes down to how much you are willing to pay, (and how much you value style over substance!). I think that from the opinion of myself and my friends, the Bear Valley represents good value for money, even with the flight. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Thomson
a weekend warrior
from Canberra, ACT, Australia
Date Reviewed: May 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Despite being a relative new comer to the sport of mountain bike riding, I am most impressed with 1998 Bear Valley. Having looked at products from Cannondale, Trek and Giant, the Bear Valley definately offered the best value for money (AUD $1500) and performance. Mine came with Shimano LX hubs, cranks, rapid fire levers, front derallieur and bottom-bracket. Rear derallieur is XT and the forks are Manitou Spyder R's. The V-Brakes are the best I have come across, but take a while to get use to. The rims are Mavic (I cant remember what type). The only thing missing is the clipless pedals! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan Eckersley
a cross-country rider
from Creston, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just got my new 1998 Marin Bear Valley yesterday, and I have one thing to say.
Sweet!
-The components (Stx/Stx Rc) are legendary.
-The front forks are under-rated RST 381 S's, tuned to marin standards. They have adjustable preload like all good forks do.
-The riser bars make handlinf a cinch
My only complaint is the IRC Mythos XC tires, which seem to break loose on hardpack, causing two wipeouts and a pair of skinned knees. But you can change tires easily, or get them swapped at the dealer.
A great value! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Will
a weekend warrior
from Texas
Date Reviewed: April 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I got a '96 (or '97, not sure) Bear Valley SE (triple butted triangle w/ double butted stays) new a couple of months ago.
I got it for $275(!!!!!!!!!) (new!!!!) as it was a couple of years old and the lbs had stopped carrying Marin. This is the best Chro-Mo frame I have ever ridden. I really dig the geometry of the frame, it handles real well. This is one of the lightest frames I have ever seen. The Marin lite components are of decent quality and are reliable (stem, canti brakes, seat post and handle bars). Has all STX-RC (7spd), decent components (will be upgrading to 8spd XT soon) with GripShift 600 shifters. Have already added a fork. Note: this bike needs longer steerer tube on your fork than most!!
Gripes: No V-Brakes!!! (weren't out yet) and GripShift (they get the job done, but I prefer Rapidfire).
Overall, a great bike for the green. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael B.
a weekend warrior
from Bonn, Germany
Date Reviewed: January 9, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought my Bear Valley SE in Spring ´95 in a sale. Being a ´94 Model, I paid only DM 998,- (completely new in original box). That´s about US$ 580, CAN$ 520, UK 330 Pounds. Although I´ve used it very little durin the past two years, I´m impressed by the beautiful quality every time I look at it. I´m planning a trip to the Austrian Alp´s this summer, challenging a few mountain trails. Up to now I have never had a problem with the bike, even cycling along the sandy beaches of Denmark or stomping the woody trails of the Eifel-Mountains just around the corner from here. So from my point of view buying a Marin Bike is always a good deal, even though the bikes are somewhat expensive when not on sale.Have a good season,Mike the Bike :-) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Owen
a weekend warrior
from Don Mills, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 26, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Good, bike. I have a '92 SE, got it for C$500, end of season deal in '93. Bought it mainly for the components (LX). Nice attributes as a road bike, yes I tried that for a while, granted it is not my Gios (for you mountain heads that is an Italian roadracer, still is a crisp as the day I got it in 1983!!!), it works well for that. As for using it off road, pretty solid, the road work told me what to expect. Very solid, stable, not too heavy, a good lightweight design, no frameflex or other ugly characteristics. The lows are mainly due to lack of a suspension. I know the newer version has a shock up front. That will help, but for me, I can get the front into a full spaz-o-matic on a rough downhill, ie you don't want to be doing 50 km/h on that sucker! The brakes suck, am trying the Ritchey Logics this month. The rims are staying true, even though they are not Mavics! (On the Road I ride them and they are the best! I think 121 are in the works for this!). Looking for comments on the newer Marins! Particularly the full suspension bikes! Overall if you want a nice bike, good components, solid frame get a Bear Valley SE! You can't go wrong for the money! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rich
a weekend warrior
from Manchester, UK
Date Reviewed: December 10, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This review is something of an obituary as someone stole my Bear Valley (the 1992 S.E.) version a few weeks ago. The specification, particularly the frame, was well up to scratch and I was really impressed with the Marin Lite bits. I had the bike ages and after upgrading the wheels I felt I could take her anywhere and I did. I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever. If anyone sees a '92 frame going cheap second hand thay should snatch it up because it won't be shamed by the very best components you can stick on it, an excellent base to build up a great bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Simcoe
a weekend warrior
from Nebraska, USA
Date Reviewed: November 12, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought my Marin Bear Valley, used (very little). Marin bikes are the world's best kept secret. It's cromolley frame and marin lite wheels and components are the greatest. The upgraded XTR components are great. Before I bought my Marin, I used this review column, because I had never heard of Marin bikes. From all of the good reviews, I bought the Bear Valley. I am so sold on this bike, next season want to upgrade to the Bear Valley SE.Marin, keep coming with the great bikes. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gareth
a cross-country rider
from Hampshire, UK
Date Reviewed: November 10, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought a second-hand Bear Valley SE (only ridden for 10hrs) with Manitou
Mach 4's for 300 uk pounds ($480). It rides light, and the mechanism is
really smooth. I have only two gripes: The alloy rims are soft as hell, and
have buckled within 6 weeks, and either Marin, or the importer had stuck a
Cat-Eye reflector over the Marin logo on the front of the frame.Altogether, a very nice bike, and I'd recommend a Marin to everyone.
Also, living in Portsmouth, the bike crime capital of England I've invested
in a Squire Paramount lock because anything cheaper would not stand up to
the organised theft in the area. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pantse
a cross-country rider
from FINLAND
Date Reviewed: October 12, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought mine in June, and I'm still not bored with it !My last bike was a aluminium-framed Kuwahara, so I knew I needed a real MTB, and one with a cro-mo frame, that was. After testing some bikes, I decided to buy this one, not only for the 20% I got off the price, but it felt like a real bike! The frame felt almost like it had rear-suspension, my previous bike had a typical Stiff-As-Hell-Aluminium-Frame.
The dreamlike Avid V-brakes are really good, I haven't tried better ones, no Shimano V-brakes came close to these one-finger brakes.The fifth burning hot chili comes after I get a better front shock then the Manitou Pro C. It hasn't got any progressivity, and I have to keep it as stiff as it goes. What I would like to have, is a front shock that is capable of eating the small bumps as well as the big ones, but would not too soft. The BVSE is a really enjoyable bike, and I have doubled my kilometers compared to last summer. Could it be because of selling my motorcycle last fall...
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hatch Reddington
a cross-country rider
from NJ, USA
Date Reviewed: October 10, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Regarding my review - I accidentally put four chilies...I MEANT 5!!!
DAMN good bike...Can't say enough good things about it... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hatch Reddington
a cross-country rider
from New Jersey, USA
Date Reviewed: October 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Amidst the overwhelming number and styles of mountain bikes, one can find it difficult in deciding which bike to buy. I was ready to purchase my second mt bike. I knew I wanted a chromoly w/ front suspension. I didn't want a me too bike. I also wanted a front suspension fork. Being that I'm 6' 2 and 210 pounds, I wanted a bike that would stand up to my unkind style of off road biking. After testing many different bikes over a period of almost 6 months, I chose the Marin Bear Valley SE (new in 1996, when it was made w/ Tange triple butted main triangle, double in the rear...1997 is Tange double main now). I know I could've spent more, but I LOVE this bike. It is light, worthy of component upgrades, and rides great with the Rock Shox Judy XC up front. Thank you, Marin for giving me bang for my buck! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a cross-country rider
from Kent, UK
Date Reviewed: September 11, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
After much deliberation between Univega, Saracen and Giant, I opted for the rigid Marin Bear Valley SE (1997), with separate Marzocchi Z2 forks and I am now a very happy man! The frame is magnificently responsive and is just a joy to ride. The LX rear mech is just great. The STX front mech is adequate but an upgrade to LX is defintely in order to match the performance of the rest of the bike. The Avid 2.0 V-brakes are awesome, and match the performance of the M600s and then some! Only one gripe: the STX shifters are not up to the standard of the rest of the bike. Upgrade them as soon as possible to get the best out of such a beautiful bike. Also, the Ritchey Vector saddle is fairly good but it ripped on my first minor fall ..... disappointing. All in all a very good buy, and the SE is definitely worth the extra pennies up from the standard BV. I rate this bike tops in the mid-priced arena! For the money it's excellent but if you can afford it specify upgrade front mech and shifters or get the Eldridge Grade (but the BVSE colour is far nicer! At least in the 1997 range!) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jack Mehoff
a cross-country rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: August 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike kicks ASS. My Bear Valley is the '96 model and if performs great. I got it used for $500 bucks and was like brand new. The only downfall of this bike if you like good performance is the Shimano STX derailleurs and Cantilever brakes. I am now upgrading to XT and I hope it improves the shifting. To be honest with you, the STX cantilever is very strong and really has no faults, I would probably give it five stars, along with the levers. Also the bike is rigid and I am putting on a Judy XC. This bike is also very light. For an entry level bike this definitely deserves 5 stars, but if you wan't to be competitive with it you will have to upgrade components. This bike will deserve 6 stars with thg upgrades. GREAT JOB MARIN!!!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marky MArk
a cross-country rider
from Heidelberg, Germany
Date Reviewed: August 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I own a 96 Bear Valley SE and I love this bike.
It is a real understatement thing to ride, it looks simple and it rides brilliant. On singletrails, it 's not to beat. After replacing Grip Shit with Rapid fires and having LX-Vs together with Continental Double Fighter Tires Imust say - This rules!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Derek Haden
a cross-country rider
from Brandon, Suffolk. UK
Date Reviewed: July 28, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought the Bear after using a Pallisades for 3 years.
It's still pretty much stock after 18 months, which considering the terrain and the way it's ridden is a testament to the bikes strength. Perhaps the thing I like most is the shear understated quality of the whole plot. The most recent change has beeen tyres (That's tires in american) to Continental Montana's which are far superior to the stock tyres. Saddle was replaced with a Selle Titanium Flight, mainly due to the original taking a beating in a stack.Componentry is very good for the price.It handles precisely, and gives the rider immense confidence.I can't imagine what could be better than this. The frame and forks are an excellent platform for any upgrades. You could spend a fortune, but why bother when it's this good to start with. I suspect that any upgrades will be as a result of original componentry wearing out, rather than having to upgrade through necessity. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joaquin Canizales
a cross-country rider
from NJ
Date Reviewed: July 11, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have the 96 Bear Valley and it kicks ass. I have replaced the rims with a pair
of Mavic 238s and changed the velociraptors to Marin Quakes 7.0. I also got rid of
Rock shox and instead put a Manitou 4 fork. All the improvements have made
my bike better than it already was. It climbs well and handles the rocks quite
nicely. I love this bike so much that I have spent over $200 on accessories
alone. I recommend this bike and the whole line of Marins to anyone looking
for a good reliable mountain bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Derrick Massey
a weekend warrior
from Huntsville, AL USA
Date Reviewed: May 25, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
After test riding some 20+ MTBs of various in the $400 - $600 price range; (Trek, Gary Fisher, Specialized, Raleigh, Diamondback, Biachi), the 97' Bear Valley took the prize. This is my first MTB and I am in love. The superb handling combined with good all around OEM components makes this bike a real winner. I feel that only a few upgrades will put this machine in a class far above others costing several hundreds more. LX crankset, XT fr & rr, XT bb, and Answer Pro C should do the trick @ < 28 lbs. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ray Simmons
a weekend warrior
from Ma.
Date Reviewed: May 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a 96 Bear Valley SE. This is my second mountain bike and I'm really
impressed with its capabilities. I'd buy another one in a minute but I'll
go up a level on the components. I did notice that the rear derailer is a
bit sluggish when up shifting. Perhaps a stronger spring would help. Otherwise,
I love this bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bazza-lad
a weekend warrior
from Cumbria, England
Date Reviewed: May 20, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Sweet! The componentry isn't up to much. LX/XT upgrades are the order of the day. Can't really argue considering the price tag. Good Work Marin Fellas. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eurus Kim
a cross-country rider
from Berkeley, CA
Date Reviewed: April 13, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased a Bear Valley and I must say that this bike really sucks! My friend owns
a 96 Mongoose Hilltopper and even that bike is better than mine. I think that the Diacompe
brakes suck, they are always making noise and I think that the whole frame geometry sucks.
It also doesn't feel very stable on bumpy downhills or stairs. This bike really sucks, but I'm
happy that I wont have to ride it since I broke my foot.
| Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a weekend warrior
from NY
Date Reviewed: February 20, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I just bought a used (but perfect condition) Bear Valley SE '96 (?). I upgraded to Onza tires, Dia-Comp brake levers, though I still remain suspension-less. It is an awesome bike for the dough you spend. It is superlight, compared to my previous bike. I noticed right off the bat that it had premium components that were on my _upgrade_ list. I packs some major punch, and has great styling to boot. Overall, a great bike for almost everyone and anyone. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Donnie Anderson
a weekend warrior
from New Brunswick, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 12, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased a '95 Bear Valley SE last year. It was a last year model and they knocked $300.00 off the original $1200.00 price tag. This might seem exspensive but comming from Atlantic Canada it's not. I compared the $900.00 bike to others and found that the STX-RC and MARIN-LITE group was the best in it's class under $900.00. The bike was also lighter than other bikes in its price range.
This was my first serious bike and I must say I am not disappointed with it. The chromoly frame is light durable and has a great paint and clear coat job on it. I prefer the indexed grip shifters over other rapid fire levers I have tried. The Marin Quake tires seem to shed mud quite well and the brakes are just as good. They are a bitch to adjust but once done they work great. Even in wet and muddy conditions.
I have no complaints about this bike. Maybe that is just because it is my first and seems a hell of a lot better than my old 40 pound CCM BLITZ from Candaina Tire with ALTUS C-90 rapid fire levers. Another thing, the bike looks great. With its awesome silver handlebar layout and dark grey frame this bike looks good. Unlike some blue, red, and silver aluminums with tubes the size of baseball bats I see around every corver. And with a name like Marin, I've been turning some heads. Everybody's got those $400-$500 TREK's, GT's, and GIANT's but my MARIN has been popular with the majority of KMART wielders in my neighborhood.
But I've been told that with a name like Marin, you pay for the name, and I believe it. From what I've seen you pay more for the same components but take a look at both bikes side by side and Marin looks impressive. Its also impressive with the trails.
The $1200.00 Canadian retail price is a lot compared to similar $800.00 bikes but those are all aluminums. The MARIN chromoly is nice and well equipped and also has some quality custom MARIN components that perform. I feel that this bike is better suited for upgradability than others in the $900.00 range. If it wasn't for the price tag I'd give it 5 stars. Sorry MARIN! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
chris
a cross-country rider
from Armagh, Northern Ireland
Date Reviewed: January 13, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I own a 1996 Bear Valley, which has now an almost complete xt groupset (including V's) and a pair (my second) of XC 600's, which may I add, are a super pair of plush forks even though they only have 2 of travel, is more than enough as any more than 3 seems to alter the handling of the bike.Conclusion: Bear Valley (96) - sex on wheels - literally! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony Silvestri
a downhiller
from Clifton, Jersey
Date Reviewed: December 5, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
My first mountain bike ever was the 1995 Marin Bear Valley SE. I had done all the research regarding picking the right components and that STR-RC was the minimum for serious riders. When I started to price some bikes, Only some bike I never saw, but read about in a magizine, and the Marin Bear Valley SE had the STX-RC parts and cost around $660. When I bought it, they took an additional ten percent off the bike bringing the cost below $600. It was a great bargain. I have beaten the hell out of the bike on every mountain in New Jersey and a few in southern New York. My first year I rode it stock because I could not afford the upgrades. The second year I put a Manitou EFC that I got as a left over at the same store installed for only $260. I then threw on some Onza H.O. clippless pedals. You either love these or hate them. I love them. Now I have a bike that kicks some serious ass and I got it for a steal. One thing I like the most about the bike are the Marin Lite brakes. Have you ever compared them to pre V brake Shimanos? They are way better. They look so much stronger and not as cheesey. I rather be braking with the Marins versus any other pre V brake. I think if I did get a new bike, it would be another Marin because my SE has been great. It is a great value for the money and its not a wimp. It takes a beating and does not complain. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Philippe Folie-Dupart
a weekend warrior
from France
Date Reviewed: December 4, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The Bear Valley SE is a super bike. I upgraded mi one (1993 model) with XT set.
Other equipement: Judy XC (very smooth). Mavic 217 Sup (extra strong...)
Bear Valley SE = No problem and fun !
Bonjour à tous les bikers | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dennis Pedersen
a weekend warrior
from San Jose, CA
Date Reviewed: December 3, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a 1994 Bear Valley, with over 1,200 abusive miles on it (almost all of it on California's harsh fire roads and singletrack)! When I test-rode bikes, I decided that price, handling, and durability were the most important considerations for me. All I've replaced is the front hub bearings, the lower headset bearing, the rear brake pads, a few tubes and a tire. In spite of several crashes (ouch!), the frame is perfect. A friend with the same frame once rammed a large tree with his while it was strapped to his roof-rack... the handlebars broke, the rack was torn off, but the frame held!The Bear Valley handles great! This is its strong point. It responds instantly to steering input, even at low speeds like in tight switchbacks on singletrack. Other bikes I've ridden were mushy.I've subsequently added a suspension fork, SPD pedals and other goodies. I like the standard equipment fine otherwise, especially the RapidFire shifters. The SE version cuts some weight, but I don't like the flimsy wheels they have.My first Bear Valley (a 1993) got stolen less than a year after I got it, and I still couldn't find anything to beat it in its price range when I looked for a replacement. I hope to keep riding my 1994 for years to come! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Per Herlev
a weekend warrior
from Denmark
Date Reviewed: October 22, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
A great bike!
Mine is supposed to be a '97 model. It came equipped with Dia Compe 747s (Where did they get that number from??) V-brake 'look-a-like'. They work great.
One thing I don't like is the STX derailleur's. They have too much play. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lee
a weekend warrior
from California, USA
Date Reviewed: June 12, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Marin Bear Valley SE bike, 1995 model.
For about $660, this bike rides well in the dirt. However, my only real
basis of comparison is a $500 1990 mountain bike that was very heavy and
had enough frame flex to shift automatically when climbing steep trails.
Good: Shares frame geometry, handlebar, bar ends, stem, seat post, tires,
and brakes with higher models (Pine Mountain, Eldridge Grade).
Does not use the weak Mavic 230 rims or alloy nipples that the
1994-1995 Pine Mountain uses.
STX-RC drivetrain with Grip Shift SRT600 works well, once the rear
derailleur spring is replaced with a stronger one.
Bar ends (3/4 length) and one water bottle cage are included.
Eyelets for racks, etc. are provided on the front and rear
dropouts and on the seat stays.
Bad: Marin Lite saddle was uncomfortable for me. But you may like it.
Easy to replace if you want to.
STX-RC crank has middle and inner rings which bolt on strangely
and are heavy stamped steel. Ask to trade to a Deore LX crank
if you don't like it.
The pedals are cheap heavy things, but many people will see them
as just place holders until they get clipless pedals.
Other:
Weight on a scale was 25.4 pounds for the 15.5 (center to center)
size (the 1995 Marin catalog claimed 24.5 pounds for the 17.5
size without water bottle cage, toe clips, toe straps (and probably
reflectors)). Adding front suspension and other accessories would,
of course, add weight.
Note that the 1995 Marin Bear Valley (not SE) was almost a completely
different bike; many of the parts which the Bear Valley SE shares with
the higher models are those in common with the lower models on the
Bear Valley.
The Grip Shift SRT600 front shifter that comes with the bike is the
indexed version. Ask for a trade if you prefer the nonindexed version
(or RapidFire).
The 1996 model has some changes from the 1995 model, so some of the
above comments on the 1995 model may not apply. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ski
a weekend warrior
from Houston
Date Reviewed: June 10, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike gives you so much for the money. The frameset is Tange Ultimate Superlight, double butted, with triple butted rear triangle. A very light, sweet, responsive frame. Such a change from aluminum. With STX-RC components, it is just barely heavier than a similar Specialized. With STX-RC components, GS-600, Marin lite brand brakes, bar-ends, and handlebar, this is overall a very sweet package for around $600 (don't quote me!). Plus, it isn't another Trek/cannondale/specialized clone. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andreas
a weekend warrior
from San Francisco, CA
Date Reviewed: June 3, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The SE version is my pick for the best all-round entry level bike! It has the
marin-lite brakes as well as STC-RC components. And, it doesn't cost much more
than the plain Bear Valley. Durable, reasonably light, and versatile.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rich
a cross-country rider
from St. Louis, MO
Date Reviewed: March 7, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I like the Bear valley and it has served me well. Only beef is the seat tube wasn't chamfered right and it scoured my seat post until I filed it down. This bike is tough and climbs very well, delivering great traction. It has a lot of spring in the rear stays- It soaks up some of the chatter, particularly on severe downhills when my weight is way back over the rear wheel. The finish is holding up very well. I'm a thrasher and appreciate a bike that can take it. This one can.
| | Overall Rating: |
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