Titanium has great uses ,gears aren't one of them. Steel is better and a lot cheaper. To get the most life out of a drivetrain is pretty easy, clean and lube the chain often ,replace it when gets worn. Replace the cassette and chain rings when they wear. I get 700 ,800 miles out a chain double to triple that out of a cassette. As to buying "upgraded parts with the idea of moving them to the next bike, that doesn't really work out. What mostly happens is that you decide to get a new bike and spend enough to get already upgraded parts, plus who wants to put used parts on a new bike?
It's obvious that I don't know much about this. I know that Armel Peel was looking for titanium parts in the hopes that they would be more durable but I don't have any first hand experience with these parts. But yeah, I'm told it's best to buy new and get a bike that has the parts you want from the factory. In my case, trying to find a bike that fits correctly is a headache so it's more complex than that.
RE: Maintenance, even I know about regular maintenance. Making sure the indexing is adjusted, cleaning the chain, replacing worn parts, etc. It's always less expensive to replace things before they wear out.
Yeah, titanium is strong for its weight, but it's pretty soft from a wear-resistance standpoint, making it bad for gears. They won't fold or break, but they probably won't last very long otherwise.
I don't know why
@armel.peel is buying multi-geared bikes if he never shifts. A singlespeed faux track bike or hardtail makes a lot more sense and it would be easier to replace that one cog than a cassette and there are probably quality options available (Wolftooth, etc,) that might minimize the wear and breakage, better than what's available in 7-8-9 and 10-spd cassettes, and much cheaper, too.
Ya. I hear that single speed drivetrains are more robust because they don't need to be designed with shifting in mind. Beefier teeth, beefier chain. It would be way better all around.
Are there bikes with a Marlin-eque old school XC geometry that are also single speed bikes? I think this would be, hands down, the best solution.
And, if we're talking Marlin-level bike, there just aren't a lot of good drivetrain upgrades available. They're made with entry-level derailleurs and cassettes, and, most of the time, their "standards" mean you can replace the der and cassette, but cant' really upgrade them.
This is an 'interesting' thing. Perhaps, it costs too much to upgrade the Marlin frame? I've noticed that Shimano makes a Deore level 135mm QR hub with a microspline freehub body. This would make it possible, in theory, to run an XT level drivetrain or higher. Fox has a 1 1/8" steerer tube fork or Cane Creek has headsets that adapt tapered steerer tubes to fit in a straight head tube. So, really, the only thing we have to give up is boost spacing. Unless, of course, we're talking super high end race wheels and top of the line parts.
The question of biking seems to be to be one of 'use case scenario' more than anything. The biking I have access to here is paved bike paths, gravel paths, forest paths, and singletrack. We have to drive 2 1/2 hours for granite. So, XC geometry here is the best 'do everything' / 'go everywhere' kind of bike one can buy.
Here, one would do well with an XC bike, road bike, and a fat bike for the LOONNGGGG winters.
My brother lives on the east coast. For the sort of riding he does, a dual squish trail bike is best. Enduro bikes are too much because they're epic on up and down but not so good on flats.
On the west coast, Enduro bikes are likely much better. That or DH bikes.
And, of course, for most mountain bikers, if not bikers generally, "upgrade" is more likely to mean lighter with similar strength and wear resistance, not improvements in strength per se. Better materials and heat-treating in higher end cassettes might result in better strength and wear resistance, but again, why pay to replace 9-10-11 cogs in a cassette when you only use one?
Yup. My thoughts exactly.
****
Anyway, I wanna get your thougths on something that pertains to me here while we're at it.
I believe I've posted this elsewhere but I'll tell the story here in brief.
When I was a teenager, I flew in the air, jumped over logs, went up steep hills, down steep hills, through mud, and had a blast. I even tried a race.
My old 94" hardrock ultra I got when I was 16 was such a BRILLIANT bike compared to the crappy department store offering I had before.
We had many GREAT places to go everywhere and I LOVED cycling.
Then we moved and it sucked. There was nowhere good to ride so my passion died and I stopped riding.
Fast forward 35 years. I watched a youtube video on how cycling is great for weightlifters because it doesn't burn out the legs like running. So, I started riding again.
I'm enjoying it but I often perceive myself as the experienced rider / teenager, not as the reborn beginner who can't do 1/8th of what I used to do.
Also, the Hardrock Ultra was small. TOO small. When I bought it, I was closer to 6' and it fit well. I finished growing and finished up at a very leggy 6'3".
After my wife's brother in law, my cycling nerd friend, and my physiotherapist (who didn't see me on the bike but only worked on my body the next day) all telling me my bike was too small, I finally decided to get something that fit properly.
The bike with the geometry that fit was a Marlin 7 XXL. The conservative geometry means that it has the seat tube length for my long legs but a comparatively shorter reach for my much more average arm length. My arms are, by no means, short. They're just more 'average'.
But, being a pavement, dirt, AND singletrack kinda rider, the stock gearing was insufficient.
Marlin 8 comes only in XL, not to mention the SRAM SX drivetrain....
The X-Caliber series is a bit of a concern since the geometry is more aggressive....
So. I started talking with the salesguy at the shop. He proposed a VERY competitive upgrade package to create a Marlin 7.8 in lieu of a Marlin 8, since the former bike doesn't come in an XXL.
We worked something out and I put a deposit down and worked out a payment schedule, interest free, with the goal of picking up the bike at the beginning of next season. With this payment / purchase agreement, I don't actually 'own' the bike yet and I can swap the funds to something else should I suddenly change my mind.
Thoughts / observations:
Point 1) The Marlin 7 fits beautifully. My brother is also quite a consummate cycling nerd and he was visiting from the east coast (Canada). He told me the XL frame 'wasn't pretty' but that the XXL frame 'looked right'. The MOST IMPORTANT thing, according to them, is the fit.
Point 2) The Deore drivetrain is sufficient for my needs but the range is too small for the kind of riding I do. So, we put together an upgrade package. A Shimano Deore 5100 RD, CS, and Shifter which gives 11 gears and an 11t - 51t range. Also, a 32t chainring for the FSA crank and a corresponding shimano chain.
Point 3) The salesguy thinks an air fork is VERY important so he suggested a Rockshox Recon Silver RL instead of the stock Judy coil fork. Air fork with Motion Control damper.
Point 4) The bike comes with Kovee TLR wheels so they're going to set it up tubeless with Maxxis Icon 2.35 tires. 120tpi EXO etc etc. NICE tires.
Cost: Before you all freak out, price of the bike with the upgrade package is comparable to any similarly spec'd bike. Orbea ALMA 2020 H50 model, Marlin 8, 2022 Specialized Rockhopper Elite 29, etc. So, the shop has bent over BACKWARDS to make this happen.
My quibbles:
i) I always want the most range I can muster. Seeing a Shimano 135mm QR hub with microspline makes me think of getting the shop to swap the hub and put on a Deore 12speed m6100 cassette, derailleur, shifter, and chain instead. The FSR Alpha Drive chainring will take either an 11 speed or a 12 speed chain anyhow...
The hub would require a different rotor too so we're looking at a c.a. $150 price boost on the project for a c.a. 10% gain in range. It'll raise the theoretical top speed flat sprint on the bike from 40kmph to about 44kmph. (My specialized Hardrock Ultra tops out at 46 kmph by comparison) The Deore m6100 components are actually slightly cheaper than the m5100 components I specc'd for the bike before. But. These upgrades still raise the project cost by approximately 10%, in spite of the savings on the components. The project bike would have better specs but the bike is beginning to become far closer to an X-Caliber 8.
ii) What about an X-Caliber 9? My wife's brother in law said he'd choose an X-Caliber 9 for me as his top pick, provided that there was no budgetary ceiling. This bike has a dropper post, a wider range cassette, and a better front fork. It's lighter and it has a better air spring. Better brakes. Boost spacing. The design seems more forward thinking.
Potential cons:
a) Fit. Trek told me the geometry is more aggressive on the X-Caliber 9 and the Marlin 7 XXL fits me very well. So, we will likely have to adjust the fit on an X-Caliber 9 to compensate. I know they're pretty close but still...
b) The price increase. It's functionally $950 CAD more for a bike that, practically speaking, is only an incremental increase from the Marlin 7 project, which we have nicknamed the Marlin '7.8'.
c) I should be budgeting the left over cash for little piddly things I need: A brake bleed kit. A shock pump for the forks. Water bottle / water bottle holder. Perhaps a PNW dropper post?
grin
I am a musician and I dial my musical instruments in to work just so. I seem to be demonstrating that pickiness again but in this case, it's largely pouring over details on a page. So, it's far more academic than practical and based on experience.
My wife also wants me to get a bike that I'll use / ride for years.
I think that for me, I am 65% at
'leave the Marlin 7.8 as is and enjoy the hell out of it when I get it in the spring'. I have confidence that it will be more than enough for me and how I ride. Next purchase should be a fat bike....
I am about 25% at
'It would be really cool to put a Shimano hub on this bike so that I have the option to put on higher end parts when these wear out'. I fully realize that this is an extremely small change and that a gravel bike would be better for SPEED but I really like having that 44T x 12T gear on my Hardrock Ultra. The other day, I blew passed people in that gear with a tailwind. Sadly, now the world is covered in snow....
Lastly, I am about 10% of the mind of
'suck it up and get the X-Caliber9'. Try it out, see how it fits, and if it fits well, just get the higher end bike and enjoy the hell out of it. The funny thing about the X-Caliber 9 is that with the 30t chainring, the slowest gear is only about 6% slower, while the fast gear is only about 4% faster. So, there is not really an appreciable difference. It'll just shift better, ride better, feel better. All just a little bit better... IF it fits right.
I just don't know. I don't have the experience to know and I don't see the bulk of my riding getting really gnarly suddenly. The nearest trail is 35 minutes away by vehicle and it's DEAD easy. Like, beginner easy. A few little hills that my 12 year old can easily climb.
The nearest paved bike path is about a 10 minute drive and there are 'off road' sections over grass, up a sledding hill, down by the creek, etc. The nearest gravel path is about a 15 min drive away and it's mostly flat.
When riding 2 - 3 times per week for fitness, I'm trying to get 20 - 35km in usually on paved paths or gravel paths. The singletrack stuff is a 45min / 1hr drive away and this gets to be a 'few times a year' adventure. For more hilly wonderful singletrack, we're looking at a 2 1/2 hour drive. Maybe we'll do a few trips there.
There is also a small bike park about 20 min from here.
For actual 'mountain' biking, it's a 16 hour drive. So, using anything beyond a modest XC bike requires quite the trip.
I guess, I am curious what you think. If I was a musician, I'd be the 'buy a used Mexican Strat, drop in a modest pickup upgrade, and get a proper set up' kind of a player. AND. That guitar would last me the rest of my life.
I think I think of myself as my teenage self who was more of an enthusiast rider. Teenage me could use a MUCH better bike. But I'm middle aged musician me. I won't push my limits. I can't afford to bail and get hurt. Any upper body injury could be catastrophic and potentially career ending. No thanks.
So what do you think is best for me? Consider my usage habits and my lack of desire for more complex and challenging rides.
Final thoughts:
So far as I am concerned, the Marlin 7.8 is a VERY attractive proposition and the price is extremely competitive. The bike fits beautifully and it will be more than capable enough for 95% of my riding.
Swapping the hub and putting a 12 speed wider range cassette / shifter / derailleur on it would be proverbial icing on the cake. But. It's adding one more faster gear. 10% faster. 4 Kmph.
A PNW dropper post would add the most functionality if I wanted to 'upgrade' further.
The X-Caliber 9 seems like more of a 'dream bike' kind of a thing. But, is it worth $950 CAD more? Furthermore, would I want to change things on it? 32T instead of 30T chainring?
It takes a 120m fork. THAT would be a temptation too...
ALL my guitars are upgraded. I tinker with them and I love to pimp them out. I got a 7 string off of the buy and sell and I spent more on components than I did on the guitar itself. After these upgrades and some significant work from a tech, it performs like a VERY expensive instrument and I LOVE it.
I fear I will develop the same propensity with bikes.
Thanks for hearing me out lol. The journey continues...
