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2008 Marin Quad XC frame (Mount Vision, Rift Zone, East Peak). Need your input, Pros

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Bala

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
HI there,

I am considering upgrading to a FS frame. I have been doing some reading and I like the Marin Quad XC frame. I am currently looking at 2008 frames and they are fairly affordable ($500 range new).

Whatever frame I end up buying, it will be set up for AM/XC occasional light Freedride riding. Plan on running 140mm fork and I know this isn't the ideal travel for the Marin Quad XC frame, right?

What do you guys think of this frame? Pros and Cons? What other frames would you recommend in the same price range with same performance characteristics?

Here are some characteristics that are appealing to me about this frame (correct me if I am wrong):

-The Quad 2.0 suspension technology
-Very stiff laterally
-Like the high positioned swing arm, away from the chain
-Quad 2.0 technology provides good climbing performance
-Relatively light, not a tank even though the frame looks beefy and very solid
-Dropouts are removable/replaceable
-Frame looks very slick
I think that is all.


Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks in advanced.
 
#3 ·
Input on Marin East Peak

This is my first fully suspended bike but I had been reluctant to leave the hardtail because of it's climbing performance. I did the research and talked to those who know and found one of these frames for only $500 with free shipping.

I have since then built it and ridden 3 times in the last 2 days. Man can this thing climb! And what a difference having a rear suspension makes on the trail! I am riding better and longer than I EVER did on my hardtail! And those ten foot drops don't hurt now either. It feels like I'm cheating now.

I am in love with this frame and this suspension design. The fact that it doesn't need a compression shock is awesome too. It feels so natural to ride. And I am decending on downhills now twice as fast as when I had my hardtail. But I am actually climbing better on this bike than my hardtail.

My advise would be to buy one now while they're cheap and still available!

Spencer in Phoenix

Bike Setup:

2008 Marin East Peak frame (RED)
Fox Float R
Fox TALAS 32, RLC
Easton carbon bar
Avid BB7, XTR brake levers
Avid G3 Cleansweep rotors
XT front derailleur
X9 rear derailleur, X9 shifters
XT cranks with FSA bashguard
Mavic Crosstrails with PG-980 cassette
Ritchey 90mm stem
Cane Creek S3
ODI Ruffian lock-on grips
Kenda Nevegals, Stick-E
(Not supposed to run that tire tubeless but it works out fine and they're great tires.)
 
#5 ·
Bala said:
HI there,

I am considering upgrading to a FS frame. I have been doing some reading and I like the Marin Quad XC frame. I am currently looking at 2008 frames and they are fairly affordable ($500 range new).

Whatever frame I end up buying, it will be set up for AM/XC occasional light Freedride riding. Plan on running 140mm fork and I know this isn't the ideal travel for the Marin Quad XC frame, right?

What do you guys think of this frame? Pros and Cons? What other frames would you recommend in the same price range with same performance characteristics?

Here are some characteristics that are appealing to me about this frame (correct me if I am wrong):

-The Quad 2.0 suspension technology
-Very stiff laterally
-Like the high positioned swing arm, away from the chain
-Quad 2.0 technology provides good climbing performance
-Relatively light, not a tank even though the frame looks beefy and very solid
-Dropouts are removable/replaceable
-Frame looks very slick
I think that is all.

Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks in advanced.
Click to expand...
I've got a 2008 Mount Vision and happy with it. The frames are pretty beefy and in my opinion overbuilt for a trail bike. If you check out the Marin forums the Quad XC frames are the same weight as the Wolf Ridges at ~7.1lbs w/shock.

Marin also has a 10 year warranty in North America on the bearings which is great for people who are lazy like me :)

East Peak w/Rock Shox Pike
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=459229

Study the the sizing of the 2008 frames carefully because they did not have an XC bike that year. Thus Marin created a trail bike that has XCish geometry which can be a bit too stretched out due to the longer effective top tube.

For example a person at 5'8" usually picks a Medium frame, however the Med. has an effective top tube of 23.46" which is pretty long but is similar to XC frames like the Turner Flux. Thus some riders would pick the Small frame (Ef.TT 22.75") instead. For 2009 they revised the geometry since they have the Alchemist for XC.

I've also heard lots of great things about the Giant Trances as well, but never ridden them.
 
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