1998/1999 - Marin Shoreline Trail Full Sus - Build

Hello,

First post here, been a recent reader here for a few weeks / months and odd look over the years while leisurely looking for a late 90's Marin Full sus.

Its one of them bikes I wanted at the time as my own, (i used to ride a LBS owned Mount Vision and quake 9.0 now and again) but never ended up buying one before my late teen interests changed.

Anyway... time moves on and im back riding again on a new rig which has caused that "itch" for getting a "older" rig for old times sake plus my excuse to the MRS is that I need another bike for "Dad Duties" (Gator trail).

So... after watching ebay, gumtree etc and seeing these frames/bikes in some cases sell for a premium price, (due to summer i guess) I stumbled across a cheapie where the seller wanted peanuts for it. Went and looked at the bike last night, its in need of a LOT of TLC, but that's the fun part right!

First inspection last night and again today suggests a solid frame, and a "different" back wheel with some dinosaur 5 speed cassette which was the first thing on the list to be changed in order to get the bike moving..

So.. a really quick midnight wipe down last night and a new budget rear rim with a new cassette i had in the garage (12-23 :shock: ) enabled me to get the bike moving at least.

Im not sure which route im going down yet wither its a mix of old and new, but time will tell i guess. (purchased all new cables today, so there to hand following a clean and strip down.

My next focus is the rear shock, Shockworks Mono, its going through its full travel which little damping/rebound when de-compressed/ screwed out open. currently set it to 75% compressed.

From a bit of reading i think its a 185mm, but need to keep looking, on a positive there does not appear to be any play in the arm. (would like a mk3 arm but hens teeth i hear)

Anyway, enough of the talking, could of photos..

advert....




Quick wipe over and rear wheel plus cassette fitted to quick roll test...





the rear arm is a bit of a mess, maybe some new paint?



Chainset


Any thoughts, ideas or tips, feel free to share.

Cheers

Rick

Done a few more bits and bats to the bike in the last few days, new cables all round, further cleaned and removed front rings cleaning up one by one.

Its looking a lot better now and rides very well considering...

Does anyone have any info on servicing the shock or is it a sealed unit ? time to get another one ?

Got a new saddle on order too.. may change the front wheel to match the rear now, plus need to get some 2.0 rubber on it as the 2.3 are too wide on the rear with the front mech.

Also got a new set of pedals on there too from the some spares I had in the garage.

Looks nice, I always liked these BITD. If I was you I'd replace the shock as is, I'm sure you'll be able to pick up an air shock for decent money, and It'll totally transform the ride of the bike. Are you on the look out for a different swingarm. A mate had one of these and he went through two of the above swingarms until Marin relented and replaced his second with an upgrade.

Yeah, if you have any contacts for a swing arm drop me a pm.

Thanks

Well, I have bee using the bike for "dad duties", and it's running great, running the coil well wound up as I have put a child seat on it and it rides great, really smooth.

Now need to decide if I'm going to upgrade the fork and rear shock....