Singing the praises of a vintage Marin.

I’ve just returned from completing a rather gruelling trip over the weekend and wanted to sing the praises of my Marin Mount Vision which performed superbly throughout.

We usually follow the TDF around for a week in July but for a change we decided something a big nearer to home, The Sandstone Way, which runs the length of Northumberland, Berwick to Hexham. It’s supposed to be 120 miles but our map reading skills and quest for pubs and tea shops, made it substantially longer.

I’d refurbished my 1998 Mount Vision over the past year (including the addition of a newer swingarm with disc tabs, a lovely new Fox shock and a new livery). I can honestly say she performed equally as well as the more modern bikes on the trip.

I might be a bit soft but it’s easily the hardest 4 days I’ve ever had in the saddle. The vast majority was off-road over a very mixed terrain, and the weather was a battle at times as well. The climbs were relentless but nights out in Wooler, Rothbury and Bellingham eased the pain.

Anyway, thumbs up to the old girl, 21 year old bikes can still compete with the rest.

Lovely. I have an old parts-bin special Marin from around 95 which I use pretty much as my daily shopper/hack bike. Despite its nondescript appearance, it usually attracts at least one person a month wanting to chew the fat about it. Blokes of a certain age really love 'em and get a bit wistful when they see it. I've made a few concessions to my own middle aged back and the 21st century with the addition of riser bars and a higher/shorter stem - but despite the crap I have hanging on the frame it still rides really well.

Lovely. I had a Rift Zone from '97 'til 2015 when I passed the frame on to a friend of my son. 3 frames, 3 shocks, 3 forks and 3 swinging arms were involved in the early years but I loved it. I'm sure one would be in my shed still but for my Whyte linkage suspension obsession.

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They are great bike I still ride mine occasionally on Otley Chevin and always enjoy it.

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This is the first time I’ve been out on a multi-day trip with the upgraded Fox shock on the rear (I was still using the coil over Shock Works unit until last year which I always found decent tbh). As a big bloke I’m amazed it didn’t bottom out on some of the bigger boings or even lose any pressure. Perfect for the off-road nature of the Sandstone Way.

The Sandstone Way is a tough route - I did it 3 years ago on a 1996 P7. At that time the problme on some sections was that so few people were riding it that some of the lanes were totally overgrown and unrideable. Any better now?

60 mile off road days were hard.

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We did 40 mile off-road days which were bloody hard! As you know, the hills are relentless. There were one or two sections where I got nettled to death but literally only one or two, which were mercifully quite short. It was the gates which really slowed us down and the occasional failure to spot a sign. There must have been over a hundred farmers gates on the whole route. We got lucky with the weather - only one really wet day. Seriously thinking of doing it the other way around next year - but then I remember the climb up to Wether Hill in almost freezing conditions....in June!

Great photo; we were really lucky with the weather, sun most of the time through but not hot. Only one damp day. As you say, relentless hills and gate-tastic. I am so glad I didn't take my singlespeed!

they are good these. Had a few mount visions and currently have a modernised ~98/99 B17 which isn't a million miles away from what you have right there.


Great minds, eh