Coolwall - Marin

sinnett177":18ha0y8q said:

Not cool for me. They look like they ride well and look nice nice enough too, but they just don't do enough for me. Too middle of the road i'm afraid.

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I sold hundreds in the early 90's. Looks are deceptive. They ride 'middle of the road' too. Very neutral uninspiring ride. It all went really wrong when they starting adding their 'own brand' anodized parts.

I bought a Team Issue with XTR and Manitou forks at discounted trade price BITD "for the parts"

UNCOOL.

Not cool. Not cool at all.

Must be standards, people. All because you had one when you were a kid, or it was your first 'real' bike or whatever, does not make a company cool. What's next...Giant? Univega? Caloi? :roll:

Know nothing about Marin as a company, but surely it's the bikes we're talking about and people seem either to feel very attached to the things, or totally indifferent. Doubt they're cool in the Miles Davis sense but the ones I ride certainly do me very well and I generally feel happier after a ride than before, so I'd definitely rate them as COOL

Wooooooooooo 50/50!!!

Their mid 90's steel frames were the most beautifully finished steel frames about, they rode really well and. . . . they were just class!

Staf.

Love the Zolatone and flouro ones from 88 to 90 especially the Pine Mountain, they get the cool vote. Not fond of the subsequent greyish ones I think I'll sit this one out and sit on the fence with a foot in both camps.

MadCowKev":1k554wgy said:

Very neutral

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That's often considered a good attribute for a bike.

I raced and beat many an expensive/exotic bike on my rigid steel '94 Muirwoods BITD. It was just like the one with the blue forks at the start of this thread.

The under dog winning is always cool. Marin gets a sentimental cool vote from me.

This is my opinion for the Marin's from when I know them, early to mid 90's

Era is Early/Mid 90's
Everywhere sold them and typically cheap and entry level mountain bikes.
Bought in the thousands by middle aged people (aka your dad, uncle, fred down the road) who walk in to a bike shop wanting something costing a few hundred pounds to go riding on.

As proved by many people I know and my own dad with his Bear Valley SE 1995. Still stock since they day he bought it, entry level MTB bike used mainly for commuting and a hint of bridleways and hills. Designed well, works well and I like the ride it gives. It's comfy, well made, looks nice and cannot say anything against it. Perfect for the job it was bought for.

But because they where bought in large numbers by middle aged men with children and I was a teen, it is Un-Cool, especially if your Dad owns one.

Now I'm in that position, Father with kids it sounds like a perfect bike to buy, Comfy, Quality and doesn't cost a lot for what you get.
Which again makes them uncool

It's a Marin. Saying a Marin is cool, is like saying a Mondeo is cool.

Like ALL brands, some are, some aren't. I reckon that to vote on a brand overall rather than a particular model is meaningless and shall therefore abstain!