This is the bike which is responsible for leading me to this place just over a year ago.
I was given it by a mate of mine to get it working again so that he could lose some weight and get fit. Shortly after receiving it he decided to join a gym and let me keep the bike for free.
After a bit of web researching to find out what model year it was, I found retrobike and the rest is history.
I re-evaluated the old bikes that I had hung onto, re-lived a few memories and of course got hold of a few more...

Anyway this is the 1994 model, which after running as a hack for a while last winter, has been modestly upgraded from the original Alivio groupset.


November 2009

I've decided to run it as a 7 speed. The cranks and brakes are LX with an STX rear mech and a single STX shifter. I've got the original 'Marin Lite' tyres, but after running various options I've settled on rust wall Continental Navigator and Double Fighter tyres. I really like the contrast between the blue and the orange and I'm a fan of snow-flake spoke lacing too.


November 2009

The blue theme is developed with a few 'aspirational' upgrades including blue chainring bolts and a pair of 'X-Lite Chicken-Stix' brake levers which I had in my spares box.
All the other blue bits, including the bars, stem, seat QR and saddle rails are original and I really like the titanium effect 'Champagne' frame colour.
The saddle is also original and very comfortable, and was re-skinned in leather after reading a few threads on the technique on the forum.


November 2009

Although mass produced low end Marins are not to everyones taste, including mine, I have been very impressed with how well it handles despite being a little too long in the top tube. To add to that it's very light and responsive in it's pared down 7 speed set up.

Finally a couple more pictures taken earlier this year with some moooohasive bar ends and thumbies.


June 2009


May 2009

Awesome looks great. Was it in such good condition when you took it originallY? Frame/forks look pretty mint.

That top pic makes me want to hang the 'Gone Fishing' sign on the door and close shop for the day.

Nice bike Paul, understated and simple but elegant if you know what i mean,lol
I dont know what it is with the early marins but i think they just look lovely.

good work!

Charlieboy

I had the same model and year and you are right, they handle very well, sweet singletrack machines Marin love from me

BOTM bump.

Oh and I'm toying with the idea of fitting a Sachs Wavey 7 spd shifter instead of the STX rapidfire. I haven't had gripshift for about 10 years and I'm trying to decide whether or not I like it.
Any thoughts...?

Great looking bike. I'm looking at re-furbing a '95 Marin Palisades Trail which has the same champagne / blue paint combi. Was the paint OK when you got it or did you need to do some matching? If you had to buy paint I'd be really interested to know what and where as I need some major paint work on mine.

The paint was and still is pretty good on this one. There's a couple of scratches on the top tube which give it character.
I'm not sure what the colour code would be, only that as you already mentioned it's called 'Champagne' by Marin.

Sorry I can't be of anymore help.

Many thanks for replying anyway Paul.

Regards,

Paul

Lovely bike matey, I've got the same model but not as good nic as this. Very good photos as well, looks very professional

Hi I tried posting a piece about one of these, I just got today. A frame,bars,stem, chain groupset only. Same colour blue- frame & stem .Little cable wheel as well.

Have you got a frame number there and where it may be. I have not looked at the frame much yet will do shortly. I am annoyed my first post is not showing here???

Oh see the quote urls are blocking me ..drat.. delete them silly

Frame: Model Graphics are bright silver. There are MARIN decals in vertical font on the fork blade fronts. Both front and rear forks have pin stripe tape in silver on them.. sort of double circular revoulutions of the tubing.. may be after market to match graphics colour or make it different from another?
Canted angle for Muirwoods which is a long decal appx 12" sort of a sans serif font. Paint is not too bad.Brakes still extant - cantilever. Quite number of other graphics and stickers on the seat post. A USA flag too near the the seat post top tube. Black seat post clamp still there. Vertical dropouts.

That's a very nice Marin! I never heard of snow flaked lacing. Here in the land of windmills and cheese we call it twisted spoked.
Great pictures too, where a mtb belongs and with nice light conditions

How do they do the twisted spoking? I feel it would undermine the tempor of the spokes.

I can not help you more then tell you that you twist the spokes... But you probably figured that one out yourself. Maybee someone else knows more about this?