Any idea what year my Marin Team Titanium was born please?

[mistermonkeywrench]

Hello all,

I've had this frame since 2000. Bought un-new from 'Recycle Bicycle Co.' in Anerley, South London - sadly long gone now.

After contacting Marin, they replied saying that they THOUGHT it looked like a '95 and emailed a spec sheet for that year.
So, ever since then I kind of just accepted it as being '95.

But, after now seeing many other definitely-'95 models and owning one for a short time, there are many differences...

The finish on mine is 'silky' and has a polished sheen to it. Also, at the ends of the tubes where they join the finish changes to being more matte.



Mine has a headtube decal and not a pressed aluminium badge.



The gear cable stops are on the down tube and not the headtube - as I've read they typically are on all 'Team' models.



Main decals are different to all the '95 ones I've seen.







I love this frame but would like to know if anyone has any idea of which year it may be - if not '95?
Thank you for any help,
Andrew.

 

[sylus]

Re: Any idea what year my Marin Team Titanium was born pleas

There will be some that will be able to tell you quick smart...could you also post the frame number please?

 

[mistermonkeywrench]

Re: Any idea what year my Marin Team Titanium was born pleas

Thanks Sylus,

The reason I didn't post the number is that I've also read that the ti ones are undecipherable as they don't follow the same code as all the rest...

Mine is '4405', and depending on which way up you look at it, either 'WZ' or 'ZM'?

 

[wookiee]

Re: Any idea what year my Marin Team Titanium was born pleas

Hmm its a puzzler...the decals on the top tube/down tube say 95...but the headtube badge was first used in 96...I wonder if it has replacement decals? The polished/matt lugs at the tube ends reminds me of the 92/93 standard Marin range but all of the Ti Marins I have seen have never been polished...The face that it has a canti rear hanger puts it pre 96, in 96 the Team Issue had v brakes for the 1st time. Oh and some "Team" model do have the gear cable stops on the down tube...my 91 Team does.

I still think most probably 1995 though...I wait to be proved wrong tho!

Doug

 

[mistermonkeywrench]

Re: Any idea what year my Marin Team Titanium was born pleas

Thanks Doug,

Hmmm...
I'd come to believe that this is what a '95 looked like after seeing it bandied around a lot as such.







Darker, matte grey finish with no change at the ends of the tubes. Pressed metal headtube badge. Slightly less subdued decals.

Maybe I'm wrong about this instead?

 

[wookiee]

Re: Any idea what year my Marin Team Titanium was born pleas

Thats a 96 unless I'm mistaken...

See this link to the german 95 brochure the Ti has the same decals as yours:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/d/12577-2/1995.pdf

 

[mistermonkeywrench]

Re: Any idea what year my Marin Team Titanium was born pleas

Well, just in my opinion (obviously) - and very tentatively - the main one in that '95 brochure looks more like the second bike I've posted photos of.

The head tube badge is brightly coloured and the single seat tube decal is the same. The main 'Marin' down tube decal is similar in both of my bikes, but the second one seems to have more of an 'outline', somehow harsher (and less subtle as I tried to describe it earlier). The top tube decals are different fonts but its hard to tell from these photos - easier in the 'flesh'.

However - I've always thought that the 'Ultimate' in the smaller picture looked more similar but still not in the decal font. The cable stops are on the down tube and it has those two 'lips', (sorry, don't know the technical name) at the top and bottom of the head tube which the second bike of mine didn't. Still don't think the finish is right though and I don't think mine is an 'Ultimate' either - just a regular 'Team Titanium'.

Just been looking at the 1992 catalogue again where it describes the different finishes of the tubes...

"The new matte finished rear triangle and head tube increase weld strength fatigue life by 200 to 300%. The bead blasting used in the matte finish also relieves the stress in the welds. Polished main tubes add to the exclusive look."

This seems to compare to the frame I'm trying to identify more than anything else I've seen. Can't tell what the decals look like in the 1993 catalogue as the picture is too small. But could it just have been re-stickered at a later date?

 

[wookiee]

Re: Any idea what year my Marin Team Titanium was born pleas

...in the 1st pic you posted the decals are more "outline" and not solid letters (like that in the 95 brochure)...the second pics you posted have solid letters and look more like the 96 to me.

It could be that the frame was part polished by the orignal owner...but unlikely...

The only other thought is that, as with many of the Marin range, there were diferent colour designs for europe and usa and uk...so could it be that its a US one? The archive brochure on the site is the german one, not uk or us...maybe thats it?

The problem with the Ti Marins is that they were so bloomin expensive back in the day that they weren't bought in large quantities so there is less info on them...

This looks like your frame though!!! A 93 apparently perhaps yours has later decals?

viewtopic.php?t=17784

 

[wookiee]

Re: Any idea what year my Marin Team Titanium was born pleas

Or you could ask Ben (Benandemu) as he is the Marin Ti collector!!

 

[mistermonkeywrench]

Re: Any idea what year my Marin Team Titanium was born pleas

Just found this...apologies for borrowing of the images - they are not mine.

Posted as 1995





Decals are exactly the same - first ones I've ever seen the same. Apart from the metal head tube badge.

Not 100% sure about the frame finish either.

Plus - apologies to 'Dingeske' for the link and comparison...

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=161709

Why is this '95 different? My brain hurts!