Marin Muirwoods 1992.

[marc two tone]

It's not often a lower end bike gets shown off and, given the life support it badly needs but, me and this model have a strong connection. Probable that it's the whole reason/cause for resurrection of retro bike passion some 12 years ago.

A school time/life long chum had one of these. When you consider that 'round our way' if you had a gas pipe "sis equipped" 12 speed Peugeot, you were doing alright for yourself!
Then this popped up. Lucky so and so! Must have cashed in all chips and favours to achieve ownership.
Saw this on ebay, fully acknowledged the impending graft. 140 miles round trip.
Its here....


I've never got over or attached to any other colour scheme/layout. The pure eye catching combo. Imagine it back in 1992/3 when I was exposed to such high and mighty equipment.
Man, the BB turned like hour-hand increment and the headset didn't move at all! Been outside for 10, maybe more years. Every nut and bolt has fought back.
I had to take the bike to work and use a heavy bench vice to turn the stem with a brush handle.
The BB is still in but, not for long. Even the seatpost quick release gave heavy resistance.
Bonuses?
Well, a dx rear mech is always welcome and the seatpost (despite the lowest possible position/time outdoors) just shuffled up no bother. I've loads more to do and have no pressure to finish it.



I will keep busy with the frame and forks. A multi-stage thing I have going on where I de grease, lightly scour with GT85, rub in some heavy libe to seal and shine.
I'll update as I progress with it.
Cheers.

 

[marc two tone]

A bit more attention paid to the frame. It's as good as I can the paintwork without over restoring, I dont mind a few scabs and paint fade. All things considered.

I have hit some small jobs such as the headset. Hated binning the original ritchey logic but, it was buggered. A new, cheapo headset had been fitted.
All about the fusilage for now as I dont want to get ahead and loose focus as a sympathetic restoration is the order.
A sharkfin (to cover damage) and cable-rub dot thingies are on their way.



At point over the years, someone replaced 'muirwoods' with some fork decals, had to go!


That's better.



Now, I really want a yellow mt zefal pump.

Just the BB to shift and I will assess/clean/scrounge the rest.
.

 

[Tsundere]

A kindred spirit, love seeing these lower-mid range beauties getting the full treatment, working on a 1989 Muirwoods myself so will be watching your progress on this with interest

 

[brocklanders023]

Very good mate.

 

[retrobikeguy]

Had one moons ago, full mudguards and rear rack, great workhorses

 

[marc two tone]

Yesterday I had some spare time, most of the day actually, meaning I could bolt some stuff on and see how it all works together.
I've reused the cantis, even though one arm has its plastic shaved down where the brake block has dropped below the rim and the arm has become the 'brake'.

Old bottom bracket is out. Took so much force to rotate it that the bb tool has ovalised! Never seen that before.
Stuff has been installed but I'm un happy with the gearing. New cassette, nearly new chain just dont get on with the shonky freehub and malfunction of the 020 shifters. It's just not meshing.
I can just about live with the tired rear wheel, for this side of 2021 anyway, but I have some gripshift that will do the job nicely. Also the DX has play in the lowest pivot (couldn't detect before fitting up) so I will monitor that for now.
The amount of mileage anticipated means I will swap stuff out as I'm going along rather that throw good parts at it that mat not suit in the end.

'Love me and my faults'.

I still cant decide on whether or not to decal over the major paint scrapes or just enjoy the honest wear of it. As a build goes on, your standard seems to ascend also...we'll see.

 

[Tsundere]

Coming along nicely, from these pics the wear just looks like good old honest patina which for me adds character, especially as overall it looks so clean and shiny.

 

[amoto65]

Just about to start a similar project, If it turns out as good as this I will be well pleased.

 

[enc]

is that the same front mech Sterling work so far! love it

 

[marc two tone]

Just about to start a similar project, If it turns out as good as this I will be well pleased.

As long as you keep the black and yellow paint as eye catching as possible, you wont fail. The low end groupset is easy to replace with much better items. Say LX, dx, etc..
Hubs can be a challenge as exage wore oit quick if not meticulously maintained.

is that the same front mech Sterling work so far! love it

I'll be honest, I bought a lx550 off ebay. It works as well as it looks. The 200gs got binned along with the chainset, bottom bracket and finally shifters (today).
I try conserve stuff but sometimes dead is dead.
Cheers man.