Marin Pine Mountain 1990(?)

[xerxes]

Re:

There's a thread about Marin frame numbers here: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... ;p=2246247

Late 80s and early 90s Marins had a U brake on the rear of the smaller frame sizes because you could catch your heals on the wide cantilever brakes, later when narrower profile cantilevers came out they had cantilevers front and rear.

Is the rear mech a Deore II or a Deore DX? If it's Deore II, it's 1989, if it's Deore DX it's 1990 or later, although I'm guessing it's not much later than 1990 because I think they had the fatter "Afterburner" seat stays on the later models.

I think the brake levers and shifters on your bike may have been changed at some point, because it would originally have had thumb shifters.

 

[marc two tone]

Re:

Here is an excerpt from the now infamous 'marin frame number thread'........


You could be right with the frame 'sharing'.

Before the BVSE era (i.e. 90 - 91) I 'think' the frames from the BV upto the pine mountain were the same. The geometry change was palisades to BV, the tubing change was pine mountain to team marin.

The introduction of the BVSE shifted the lower change over point, not sure about the upper ?

My code M904010468 based on the info I posted further up the thread says that mine is a PM :?

WD

Back to me, you will go dizzy trying to get your head round the serial number thing as marin have laid poor foundations to decipher them in the first place by altering the serials year on year. The decals, groupsets and colour tell better truths with earlier marins, trust me on that one!

A replacement crown race will be hard to get, so ask for a lower assembly complete, race, cup and bearings that match well with the rest of the headset, or change the lot if you can find a ritchey or suchlike.

 

[Egghead]

The 1989 catalogue (for BV and PT) states "rear U brake for the 15.5" models", the 1990 catalogue for the PM just states "DX cantilevers", the 1991 catalogue for the PM states "Deore DX New Low Profile" for front AND rear. The 1990 DX groupset included the U-II U-brake and the cantilevers were wide profile, so it is feasible that the 1990 15.5" models had rear U-brakes the same as in 1989, but it is not mentioned in the catalogue? Or as suggested, this is a 1989 frame used in 1990. As mentioned, 1991 PM would have Afterburner constant diameter stays.

Have you measured yet? - remember the Marin sizes were c-c.

The 1990 catalogue PM has DX STI units, not thumbshifters, so I think all components are original. It would also have had a short cage rear mech.

 

[Egghead]

1990 catalogue Pine Mountain:

 

[Ibrakeforcake]

Re:

It's a 15.5"! I thought it looked bigger. They are wide profile brakes on the front so they must have continued the U brake solution in to the 1990 frames.

Thanks for all the info so far. There are a few NOS DX headsets knocking about around the £50 mark but that's more than I paid for the whole bike! I will probably, as suggested, source a similar looking bottom unit and see if anything else crops up at a later date.

I'm struggling with the photos at the mo so will use the computer at work tomorrow.

 

[xerxes]

Re:

I recently replaced the headset on my '89 Marin with a Tange Passage: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... mp;_sop=15

If your forks are anything like mine, the steerer tube will be cut ridiculously short and only the lowest stack height headsets, as near as possible to 30mm, will fit; anything much over and the lock nut doesn't engage the threads.

Also, check the crown race diameter, Marin were originally JIS, which is 27.0mm, whereas most 1" threaded headsets are ISO, which is 26.4mm. Most sellers omit this rather important bit of information from their descriptions along with the stack height. :roll:

Many years ago, long before the internet and in a fit of frustration, having bought the wrong size, I filed down the crown race on my forks so I could fit a more common ISO 26.4mm 1" headset. Not ideal, but it's been like that for 20+ years now and works OK. :?

 

[Ibrakeforcake]

Re:

I never knew that! I remember rebuilding an old Peugeot road bike a few years ago and the crown race was loose on the steerer. Must have been the opposite problem you had. Everyday's a school day!

The steerer on mine is 1 1/8". I think due to the 1/4" bearings it might have a decent stack height. I suppose this means I could use the bottom section from most available headsets.

 

[xerxes]

Re:

The steerer on mine is 1 1/8".

Well I didn't know that, I thought Marin's stuck with 1" for a few years after '89.

I wish mine was 1 1/8", I would have found a new set of forks with a long, unthreaded steerer and stuck an A-head stem and threadless headset on it, because I'm a philistine and having had both types, I reckon threadless set-ups are a lot less hassle than all that messing about with lock nuts and worrying about stack height.

I suppose this means I could use the bottom section from most available headsets.

Maybe, I'd be inclined to buy a whole new one, some are fairly cheap: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw= ... p;_sacat=0. If the new crown race doesn't fit the old headset, you can fit the whole new headset.

 

[marc two tone]

Re:

Headsets for a quid! pitty there is no black.

If you get stuck i have this ritchey lower assembly spare, paint a bit scruffy but is seems nice ans smooth, needs greasing up.

£2.

 

[Ibrakeforcake]

Re:

Cheers Guys,

I think I might go for one of these whilst I look for a new crown race. It looks similar and is not too pricey:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00JGVT ... 1_2&sr=8-2

Is it part of a road group though?

Thanks for the Ritchey assembly offer, I'll give you a shout if I decide to go down that route.