1991 Marin Eldridge? Anyone confirm or deny?

[brocklanders023]

Hello all. Just took a gamble on ebay with a local bike as I thought I saw an LX rear mech and half decent canti's in the dodgy picture on the listing.

Picked it up this morning and am more then happy with it as although it's covered in ladybirds and in need of a lots of tlc it seems to have some decent retro kit (LX, DX, 231). It struck me that the spec seemed very close to that of the 1991 Marin Eldridge. On closer inspection there seems to be a zolatone type finish under the dodgy respray so my hopes have been raised. I also think the seat stays look like 'Afterburners' but I'm no Marin expert.

Anyone else have any ideas?

 

[ishaw]

I think the faded pink bars certainly lend themselves to that conclusion. I'm no expert either but I think the drop outs also help confirm its a Marin.

 

[hamster]

Dropouts and braze-ons look right. If you take the rear wheel out you should find M A R I N on the dropout face.

 

[one-eyed_jim]

Definitely a Marin with those stays and dropouts.

It looks like one of the models with an oversized seat tube, and the pink stem and cable routing are right for a '91 Eldridge Grade.

Got a serial number?

 

[brocklanders023]

Thanks for the replies. Can't see anything on the drop-outs but it says MARIN on the seat qr. Looks like it's lived outside for a while though and the seatpost is stuck. :roll:

 

[mooster]

Looks like a 19" ctc Marin to me, are the bars and stem faded orange or faded pink? If it's pink then you possibly have a Prestige framed Team Marin Orange would be either eldridge or pine mountain.

Either way, nice find!

 

[brocklanders023]

Serial number looks like M31AE010 :?

 

[brocklanders023]

Yep, 19" c to c.

Don't think I've been lucky enough to drop on a Team. Think the paint's faded red and added to the DX STI's + LX mechs it points towards an Eldridge if it is a Marin I think?

 

[sylus]

the frame number unless I am reading the frame thread wrong..comes back as a 91 pine mountain??? but all the parts contradict that?

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37430

 

[brocklanders023]

Thanks for that sylus. Looking at the thread and the archive I think it once again points towards the Eldridge as the thread says forget the Ti and work down. From the archive the info suggests no Team Issue so it would run:

1- Team.
2- Pine Mountain.
3- Eldridge.

So the '1' in the serial number would be 1991 and the E a 20" bike.

Only got this in the hope I could salvage a few parts for a retro bike for my girlfriend but looks like I might have found a new project.