1997 Marin Mount Vision rear shock

[dazdc5]

My son has acquired my 17 year old Vision after he took back the 6 month old Carrera to halfrauds which was falling apart upon collection :roll: !!
The original spring rear shock now seems to be a bit tired and after servicing my FoxRP2 and realising the thing is weightless, I'm looking for second hand item for the Marin.

Trouble is, there is so many different lengths etc, has anyone got or had a Vision and converted to an RP2 shock? Does it have to match the old spring shock length or can I get a longer one and have it part compressed.

Chain Reaction have a selection, but as soon as I select the 165mm the price rockets!!


ps He has wire wooled all the flaky lacquer off and its polished up a treat, still a great bike all these years on.

 

[Benandemu]

Any 165mm shock with a 38mm stroke is fine. I use a DT 225 air shock, and it transforms the handling. Anything too complicated is wasted on the short travel single pivot, so just keep to a simple design like the Fox Float R or RP23. Some of the SID ones are good too. Beware of some second hand ones as you'll probably need to factor in a service on top of the price.

 

[dazdc5]

Re:

I'm struggling with the 165mm part as this seems to be where purchase price goes through the roof. I dont know why.

As for the servicing I did mine at the weekend, there really is nothing to them apart from compressed air and a handfull of O rings and nylon washers ..

What size is your Marin Benandemu..

 

[ewanm77]

ive been looking for a 165mm shock for mine for a while. ebay always has some but mostly from abroad

 

[Benandemu]

Mine is a medium, or 17.5.

 

[old_coyote_pedaller]

Re:

As this thread shows, viewtopic.php?f=21&t=291120&start=10
having a longer than original shock will cause the swing arm end of shock to contact the down-tube.
My post at the end also mentions that there are different lengths of original shocks for different frame sizes and that I changed a coil shock for a same length air shock on an old Wolf Ridge.
Just make sure that at full extension of shock there is 3 to 5 mm clearance to down-tube.
With the existing 165mm coil shock fitted, how much clearance is there to down-tube?

 

[dazdc5]

Re:

About 10mm.

The swingarm is also extremely close to the cage of the front mech and just about clears when setting up front shifting on a bike stand.

Brand new 165mm shocks are just so expensive compared to longer lengths, plus, just losing out on another on fl-Ebay by a few pence, I'm starting to get cheesed off... :evil:

 

[old_coyote_pedaller]

Re:

OK, just measured the 2 built up and 1 frame only Marins we have and the measurements are, 13.5" no decals? with 165mm i2i Fox air shock, about 6mm, the 17.5" Wolf Ridge with 185mm Rockshox air shock, about 5mm, the frame only 17.5" Wildcat Trail with 200mm Fox coil shock, about 4/5mm.
As you can see the Wolf Ridge and Wildcat Trail although both 17.5" frames have different length shocks but have roughly same clearance, the rear swingarms are the same but front triangle is different dimensionally apart from seat-tube length.
Don't know what increments the shock lengths go up in but it would seem that you are stuck with the 165mm unless there are 170mm ones around.
A 170mm, if they exist, would likely still give you about 5mm clearance. It is hard though to measure accurately the gap with a tape, my digital calipers don't fit in there, need to look out my old fashioned ones for that.

 

[dazdc5]

Re:

Good info cheers... now he his back from school and I can take a look, it actually looks less than 10mm ...7-8mm possibly.

Will just have to keep an eye out and hope one comes along. the coil installed at the mo weighs a ton and we're on a weight reducing mission.

Ignore the plastic cover on the main pin ...The original was lost and we just happen to find that plug that fitted!!

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

It's because loads are picking up these frames. I've just got a mnt vision and friends have a couple too.
165 is needed.

I saw the CRC thing too.

But eBay is just to much for a frame like this. And none fox any good?