Just curious about Marin frame numbers after search

[Alison]

I was searching Marin frame number info and came across an old post from 2008 which would have been perfect for me except it doesn't quite match mine

Original thread answer

I have more answers...

Take my frame number

M74HAB182

The M is the factory.

M is Marvel, F is Fairly and T is Ti sports

7 is the model number. Exclude the Ti bikes and work down the list eg.

1 Team Issue
2 Team Marin
3 Pine Mountain
4 Eldridge grade
5 Bear Valley
6 Muirwoods
7 Palisades Trail
8 Bobcat Trail

4 is the year ending number. That would be 1994.

HA is month and date, but you will need the Enigma machine to decode these. Not really relevant either!

B is the size centre to centre.

A is 14 inches
B is 15.5 inches ( this makes it 17 centre to top)
C is 17 inches
D is 19 inches
E is 20 inches

182 are production numbers that are factory use only, and again require the Enigma machine.

So, from that you can calculate the year, model and place it was made.

Seems I have a 94 Palisades Trail frame and forks. The frames were all the same up to Eldridge and then they used Tange prestige or Superlight tubing.

What I want to know is whether these are accurate

1 Team Issue
2 Team Marin
3 Pine Mountain
4 Eldridge grade
5 Bear Valley
6 Muirwoods
7 Palisades Trail
8 Bobcat Trail

As if this is the case then my crappy old Bolinas Ridge frame is a Bobcat Trail and my Bear Valley is an Eldridge Grade, and I'm sure they are what they say they are

Thanks

Alison

 

[brocklanders023]

Re:

Think it depends what year and how many models they had in that year for example in 1990 the Eldridge would have been 3 I think (Team, Pine Mountain, Eldridge) but would have been at least a 6 or 7 come 1993 due to all the models above it in the range (Team, Team Ti, IFT, PM, maybe Nail Trail etc). Does that make sense?

 

[Alison]

Ah, that changes things, Bear Valley is '95, the other is '92.

Alison

 

[hamster]

Aluminium and Ti ones were always in a different numbering series, but the numbers all shifted down one when the Team Issue came in above the Team.

Remember that Eldridge, Pine Mtn and Bear Valley SE all shared the same frame and it was not unknown for the wrong frame number to be painted up as a lowlier one on the list.

 

[sylus]

Re:

I'm pretty sure I've read in here that the same frame was used for one or more models with only the spec and paint being different to save cost particulary on the lower to mid models

 

[marc two tone]

Re:

Yes, the codes can vary from year to year.

In '95, the numero uno was/is 'team marin'. I have one in the cave that confirms that.

But here....

Different again...



What I want to know is whether these are accurate

1 Team Issue
2 Team Marin
3 Pine Mountain
4 Eldridge grade
5 Bear Valley
6 Muirwoods
7 Palisades Trail
8 Bobcat Trail


Also, from 1990, the palisades/trail was above the muirwoods in the range. The above suggests the other way round. Very year subjective.

One favor marin did for us is give a year on year change to paint schemes and decal font, giving us a reliable reference as the paintwork and decals are not easily replicated. A good replication will catch some people out, like joe bloggs looking around for a marin bike.

But other subtle traits such as frame size, headtube size, can narrow it down pretty quick to the learned.

Get some pics up of both bikes, or frame only and i'm sure we can confirm their i.d.

cheers