Marin Bear Valley

[highlandsflyer]

Don't know what you call fairly heavy back in 1995, but this would have been in the normal weight range for back then between 26 to 26.5 lb.

I have (well my old man has) the SE version of it feel pretty light, I'd say 24.5 to 25lb range. Of course I'm going to have to go weigh it now. I need to change the cables as all the outers has perished.

You would need to check the normal Bear Valleys forks as they used plain gauge forks iirc, not the lighter butted forks of the SE and higher.

Yeah fair point, I just remembered these being heavy to my touch. Back around then they were very popular but 'low end' in Marin's range, I was lifting a dozen Bear Valleys in and out of my van every day, it adds up and I felt they were a bit heavy.

The average weight for competitive bikes of this era was definitely in the sub 22lbs range, high end bikes sub 24. 20lbs was the magic number for me, had a few down there.

Just my recollection.

Before suspension was adopted as standard, weight was definitely on the way down. Manufacturers' highest end bikes were always their lightest, until they were the ones featuring suspension forks.

Suspension really did reverse that trend.

 

[FluffyChicken]

The Bear Valley is mid-range in Marin 'steel' land, well maybe just below mid
There are about as many below it as above it.

Though that spec is entry level in brands like Kona/Orange.

I'm not saying 26lb+ is light, it's not it's heavy in my eyes also. But it aint no 30lb monster.

Sub 24.5lb is a good lightweight front sus bike to me. Dropping lower if you steer away from Steel bikes and are short.

 

[highlandsflyer]

They were in the 'bottom' third of Marin's range BITD.

Like most makers, frames were shared amongst several levels of spec.

Kona's low end shared similar spec.

I posted it as 'low end', deliberately, as nothing Marin produced was low quality. They are solid bikes that ride nicely. No disputing that.

Back when I was an experienced and competitive cyclist 26lbs was heavy to me!

Riding cross country, as most mountain biking was, you carried your bike frequently.

We were all weight weenies to some extent.

You bet you can tell the difference carrying an extra few pounds when you are carrying it for a few hundred yards.

You would struggle to find bikes as heavy as thirty pounds in the mid nineties, from the major makers. Thankfully.

Back in the 90s weight was very high in the pecking order of considerations for purchase, and all makers quoted weights where possible.

I am 6 2 and other than riding street always used the larger frames.

My main ride back in those days was predictably a Klein, although I rode just about everything out there at some point.



Oranges of course were subject to dealer/customer spec.

 

[Neil]

As far as the weight of mass-produced bikes BITD, I look at it like this, my 91 DB Apex was about 26.5lbs (claimed) - there were 2 bikes in the range above it - the Axis (I also have a 91 Axis) and the Axis Team.

The only difference between the Apex and the 2 Axis bikes above (in 91) were slight differences in frame tubing (AVR vs OX vs OXII). I suspect in reality, the frame weights weren't that much different. Same rims were used for all three bikes (Apex using DX groupset, 2 Axis bikes XT equipped).

Largely the same finishing kit was used (Tioga or Avenir branded stuff).

Point being that I suspect the top of the DB range, in 91, was probably not much lighted than the Apex.

From what I remember, Diamond Back bikes back then were probably on a similar par to the other mass-produced makes at the time.

Bear Valleys seemed decent middle of the range bikes, I rode one, BITD, because one of my friends at the time had one. Also, another friend had a GT Karakorum (I think that would have been a 91 model, had the orange paintjob). That seemed a bit heavier, but then it was in a larger size than most of the other bikes in the group.

Another friend had a DB Ascent (also a 91 model) - that seemed similar in terms of weight to my Apex.

A couple of years later, one of my friends bought a Marin Eldridge Grade - guessing this would have been nearing mid 90s. That seemed a reasonably light bike - but then the steel framed (mass-produced) bikes did seem to get lighter towards the mid 90s.

I bought another DB Apex (new) in 95 (still have it). That had a claimed weight of 24-ish lbs. Frame and forks would have been lighter than it's 91 counterparts (TT-Lite tubing), wheels were at the lighter end (Mavic 230s), groupset reasonable (Deore LX).

So an early 90s Bear Valley at around 26lbs doesn't sound overly heavy for it's time.

 

[FluffyChicken]

They were in the 'bottom' third of Marin's range BITD.

Like most makers, frames were shared amongst several levels of spec.

Kona's low end shared similar spec.

I posted it as 'low end', deliberately, as nothing Marin produced was low quality. They are solid bikes that ride nicely. No disputing that.

Back when I was an experienced and competitive cyclist 26lbs was heavy to me!

Riding cross country, as most mountain biking was, you carried your bike frequently.

We were all weight weenies to some extent.

You bet you can tell the difference carrying an extra few pounds when you are carrying it for a few hundred yards.

You would struggle to find bikes as heavy as thirty pounds in the mid nineties, from the major makers. Thankfully.

Back in the 90s weight was very high in the pecking order of considerations for purchase, and all makers quoted weights where possible.

I am 6 2 and other than riding street always used the larger frames.

My main ride back in those days was predictably a Klein, although I rode just about everything out there at some point.



Oranges of course were subject to dealer/customer spec.

Ah I was trying to be nice to 'Marin' for a change, most people probably know I consider ' entry level MTB's ' to be Deore LX equipped at least, I frequent the weenie section and think Klein's are cheap Alu cans welded together, just made to look expensive.

 

[highlandsflyer]

Ah I was trying to be nice to 'Marin' for a change, most people probably know I consider ' entry level MTB's ' to be Deore LX equipped at least, I frequent the weenie section and think Klein's are cheap Alu cans welded together, just made to look expensive.

Well, it is April Fool.

 

[Splatter Paint]

Well, I look at it like this, I always wanted a Bear Valley when I was a nipper and I've finally got one 16 years later. This bike was owned by a off-road phobic owner (it was used for commuting) and is original down to the factory fitted chain and cables. I've had to replace the cassette and chain as they were badly worn. The rear rim is also worn- anyone know the ERD of a Araya TM-18?

SP

The weight incidentally, is about 27lbs - it is quite lardy. The frame is 17.5" c-c, 19" c-t.

 

[FluffyChicken]

TM-18, cannot see them in the 95 catalouge, but they are in the '93 and here's the specs
http://www.araya-kk.co.jp/rim/archive/1993/09-10.htm

same as RM400 Pro-XC so use that as a basis, http://lenni.info/edd/ you'll not be far off.

 

[Splatter Paint]

Cheers FC.

I went to the LBS, they quoted £30 per wheel for the labour of the rebuild + £16 per wheel for the spokes and on top of that I'd need a new rim. I bid on a pair of tidy LX / Mavic wheels on ebay (aparently the machining marks are still visible in places on the braking surface) and won them for £35.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAVIC-MTB-WHEELS-/110667101053

Although I was keen to keep the bike original, it is simply not worth it for that price.

SP

 

[highlandsflyer]

Awesome.

Glad you did that, at the end of the day it is better to get something sorted yourself this way and then you can take your time to look at the original problem with no pressure, or not as you choose!