Marin Mount Vision Pro Build

[cheesebutt666]

I’ve never ridden a mountain bike of any form, I just recently purchased a 1998 Marin Mount Vision Pro frame with the fork and headset to go with it. Though I’m trying to take all of this information In at once and find myself confused. In my mind I basically want to take the bike and fit it with modern technology, would that be a good idea or even possible?

 

[shedobits]

Welcome to the site. There's lots of advice and knowledge here (plus parts for your build too). With your current frame and forks you will be limited to rim brakes but providing you are happy with 26" wheels a retromod build is possible.
My best advice would be to spend several evenings reading what other members have done with their Marins so that you can have a clear idea on what you want to end up with and what is possible.
If I can offer some inspiration you have started off with the right choice of frame as these are highly regarded here.
Good luck and looking forward to your build thread.

 

[RickTheUncivil]

Yep, what he said. Great starting point that so best of luck to you.

 

[CTK]

You can only use rim brakes. Your choice of groupset will be limited by what rim brake wheels you find. If I were you I'd go with a 9 or 10 speed groupset as you will struggle to find rim brake 26" wheels that will take a cassette from the newest groupsets.

(Unless you have the wheels custom built)

 

[legrandefromage]

What 'modern technology'? Jets? Rockets!?

There is no 'modern technology' as what you see on a current bike is just an evolution of existing products

What has changed is how things attach to other things which makes them often completely incompatible with older frames although some thoughtful souls came along with adaptors

Any Shimano compatible 8spd hub can use a 10spd cassette so that goes right back to wheelsets from 1992, that gives you access to 10spd drive trains

V-brakes or Magura hydraulic rim brakes - unless you find disc brake adaptors for the rear and new forks for the front but as v-brakes are pretty decent, try them first

Newer forks would be better too as those Manitou are ok but that Marin rear suspension action was always far better than the front until better forks came along

The orange coloured swing arm belooooow had disc tabs welded to it by RB member danson67.

 

[legrandefromage]

Some inspiration for you

 

[hawkhill97]

I love mine!

Vee brakes are great and all you need for dry conditions. I'd go with vees, a 3x8 drive train, and keep the original bar/stem combo (IMO they ride better as designed than with a more modern short stem/wide bar setup).

 

[W7Ford]

Welcome to retrobike @cheesebutt666, that frames a great starting point. I used to look at these in my local bike shop after school, they mainly stocked Marin. I've got a 2000 Rift Zone frame in the loft that I cant bring myself to part with. Looking forward to seeing it as you build it up.

 

[cheesebutt666]

View attachment 576969

I love mine!

Vee brakes are great and all you need for dry conditions. I'd go with vees, a 3x8 drive train, and keep the original bar/stem combo (IMO they ride better as designed than with a more modern short stem/wide bar setup).

Would it be possible to put a 3x9 m950 on this frame? I was thinking something shimano xtr but it’s a lot of information to take in with so many parts lol

 

[cheesebutt666]

What 'modern technology'? Jets? Rockets!?

There is no 'modern technology' as what you see on a current bike is just an evolution of existing products

What has changed is how things attach to other things which makes them often completely incompatible with older frames although some thoughtful souls came along with adaptors

Any Shimano compatible 8spd hub can use a 10spd cassette so that goes right back to wheelsets from 1992, that gives you access to 10spd drive trains

V-brakes or Magura hydraulic rim brakes - unless you find disc brake adaptors for the rear and new forks for the front but as v-brakes are pretty decent, try them first

Newer forks would be better too as those Manitou are ok but that Marin rear suspension action was always far better than the front until better forks came along

The orange coloured swing arm belooooow had disc tabs welded to it by RB member danson67.

I was thinking eventually getting a triple clamp fork from the era, I think for now the manitou will work. Though the bike came with a catalogue from whenever it was purchased as well as the receipt, I noticed the b-17 and team frs dh both came with triple clamp forks and thought it’d be a good upgrade down the road.