Minifreaks 1993 Marin Pine F.R.S.

[Minifreak]

Hey guys,

It’s been a while since I posted a build and actually built a bike up for myself, quite a few done since the birth of our son to sell on or resto’s for friends but not my own.

I bought the frame and some bits a year and a half ago almost!

I’ve long wanted a Manitou reared frame, had an actual Manitou full sus briefly but the frame had multiple cracks and dents. I even bought the alloy Team F.R.S. version recently to swap out the rear stanchions and pinch the good condition original elastomers for this, now sold on to another member here.

Oddly I have no other steel frames bike in my collection and none with paint so the steel Marin version meets lots of needs

I’d toyed with have the frame professionally sprayed but all the dark grey sections except the drive side chainstay have good original paint, this I’ll cover up with a neoprene protector.
I’m going to have a go at spraying the headtube and seatclamp areas myself after lots of masking and keying. New decals courtesy of Gil, just waiting proofs.


I wanted to build an upgraded version of the bike so parts will consist of:


Frame - 1993 Marin Pine F.R.S. with Manitou rear elastomer suspension (new seals from the US)

Forks - Manitou 1’s with spring internals and new rubber bump stops.

Wheels- Ritchey Vantage Expert ano rims on black Deore XT M732 rear hub and PACE Alloy black front hub

Tyres- Ritchey Megabite Z-Max tyres

Seatpost - Syncros

Saddle - Turbo Kevlar

Stem - Syncros cattleprod quill

Handlebar - Easton Hyperlite

Grips - Ritchey W.C.S.

Chainset - Shimano XTR M900 with extractor bolts

Bottom bracket - Shimano XTR M900

Shifters - Shimano XTR M900

Front mech - Shimano XTR M900

Rear mech - Shimano XTR M900

Brakes - Shimano XTR M900 with Fibrax/Madison grey pads

Quick release - Shimano XTR M900 wheels / purple ano Seatpost

Pedals - Shimano Deore XT Platform

Headset - Shimano Deore XT

Cables - Shimano XTR M900

Cassette - Shimano HG41

Chain - Shimano HG71

Other bits - Purple ano bottle cage and canti hangers.


Hope you like the plans so far

 

[1552]

Re:

Will enjoy watching this take shape.
What size is it?

 

[Minifreak]

Re: Re:

Will enjoy watching this take shape.
What size is it?

Thank you

She’s around 18 3/4” centre of BB to top of seat tube.

 

[Peachy!]

Nice list.... looking forward to the build

 

[Minifreak]

Nice list.... looking forward to the build

Thank you Peachy, I normally like to return bikes close to original spec if possible but I want to build this one as I would have wanted to upgrade back as a 15yr old boy when these came out.
It should have a Manitou 2 but the 1’s match the frame so well colour wise.

 

[Minifreak]

Checking the new dust seals, old V’s new for the rear.
They are a good fit but pricey, bought two pairs incase and cost roughly £60 with import tax

 

[yakboy]

Re:

I agree those Mk1 Manitou's suit the frame so well, will watch closely as my Manitou FS needs similar amounts of work.

 

[Minifreak]

Repainting the silver lug areas today due to paint rub and rust.

Happy with the first coat on the headtube, think I’ll give it two coats.

The original silver was non metallic, I didn’t realise until I stripped the knackered decals off and polished the dark grey bits, that they have a slight sparkle in them so this Hammerite smooth silver should look great against it

 

[Minifreak]

Painting done.

I wasn’t going to do the rear dropouts but seeing as she was masked up and so it all matches, I thought what the hell

I did start to remove the hanger then found it was painted along with the screw heads from the factory so they got a coat too.
I’m pretty happy with my effort, painting isn’t my thing.

Rebuild of the rear a suspension is next on the agenda after the paint has time to harden, hopefully new decals to replace the top, head and downtube ones will be with me by the weekend from Gil.

Interestingly the yellow seat tube decal says ‘BEUKE Bike Centre Petted’ the bike also had remnants of decals from them matching the Marin silver ones on the toptube and non drive side chainstay. Google shows the shop in The Netherlands still exists

 

[Minifreak]

Rear suspension unit back together with replacement stanchions and elastomers: