1992 Marin Team Issue

[markjohnson76]

I picked this 92 Team issue up a few months ago. I was really excited to get it as I, like a lot of you possibly, hankered after one of these as a teen. I haven't seen many about apart from mint examples. As you can see this is less than a mint example! Not sure how to proceed with it. I want to keep it pretty stock. I do have the original wheels but the rims aren't great though possibly saveable.

What would you do with it? Ground up resto with a new layer of nickel? Or just polish and clean as much as possible and use as a weather beaten rider? Or split and accept the frame is too far gone? Lots and lots of pitting. Needs a seat post, saddle, correct wheels possibly, grips, XTR shifter pods, decals. Bit of a project! Hoping to get it done over the winter but not sure how to approach it.

 

[mk one]

nice bikes, there are a couple of threads on here of full restorations on these bikes, one recently, a quick search should find them.

Look forward to see what you do with it

mark

 

[2manyoranges]

Re:

Frankly, this is a rubbish bike - give it to me.

Seriously, this a bike over which I have fond memory. I’ll talk about what you can do with the frame in a minute.

I had one of these briefly in the mid 90s and really really wish I’d kept it. I had Manitou 1s on it, xt and Mavic 321 and yes white porcs. The stretched top tube is rather like the radical COTICS and Stantons which are rightly now seen as the way to go. But it was on this bike first. Marin was really up there with race design at that time. You could run a short stem and wide bar, and the handling was précise and safe as houses. The steep seat tube meant climbing was exceptional. The frame set is light, rigid in all the right directions and compliant over any ground. A smooooooth ride. Which means SPEED.I remember checking mine out down a long two mile gradient off the South Downs Way - flinty, rutted, gravelly, steep in places to get real speed. I nailed it. I mean really nailed it. So so fast. That compliance translates straight into speed. I gave it away to replace it with a Marin titanium with the same geometry. But I still remember that afternoon ride. And the inner grin which slowly formed as I descended, knowing that this was the most sophisticated frame I had ever ridden.

Now, restoration. I had a P7 nickel rescue job, had been in a neighbours garden rotting for a year. Rustier than yours - all I did was wire wool it. Came up a treat. Then spray all over with GT85. Done. And that one has been ridden all year sun and rain and just needed a refresh once in a while in places - quick rub and then spray.

This gives you a nice compromise I think. Retained patina so you know it’s a historical bike, and not a rat bike. Better than an expensive full restoration I believe, but other may differ. The person who had the bike before you knew what they were doing - that’s race spec kit on it. I suspect that this bike might have an interesting history. There were not many of them imported.

You have a real piece of mtb history - when designers REALLY began to understand geometry. Marin led then, I think, then lost it.

 

[Minifreak]

Here’s my restoration of one for a bit of inspiration, don’t do what I did and stupidly sold it, these bikes are amazing riders, so nimble and light

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=353186&hilit=Marin+Team+issue

Look forward to following your progress on this beauty.

 

[brocklanders023]

Re:

Getting the frame re-finished will be spendy so I'd only consider that if you picked the bike up for peanuts. Otherwise I'd clean the frame up as well as you can, new decals, tyres and replace the non stock parts with used stock stuff.

 

[PopsTrippin]

Re:

If it was me (but i know it's not) i'd tidy up the frame as best you can and leave the decals as they are and ride the hell out of it. I know of someone who went through a massive restore on one of those including fresh nickel plate and decals and never rides it because it looks too nice which is a shame. Whilst new decals would freshen your bike up, they are not exact replicas and that would spoil it. I have the standard team from 92 and my decals are slightly faded but original and that makes me smile.

 

[PopsTrippin]

Re:

The one i mentioned.

 

[enc]

Re:

the rust isnt as bad as it looks. fine wire wool, autosol and fine wet n dry 1200 -1500 -2000 will have it looking a treat in no time ... well not no time... its quite a job really but well worth doing. seal the polished frame with a decent car wax every couple of months and your laughing !

 

[stedlocks]

At the end of the day, it's original, right? And it's only original once.

By all means, take some tin foil, add a squirt of wd40 or GT85 or similar, and work it baby!

But, it's original........embrace it!