1999 Marin Bear Valley refurb

[sparkybhp]

Just picked this up via an ad on Gumtree:

It’s not all that special I know, but it hit all the points on my project requirements list: Cheap, Local & Correct size(!)
Plans are to go through it front to back and get it rideable once more, should make a nice steel hardtail for the trails once it’s done.

 

[madjh]

Sometimes it doesn’t have to be special but serve to a pourpose. Clean, oil, some new cables grips a saddle and perhaps chain and casette and that is all to have fun. The fork if you have one could be other point to improve but I would go cheap.
I have done a cheap project with a Massi Toro and it is not pretty, and doesn’t have to be pretty as it is a mud bike and I love it Mud is very fun if you have the right bike.

That front tubes … unecesary shape that no many likes. And they continue with the aluminium ones and that hydroformed tubes. And the sales dropped

I don’t know any thing about Marin today, but many brands has desapoeared like Orange and in USA Kona, and GT. Even Rocky Mountain (and this is very bad news … very bad ) has problems and is trying to recover … at least they didn’t disappear but that is a significan company today and has lot of cool stuff. Marin? I don’t know

 

[sparkybhp]

I agree with what you say, they don’t all have to be super flash/collectable bikes. Sometimes the cheap/functional bikes surprise you and you grow to love them.
I jumped right in with this one and other than a slightly stubborn seatpost it came apart fine. It was then a deep clean and reassemble as parts were cleaned and serviced. I fitted a replacement Ritchey Logic headset which I had as the original was a bit notchy. The wheel hubs were serviced and the cranks stripped and cleaned, cassette cleaned up too.

I then tried a different stem and these Ritchey Kyote bars which I bought for something else but didn’t end up using. I think they suit the bike and have changed the direction of the build from a straight refurb to a more gravel bike type of build. The Conti tyres suit the new direction perfectly and the rest of the parts will be a similar theme.
Funny how these things take shape, I’m looking forward to finishing this one over Easter and trying it out.