Midrange MTB frames are better for touring than high-end ones. The thicker tubing simply makes them better able to deal with the knocks and general mistreatment that a tourer has to suffer. After 30 years I have yet to dent it. It's been through airline baggage systems at least 20 times.
26" touring forks advice....
- Thread starter Lostcause
- Start date
BOBU
Retro Guru
Hamster, That's my intent for the Hawk Hill Frame I've got in the garage a bombproof trek/tour long distance bike. I agree with you, the lower end Marins are more suited to loaded touring work having heavier gauge Tange tubing throughout. Once you've loaded 30kg of supplies onto the bike the extra 1 kg of frame weight is more of a comfort than worry! Back to working on the Claud.... rod/back.
Lostcause
Retro Guru
I’ve just scored a Marin Bobcat trail, which has a decent Tange frame and durable looking dropouts. I was going to disc mod that and use that as a do it all tourer/xc/anything bike but I have ahem, several Rockhoppers (I don’t know either) so can’t justify keeping it really. I’ll disc mod it and put it up for sale let someone have something very versatile.
Stanflashm4n
Old School Hero
What are we counting as midrange Marin, below pine mountain ?
Palisades / Bear Valley would be my pick, the Bear Valley SE/Eldridge/Pine Mountain all shared a racier frame.
Most of the Bobcat has come apart OK, the bottom bracket needed a 60cm breaker bar after a night pickling in Plus-Gas. At present the seatpost is stuck. Plus-Gas pickling in progress. The frame number I need to check, seems like a pricier frame. As it's 1997, I wonder if they had a surplus of steel frames they had to get rid of.
Most of the Bobcat has come apart OK, the bottom bracket needed a 60cm breaker bar after a night pickling in Plus-Gas. At present the seatpost is stuck. Plus-Gas pickling in progress. The frame number I need to check, seems like a pricier frame. As it's 1997, I wonder if they had a surplus of steel frames they had to get rid of.
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