Look away now if you’re a purist, but here is my b*stardised / kinda neo-retro 1994 Team Marin.
Prompted to post by a fellow board member (hi Matt!) after acquiring some Judy XCs. Spec below, followed by the (longish) story…
IMG_20180509_141842 by Andy M, on Flickr
IMG_20180509_141849 by Andy M, on Flickr
IMG_20180509_141902 by Andy M, on Flickr
Frame: Marin, Team Marin 1994 (repainted)
Fork: Manitou Magnum (also original Marin Ultra Lite [repainted], and just acq: Rock Shox Judy XC)
Headset: Acor alloy
Stem: FSA OS190 LX 120mm
Handlebar: Ritchey Comp
Grips: ?
Barends: Tioga Powerstud XS
Brakes: XT M739 V-brakes
Brake Pads: Shimano XT
Brake Cables: Jagwire
Cantilever cable hangers:
Brake Levers: XT M739
Shifters: XT M739 Rapidfire
Front Derailleur: XT M737
Rear Derailleur: XT M737 (red pulley wheels)
Derailleur Cables: Jagwire
Cassette: Shimano HG70 (edit: now upgraded to XT)
Chain: Sram 8 speed
Cranks: XT M737
Crank Bolts: XT M737
Chainrings: XT M737
Chainring bolts: XT M737
Bottom Bracket: Shimano cartridge
Pedals: Cheap pedals with clips
Hub Skewers: Shimano
Rims: Front Mavic 230 TIB (orig) Rear Mavic 217 SUP (rebuilt)
Hubs: XT M747
Nipples: F- Marin Alloy / R- ?
Spokes: F- Stainless 15/16 / R- ?
Tyres (Road): Continental Tour Ride 1.75”
Tyres (Off road): F- Specialized Resolution 2.3” / R- Continental Gravity
Tubes: Butyl
Saddle: Ritchey FS+10
Seatpost: Tioga T-bone alloy
Seatpost Binder: n/a
For my 17th birthday in 1994 there was only one thing I wanted. Not driving lessons, that would have been pointless without a car to my mind. I wanted a proper mountain bike. I wanted a Marin.
As chance would have it, the UK distributor (at that time) ATB Sales, was a mere half a mile or so up the road from me in Hastings and rumour had it Marins could be bought on the cheap, cash in hand out the back of their warehouse. After some parental negotiations I had a budget and nervously wandered up there. I emerged with a 94 Muirwoods which became my pride and joy. It was upgraded relentlessly, teaching me lots about how to maintain a bike and the importance of the proper tools!
Then, it got nicked. Pinched from the garage. As my folks were the responsible type, it was insured (for the full retail price!), so I was able to make a return trip to ATB Sales in the late summer of 95 with even more cash in my grubby mitts, emerging with this Team Marin. The Muirwoods was good, but this was a significant upgrade and was bloody brilliant. And I liked the look of the 94s compared to the 95s, which were a bit more blingy. Then I went to uni in London and it got left behind and not used, with periodic reminders from my dad about the added cost to his home insurance.
It was a few years later when I was able to reclaim it and it became my main transport, at least until I got a car. With only occasional use it was kind of neglected, with occasional replacement bits when required or when I wanted something a bit different. These included an ill-advised pair of pinkish downhill bars with an (awesome looking) I-beam stem, the rear wheel being rebuilt around the original hub and about three different chainsets.
A few years ago, inspired by this place and a renewed interest in bikes, mainly down to getting into road cycling (i know, i know, in my defence I had this first….) I decided to freshen it up a bit and get it looking better. It needed a repaint obviously, but a combination of finding the silver a bit boring and realising getting it back to fully original spec would be time consuming and expensive, prompted me to go with red. I’d seen a similar colour on a Klein and thought it looked amazing.
Frame/forks. Repainted by Armourtex, they did a great job, fixed a ding in the top tube and extracted the stubborn old original bb, replacing it with a new Shimano cartridge for me. Manitou Magnums bought off here a while back as I wanted suspension and the Manitous seemed right - some models were sold with Manitous in 94. Have recently acquired some Judy XCs, which should look even better - updated pics to be added when they’re installed.
Gil sold me a set of repro decals. I wasn’t too sure whether to go down this route at all as it looks so different with the red paint, but took the plunge and added the down tube / head tube / seat tube stickers and think the effect is pretty good.
Groupset: Over the years the only items remaining of the original full M737 groupset were: the rear der (which remains); the STI units, which were wearing out and have been replaced with separate M739 shifters and V brake levers; and the brakes, which were black LX centre pulls for some reason - now replaced with M739 V brakes. Replacement M737 chainset and front der were purchased here to keep the groupset (kind of) consistent.
Wheels: Front wheel is - amazingly - still completely original. Rear wheel needed rebuilding some years back after getting whacked. The Marin Lite Kevlar tyres wore out forever ago and it now sits on some road tyres for everyday use, with off-road tyres on standby.
Components: I wanted to keep it plain black to show off the paint job and groupset, so after kicking myself for replacing/losing the original handlebar and stem, I sourced a variety of cheapish plain black alloy components. Weirdly, the bike originally came with a cheap Kalloy seatpost, rather than the Marin Ultra Lite it should have been. Set off with white cable outers (could do with a little more trimming, esp the front brake) and white bottle cage.
If I’ve done this how I want to, there should be some pics above showing current build, and more - inc with off-road tyres and old brakes, build progress and how it used to look pre restoration - in the folder link here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7It_ ... kJGX0RpMWc
So there we go. Any comments welcome, inc PMs if you have any Marin bits knocking around that might enhance it a bit.
Andy
Prompted to post by a fellow board member (hi Matt!) after acquiring some Judy XCs. Spec below, followed by the (longish) story…
IMG_20180509_141842 by Andy M, on FlickrIMG_20180509_141849 by Andy M, on FlickrIMG_20180509_141902 by Andy M, on FlickrFrame: Marin, Team Marin 1994 (repainted)
Fork: Manitou Magnum (also original Marin Ultra Lite [repainted], and just acq: Rock Shox Judy XC)
Headset: Acor alloy
Stem: FSA OS190 LX 120mm
Handlebar: Ritchey Comp
Grips: ?
Barends: Tioga Powerstud XS
Brakes: XT M739 V-brakes
Brake Pads: Shimano XT
Brake Cables: Jagwire
Cantilever cable hangers:
Brake Levers: XT M739
Shifters: XT M739 Rapidfire
Front Derailleur: XT M737
Rear Derailleur: XT M737 (red pulley wheels)
Derailleur Cables: Jagwire
Cassette: Shimano HG70 (edit: now upgraded to XT)
Chain: Sram 8 speed
Cranks: XT M737
Crank Bolts: XT M737
Chainrings: XT M737
Chainring bolts: XT M737
Bottom Bracket: Shimano cartridge
Pedals: Cheap pedals with clips
Hub Skewers: Shimano
Rims: Front Mavic 230 TIB (orig) Rear Mavic 217 SUP (rebuilt)
Hubs: XT M747
Nipples: F- Marin Alloy / R- ?
Spokes: F- Stainless 15/16 / R- ?
Tyres (Road): Continental Tour Ride 1.75”
Tyres (Off road): F- Specialized Resolution 2.3” / R- Continental Gravity
Tubes: Butyl
Saddle: Ritchey FS+10
Seatpost: Tioga T-bone alloy
Seatpost Binder: n/a
For my 17th birthday in 1994 there was only one thing I wanted. Not driving lessons, that would have been pointless without a car to my mind. I wanted a proper mountain bike. I wanted a Marin.
As chance would have it, the UK distributor (at that time) ATB Sales, was a mere half a mile or so up the road from me in Hastings and rumour had it Marins could be bought on the cheap, cash in hand out the back of their warehouse. After some parental negotiations I had a budget and nervously wandered up there. I emerged with a 94 Muirwoods which became my pride and joy. It was upgraded relentlessly, teaching me lots about how to maintain a bike and the importance of the proper tools!
Then, it got nicked. Pinched from the garage. As my folks were the responsible type, it was insured (for the full retail price!), so I was able to make a return trip to ATB Sales in the late summer of 95 with even more cash in my grubby mitts, emerging with this Team Marin. The Muirwoods was good, but this was a significant upgrade and was bloody brilliant. And I liked the look of the 94s compared to the 95s, which were a bit more blingy. Then I went to uni in London and it got left behind and not used, with periodic reminders from my dad about the added cost to his home insurance.
It was a few years later when I was able to reclaim it and it became my main transport, at least until I got a car. With only occasional use it was kind of neglected, with occasional replacement bits when required or when I wanted something a bit different. These included an ill-advised pair of pinkish downhill bars with an (awesome looking) I-beam stem, the rear wheel being rebuilt around the original hub and about three different chainsets.
A few years ago, inspired by this place and a renewed interest in bikes, mainly down to getting into road cycling (i know, i know, in my defence I had this first….) I decided to freshen it up a bit and get it looking better. It needed a repaint obviously, but a combination of finding the silver a bit boring and realising getting it back to fully original spec would be time consuming and expensive, prompted me to go with red. I’d seen a similar colour on a Klein and thought it looked amazing.
Frame/forks. Repainted by Armourtex, they did a great job, fixed a ding in the top tube and extracted the stubborn old original bb, replacing it with a new Shimano cartridge for me. Manitou Magnums bought off here a while back as I wanted suspension and the Manitous seemed right - some models were sold with Manitous in 94. Have recently acquired some Judy XCs, which should look even better - updated pics to be added when they’re installed.
Gil sold me a set of repro decals. I wasn’t too sure whether to go down this route at all as it looks so different with the red paint, but took the plunge and added the down tube / head tube / seat tube stickers and think the effect is pretty good.
Groupset: Over the years the only items remaining of the original full M737 groupset were: the rear der (which remains); the STI units, which were wearing out and have been replaced with separate M739 shifters and V brake levers; and the brakes, which were black LX centre pulls for some reason - now replaced with M739 V brakes. Replacement M737 chainset and front der were purchased here to keep the groupset (kind of) consistent.
Wheels: Front wheel is - amazingly - still completely original. Rear wheel needed rebuilding some years back after getting whacked. The Marin Lite Kevlar tyres wore out forever ago and it now sits on some road tyres for everyday use, with off-road tyres on standby.
Components: I wanted to keep it plain black to show off the paint job and groupset, so after kicking myself for replacing/losing the original handlebar and stem, I sourced a variety of cheapish plain black alloy components. Weirdly, the bike originally came with a cheap Kalloy seatpost, rather than the Marin Ultra Lite it should have been. Set off with white cable outers (could do with a little more trimming, esp the front brake) and white bottle cage.
If I’ve done this how I want to, there should be some pics above showing current build, and more - inc with off-road tyres and old brakes, build progress and how it used to look pre restoration - in the folder link here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7It_ ... kJGX0RpMWc
So there we go. Any comments welcome, inc PMs if you have any Marin bits knocking around that might enhance it a bit.
Andy
