Advice on modernising a 90s Marin

[Stanflashm4n]

I resto-modded a 1996 Marin Team Ti, with a 1x11 XT drivetrain. Have a look here:

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1996-marin-team-titanium-resto-mod.420486/

Really nicely done !

 

[Stanflashm4n]

Pssst……here are some secrets.

If the ttube is short for you then there’s not much you can do to get really good trail peformance. If the bike feels a bit long currently then HURRAH you can do something.

Suggestions (from 30 years of messing with them…)

1 if tt is longish for you, shorten the stem. This gets the c of g back.

2 run early Judy’s or Manitou if you can find some. Judy’s with SpeedSprings are excellent.

3 radical: get proper length rigid forks but get the widest rims you can in there and the biggest tyres. Run them tubeless. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve with wider rims and bigger tyres. But you will need the clearance on the fork - this might mean running a modern fork (shock horror) with the right axle-crown length - but note that older Orange F2 forks have huge clearances - you can even run a modern carbon fork (eg Exotic) with a disc - then you can get hyper wide 26 inch rim on the front with a mahoosive tyre - run at low pressure and you will be astonished at the bump-eating performance. Fine for a trail bike…and no suspension dive to try to throw you over the front. People will laugh at the big tyre on the front and weeny skinny thing at the back. They will stop laughing when you trash them on both climbs and downhill. I have a COTIC SIMPLE (26inch wheels) with 36mm internal rims and 2.35 tyres. They are big. And absorb loads. Run 2,35 at the front on a wide rim and 2,10 at the rear on a narrow rim to get the clearances through the chainstays.

4 if tt is longish shorten the stem, get an inline post, run the saddle forward. Combine with the above.

5 get some wide riser bars … And combine with any of the above (if it was good for JMC……) wide riser bars effectively reduce your tt length (so you can then run a shorter stem and put the saddle forward) since you are more upright, your body is shorter due to your arms being wider. By wide bars I mean in the region of 760mm. I am a short-arse and run 760 bars.

This a JMC replica - note the bars. Cheap and radical adjustment to your bike. Go wide.

View attachment 666119



This is the SIMPLE. It is bump eating when running a rigid fork - no need for a suspension fork most of the time. And yes that’s a 35mm stem.

View attachment 666117

Both of these look great too. The sort of standards I am unlikely to meet with this one

 

[2manyoranges]

I resto-modded a 1996 Marin Team Ti, with a 1x11 XT drivetrain. Have a look here:

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/1996-marin-team-titanium-resto-mod.420486/

That’s a thoughtful, gorgeous build. Your decisions re front end are in line with what I recommended: bigger rim, bigger tyre and rigid forks. Your Ti must track brilliantly - I assume it absorbs trail chatter and allows rapier-like steering. Or are you just using it as a road rig?

 

[legrandefromage]

Keep that bike as it is and make up something newer to ride.

There is so much reasonable kit sloshing around

Alternatively why not slap on some new tires, new chain and cassette plus some cables and enjoy the bike as it is.


New modern tires will make far more difference / improvements over anything else

 

[ectoplasmosis]

That’s a thoughtful, gorgeous build. Your decisions re front end are in line with what I recommended: bigger rim, bigger tyre and rigid forks. Your Ti must track brilliantly - I assume it absorbs trail chatter and allows rapier-like steering. Or are you just using it as a road rig?

It’s my gravel/‘road’ bike/urban cruiser. Yes, it is very plush and squidgy indeed, the carbon bars and forks soak up a lot of buzz, but the biggest squidge factor are the tyres. The Rat Trap Pass Extralight are unreal, so incredibly supple, and weigh ~400g making for an extremely light wheelset with quick spin-up.

 

[2manyoranges]

Keep that bike as it is and make up something newer to ride.

There is so much reasonable kit sloshing around

Alternatively why not slap on some new tires, new chain and cassette plus some cables and enjoy the bike as it is.


New modern tires will make far more difference / improvements over anything else

WHAAAT!!!!??? The Huge Cheese advocating - A M O D E R N bike….
They burned people for this kind of heresy.

Well … a 27/5 or 29er steel long and slack would of course be rather good.

And LGF, as you say, you can pick up some bargains….

 

[2manyoranges]

It’s my gravel/‘road’ bike/urban cruiser. Yes, it is very plush and squidgy indeed, the carbon bars and forks soak up a lot of buzz, but the biggest squidge factor are the tyres. The Rat Trap Pass Extralight are unreal, so incredibly supple, and weigh ~400g making for an extremely light wheelset with quick spin-up.

Yes…the thing I really like about your build (apart from its clean lines, etc) is the deep thought put into it. I have tried to do the same with my RoadRat - USE carbon bars and seat post, WTB 45c tyres - such things improve ride and handling SO much.…

 

[xtaffa]

Defintitely being my usal thick as pigswill self, but are the forks above 1" threadless? Would've thought 96 and later would be 1 1/8" and therefore too chubtastic to fit in a frame made for 1" threaded?

 

[2manyoranges]

Yep think they are 1 inch - Judy’s therefore a good choice since many have 1 inch crowns ….

 

[Stanflashm4n]

Which forks are we talking about?

Defintitely being my usal thick as pigswill self, but are the forks above 1" threadless? Would've thought 96 and later would be 1 1/8" and therefore too chubtastic to fit in a frame made for 1" threaded?