Help with Marin frame numbers please!

[Benandemu]

I've read somewhere on here, a way of putting a date to a steel framed Marin, by looking up its frame numbers.
Is this true, or am I now dreaming of Marin bikes?
I have an steel frame that I 'd like to identify. The numbers underneath are:- 74HAB182

Hope someone can help.
Thanks.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

afaik marin serial numbers have 9 digits.
1st digit = Assembly Code
2nd digit = ?
3rd digit = month of production
4th digit = year of production
rest = ?

 

[Benandemu]

Mmmmmmmmmmnn...



Need to check the numbers and ask more questions.


Thanks.

 

[Benandemu]

I have more answers...

Take my frame number

M74HAB182

The M is the factory.

M is Marvel, F is Fairly and T is Ti sports

7 is the model number. Exclude the Ti bikes and work down the list eg.

1 Team Issue
2 Team Marin
3 Pine Mountain
4 Eldridge grade
5 Bear Valley
6 Muirwoods
7 Palisades Trail
8 Bobcat Trail

4 is the year ending number. That would be 1994.

HA is month and date, but you will need the Enigma machine to decode these. Not really relevant either!

B is the size centre to centre.

A is 14 inches
B is 15.5 inches ( this makes it 17 centre to top)
C is 17 inches
D is 19 inches
E is 20 inches

182 are production numbers that are factory use only, and again require the Enigma machine.

So, from that you can calculate the year, model and place it was made.

Seems I have a 94 Palisades Trail frame and forks. The frames were all the same up to Eldridge and then they used Tange prestige or Superlight tubing.

 

[WD Pro]

Hi,

Could someone help me decipher my Marin frame number : M904010468

The only info I can find on the net with a quick Google search is :

Bikes with a 9 digit serial number like Slimboy's predate 98 after that they switch to a 10 digit code. M94... at the start tells Factory (M), Model(9) and Year(4) i.e. 1994 Pine. A New 2008 Pine could be F018ABC123.
F= Assembly
01 = Model
8 = Year
A = Month
B = Frame
C = Size
0123 = Production # in series.

Reading the above it makes more sense if the 9 digit codes predated 88 not 98 as he has quoted so I think that might just be a typo :?

Thanks for any input / help

WD

I am confused above is what I posted a while ago but got no responces ...

WD

 

[Benandemu]

These are the notes I recorded from a direct conversation with Marin today.
I didn't bother with later numbers because I don't own any and they're technically not retro!!
The ones I wanted to know are late 80's to mid nineties.
A further conversation could be had tomorrow, and I will enlighten you more, especially if it's a slightly later frame with the different coding.
The ti ones were all different due to the varied sources for each.

 

[Huntso]

This does tie in with mine M13CAB001 as its a 1993 Team Issue 15.5"

Although i was reading it upside down with a torch and the B looked more like a D, but its definitely a 15.5" and not a 19" so probably the bad light
unless
That table reads the other way up, but guessing my poor eyesight is to blame

 

[Inigo Montoya]

COOL
thanks for sharing that info!!!

 

[WD Pro]

Should have added to my above post that mine is a 1990 bear valley (pre 'afterburner')

WD

 

[Inigo Montoya]

today i finally wrote down the frame numbers of my marin frames:
Marin Bear Valley 1991
M40LA1034
Marin Indian Fire Trail 1994
MJ4AAC014
Marin Indian Fire Trail 2000
F459IAC017

Conclusions:

• WD Pro seems to be right 9 digits pre 1998 10 digits post 1998

• Marin Bear Valley 1991: (using Benandemus Theorie) Marvel, Eldrige Grade, 1990, Size does not apply

• Marin Indian Fire Trail 1994: (using Benandemus Theorie) Marvel, Model does not apply, 1994, Size 17,5"

• Marin Indian Fire Trail 2000: (using WD Pros Theorie) October 1999, Size 17,5"

the german catalogues state there were the following sizes: 15,5", 17,5", 19" and 20,5"