Hi, just introducing myself - Marin Nail Trial

[MBEN]

Just wanted to say hi. I have a Marin Nail Trail, been riding it since buying it new in Feb 1993 for £786.00, still going strong.
Stumbled on this site looking for some parts to reinstate my original cantilever brakes, some parts missing.
Also ride a Dawes Giro 300 road bike.
Tempted to do a retro event is the pace isn't too high? Thoughts appreciated!

 

[wookiee]

Just wanted to say hi. I have a Marin Nail Trail, been riding it since buying it new in Feb 1993 for £786.00, still going strong.
Stumbled on this site looking for some parts to reinstate my original cantilever brakes, some parts missing.
Also ride a Dawes Giro 300 road bike.
Tempted to do a retro event is the pace isn't too high? Thoughts appreciated!

You have a retro bike and its a Marin (top points from me) and as for a retro event get on it! The important thing to remember is that most of us are also retro so the pace isn't the main priority! Mountain Mayhem in June is a good starting point....

Doug

 

[brocklanders023]

Welcome!

Remember really liking the 1993 Nail Trail. It was about the only bike that took my attention away from the Oranges at the other side of the room in Airevalley Cycles bitd.

Defo get along to a retro ride. I've done quite a few and my fitness never reaches above 'average' and is quite often some way below.

 

[MBEN]

Thanks for the replies, sounds like I just might be up for a retro event, you guys have given me some reassurance that it isn't all about fitness and Marin is the way to go....now where it I put all my 90's cycle gear...ah yes, the bin!

 

[RadNomad]

Welcome...cool bike too.

Even better is to ride retro on modern XC events (club events etc not pro level). I do it regularly on rigid steel hardtail with 7 speed cassette, canti's and no suspension. It's great fun finishing somewhere in the lower reaches of the top third with other rider's eyes on stalks at the finish line pointing to what they think is a hybrid on knobbly tyres. I get a kick out of it. For the majority of the XC trails (i'm not talking DH comps) a retro bike is no slower and a decent retro rigid will be lighter than a midrange modern hardtail or full susser which is what most people ride. The modern kit is mostly for comfort when riding XC but who gives a toss about comfort on a 2 hour thrash? In fact i ride faster up the gradients than most people with my 22 / 28 lowest gear so the retro bike forces me to maintain pace. Riding retro at open events is the inverse cool of having the latest whizz bang carbon weight weenie bike. Cheaper too

 

[MBEN]

Hi Guru, nice Carlton, very envious looks great.
My Nail Trail was modded before it left the shop with a 52 outer ring so I could commute on it (swiftly), which I did until 2003, 25 miles a day so it has probably done over 100k miles. Since new only worn / broken bits have been replaced, sadly the cantis were 'upgraded' although I still have (most) the parts to refit, the rear mech has been renewed several times due to wear although the front is still the original.
I live in Bishop's Stortford Herts and if anyone rides retro in Epping / Lee Valley or elsewhere locally please let me know,

 

[PopsTrippin]

Welcome bud.. a '93 Marin, well done!!

 

[MBEN]

Thanks Pops, that's quite a collection you have there, all working?

 

[PopsTrippin]

Thanks Pops, that's quite a collection you have there, all working?

Thanks.

Regularly ride six of them bud, two of them are just frames and 1 is work in progress.