Marin 1990 Bear Valley Rebuild - FINISHED !!! PAGE 38 !!!

[WD Pro]

I bought this bike new in 1990 rode it a lot during my college & early working days and replaced everything on it over a period of five years or so. The parts I replaced were always high quality but not always the most ‘boutique’ makes

Then along came cars / houses etc and the bike got pushed to the back of the shed

I had been saying for ages that I would do up it up but after my brother recently bought himself a new rock hopper now’s the time …

I figured that it wouldn’t cost a lot to do and the money spent would only buy me a very low end new MTB – and a new one wouldn’t have any memories (three piece collarbone etc ). Everything will be as I had it BITD with the exception of :

Tyres – I always had hard packs or smokes but as I will use it mostly on road it will be run on slicks.

Seat post – The old TCO one had started to be eaten by the front edge of the seat tube due to flex / vibration

Flexstem / bars – I had cut them down and they are now to narrow for full length grips and bar ends. A Ti flexstem came up on eBay so that will replace them.

Bar ends – Were Onza but were quite badly scratched. As I will be having stuff re-anodized I would have had them done to but as they are bonded construction I was worried about the chemicals attacking the bond and then 14 stone finishing them off …

Crank – Was DX with Ritchey (large) and pace rings but the tapers are shot so I found a NOS Ritchey compact.

I will do a spec sheet etc in due course but in the meantime here a few pics of the bits I have been doing :

Forks : Before and after ‘De Lugging’ :

Frame : Before and after ‘De Lugging’ :

Replacement bar ends (X-Lite Stubbie pro) – after refurb / before re-anodizing :

Crank bolt covers (bought off here) - after refurb / before re-anodizing :

Don’t expect a quick rebuild – I have to many other things going on to take up my spare time and money !

Cheers,

WD

Edited to change the title to finished !!!

Edited to change the tile as the fourm page numbering has changed - page 26 is now page 38 !!!

 

[Inigo Montoya]

nice project! was your bear valley in black'n'blue colour scheme? i do have a bear valley frame from 1991. NOS, never built up. hooribly heavy that frame (2,5kg?!).
looking forward to see yours ready to race

 

[hairstream]

Looks like you are well on your way. Can't wait for the next intallment to see how it's turning out!!

 

[sinnett177]

Nice project. Great work so far and a nice spec too. Looking forward to seeing this one finished.

 

[WD Pro]

nice project! was your bear valley in black'n'blue colour scheme? i do have a bear valley frame from 1991. NOS, never built up. hooribly heavy that frame (2,5kg?!).
looking forward to see yours ready to race

No - it had the zolotone dark grey frame and gloss black forks - the pictures above are the OE finish

Yes - I weighed the frame @ 2.4 Kg with the headset cups fitted

The 1991 frames should have had the 'afterburner' rear stays (larger diameter) and were again grey and black (for the UK market).

Cheers,

WD

 

[WD Pro]

Thanks for the comments guys

OK here is a spec sheet for how it is now :

Frame : 17.5” 1990 Marin Bear Valley. Full Tange Double Butted Cromo. Oversize Down Tube. Bulge Butted Seat Tube. De Lugged. Frame Number : M904010468.

Fork : Spinner Tange MTB Cromo. Spinner Investment Cast Safety Drop Outs. De Lugged. Fork Steerer Tube Identification : Spinner 1989 H-4 CR-MO 22.2x27φ (965g)

Headset : Shimano Deore XTR (M900) With Hutch Head Lock

Bottom Bracket : Shimano (BB-UN54) With SRP Ti Bolts

Crank Set : Ritchey Logic Compact 22 / 32 / 42. X-Lite Crank Bolt Covers

Chain : Shimano Hyper Glide (CH-HG70)

Seat : Selle Italia Flite Ti

Seat Post : USE Aluminum With USE Shim. Ringle Cam Twist ‘Holey’ Quick Release Skewer

Hub Set : Shimano Deore XT 32 Hole (HB-M730). Ringle Cam Twist ‘Holey’ Quick Release Skewers

Spokes : Stainless Double Butted. Radial Front, 2 Cross Rear

Rims : Mavic 231 Profile PSP. Hand Built By Dave Hinde

Tyres : Michelin Road XC 1.4” Slicks

Front Derailleur : Shimano Deore XT (FD-M735)

Rear Derailleur : Shimano Deore XT Short Cage (RD-M735). Titanium Pivot Bolt. Bullseye Pulley Wheels.

Shift Levers : Shimano Deore 7 Speed Thumb Shifters (SL-MT62)

Gear Cables / Housings : Shimano Deore XTR (XTRSP41)

Free Wheel : Shimano 7 Speed Hyper Glide 12-21 (CS-HG701221)

Front Brake : Shimano Deore Cantilever (BR-M732). Ashima Cartridge Pads

Rear Brake : Shimano Deore Cantilever (BR-M732). Ashima Cartridge Pads

Brake Levers : Shimano Deore (BL-MT63)

Brake Cables / Housings : Shimano Deore XT Heavy Duty (MT730) – The Old ‘Wire Rope’ Type. Avid Tri-Dangle Cable Carriers.

Bar Ends : X-Lite Stubbie Pro Series

Handle Bar & Stem : Girvin Titanium Flex Stem With Integral Titanium Bars, Red Elastomer & Titanium Bolts.

Grips : Onza Ules

Chain Stay Protector : Shimano Deore XT Shark Fin (DF-M730)

Bottle Cage : Specialized Composite Road Cage

Where possible all bolts have been replaced with stainless steel or titanium. Special bolts and fittings will be re zinced (silver & clear). Machined aluminum parts will be re (hard) anodized in black. All other aluminum parts have been mirror polished.

You will note that there are no pedals or saddle listed – I haven’t decided on pedals yet but I have decided that the turbomatic will be replaced with a flite ti – see note in my sig

I will be getting the frame refinished in powder coat and it will be along the color schemes that Marin turned them out i.e. graphite & black. I have original Marin & Tange sticker sets. You can probably tell that this isn’t going to be the most colorful of builds – more stealth bomber approach

I actually have two full Marin sticker sets (Black & Yellow). Dad bought a palisades at the same time and we were the first year that Marin did the zolotone paint. Some of the stickers fell off quite quickly so we moaned at Marin and they sent replacements – including the pink Tange fork blade stickers. The only thing they didn’t send were the actual bike names and the main Tange tube set sticker – luckily I am not bothered about putting ‘bear valley’ back on it and have since managed to source ‘almost’ the correct tube set sticker

WD

 

[legrandefromage]

If you are stuck for a paint finish - there is some bumper repair paint that I use to refinsh Cyrus amplifiers as its vertually identical to the velvety Nextel finish that was used alot in the early '90s for alsorts of stuff.

found it!

http://www.car-spot.co.uk/product_descr ... bcpn=50676

This is the stuff that oh so nearly matches early Marins - not very durable but makes for great cosmetic repairs.

 

[WD Pro]

Thanks for the link.

If I could get the OE finish put back on I would be interested in doing that. I think I will stick with the powder coat otherwise though as I am after toughness / longevity - I am only doing this bike up once so its got to last

For info for other 'old' Marin users - BITD both me and dad got a bottle of the zolotone touch up. Perfect match and texture. It was in a (very) small glass bottle and needed a really good shake before use - it separated in to a clear and sludgely layer.

WD

 

[WD Pro]

OK I thought a quick update was due but other than polishing / cleaning there isn’t much to report

I should have had the frame powder coated by now but a rather expensive puncture and Amex bill (due to the state of the $) delayed me a little … Hopefully it will be sent off before the end of the month

I am really surprised at how well some of the old bits have been cleaning up :

The camera doesn’t really do the polished bits justice :? :

WD

 

[reanimation]

Wow, you are going to town on this! respect.

I had one a bit like this, it was bought as a tired old trail bike in like 1996, and smoked about uni on it, and about 2001/2 I satin matt blacked it and treated to a few odd bits, then went a bit new school and sold it. however heavy this frame is meant to be (news to me) its a good un, i remember mine being springy and light feeling while feeling reasonably strong. winner. my Muddy Fox weighed in at like 5.5lbs, nearly as much as my heavy duty modern BSX bike so expect it to be tough at least!