Marin Bear Valley

[mkaavin]

The bike looks great!! I don't think the Kool Stop pads were original though....

Anyway.....my memories of the Bear Valley is that it always was the Marin bargin. Good frame and always with nice equipment. Exage was a great group. Solid and precise. Later the STX took over and it was equally good.

The Bear Valey SE was equipped with STX racing as I can remember. You did'nt get that much more out of that group but it looked slightly better.

I liked the Bear Valley and would often reccoment it to customers just like the Palisades who was the bargain in the level lower than BV.

 

[1997BlackC5]

Shortly after taking these last pictures, I stuck a saddle on it & sat on to get the feel of the bike. I must admit, very impressed, the bike feels really comfortable, the geometry feels spot on. Funny really, as the first thing I did when I got the bike was to strip it down (don't remember ever sitting on it)!

I'm now thinking of keeping the road tyres & using the bike as a 'new' commuter.

In view of this I am looking for a black rear Araya wheel 6 or 7 speed cassette to match the origional front i've got in the shed (bike is wearing 2 rubbish wheels at the moment) & I would like to go back to the Araya rims if possible.

 

[Bri957cc]

Is it the black 26x1.75 Araya rim you need?

I think I have a rear one with the cassette in the garage. Will check tonight, as I'm sure I bought one a couple of years ago for my 1988/9 Bear Valley build and never used it.

 

[1997BlackC5]

I believe it will be, I will double check with sizing of the front tonight aswell. If we match up that would be very much appreciated.

 

[1997BlackC5]

Black Araya rear wheel needed for Marin Bear Valley

Is it the black 26x1.75 Araya rim you need?

I think I have a rear one with the cassette in the garage. Will check tonight, as I'm sure I bought one a couple of years ago for my 1988/9 Bear Valley build and never used it.

Evening Bri957cc, I've just checked the front wheel off my '88 Bear Valley & its a black Araya rim 26x1.50 on an Exige Mountain hub.

Let me know what you have once you have checked & we might be able to take it from there if it suits.

Thanks
Nigel

 

[1997BlackC5]

Back from the midnight London to Brighton ride with the FNRttC, a few hours kip followed by sorting the brakes on the Bear Valley.....

So we now have a saddle & some stopping power.........(my first U-brake).

 

[Hecto]

I have some U braked Marin Bear Valley bikes.
My understanding, ( I may be wrong ), is Marin the company first started in USA in 1986.
The first Marin Bear Valleys came to UK in 1987. All models in range had U brakes.
See :
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23157
I believe the U braked shimano exage mountain equipped Bear Valley's were pretty much the same for both years 1987 and 1988 and usually have a Joe Murray decal on frame seat tube.
The 1989 Bear Valley had a different Marin logo and shimano mountain LX groupset.
Only the smallest 1989 Bear valley had a U brake.
I have shown the 1989 Bear Valley specs on this topic, on 2nd page:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... ear+valley

 

[1997BlackC5]

Right she is finally finnished!! All original (as far as I am aware) apart from I've changed the brake levers for Shimano SLR, new cabling inner & outer, Raleigh seat, road tires & obviously the wheels are non standard, I'll have to have another go at those wheels at at a latter date........

Before & ...........

After;-)

 

[Neil]

Looks nice and all - just one thing - that angle of the handlebars, my wrists are wincing in pain just looking at them. How's it to ride? Does that not cause any discomfort?

 

[1997BlackC5]

Have not ridden her in anger for any distance, just around the garden & up & down the road making sure the gears wirk fine. The handle bars give an upright riding position, but that is what I was after as I am intending to use her as my summer comuter. The whole geomatory set up frame/bars makes for a suprisingly comfortable riding position. However after a 12 mile comute I reserve the right to amend that bar angle as I see fit;-)