Marin Bear Valley

[Mark2260]

Hi Everyone
I have been given a marin mountain bike but i dont know how old it is, it is a bear valley with chrome forks.
Components are ritchey head set marin lite steem and bars,exage 300 rear mech and stx pod shifters the rest is no name bits and it is grey in colour, the bb was cup an cone.
The components apart from wheels are shagged but the frame although missing a lot of the stickers is in excellent condition with no pitting i can see but will want a respray.
The wheels say made in america with early lx skinny hubs.
Can anyone date it and is the frame worth respraying?
Oh the headsety is threaded.

Thnx for any help here

Mark

 

[drystonepaul]

Post a couple of pictures up and we'll have a look...

 

[Mark2260]

Will take piccys tonight and i found a thread which tells me how to date it from frame number, i cannot find one with the chome forks that marin sold so i asssume its had bits replaced over the years.

Mark

 

[Mark2260]

Piccys here, only bit that hada bit of pitting was the bb ican only just make out a zero otherwise it looks solid.

 

[Mark2260]

more

 

[Mark2260]

and 1 more any idea how old it is?
Thnx
Mark

 

[drystonepaul]

Looks like a 1993 frame, albiet with some of the decals missing.
The 93 Bear Valley looks to have had this as a colour option according to the catalogue. The original spec was mostly LX so the rear mech and the shifters will have come from elsewhere. The fork looks to have come from elsewhere too as it would have originally colour matched the frame.

As far as a resto project. These early 90's Marins have some really nice details and were really well built, so worth the effort in my opinion.
Have a look in the Reader's Bikes section at WD pro's incredible 1990 Bear Valley rebuild:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=43798
and benandemu's lovely 1994 Pallisades Trail:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=46142

I've got my own 1994 Muirwoods with what looks like a very similar frame to yours which is in line for a makeover very soon.

You can also find the 1993 Marin catalogue here...
http://www.mtb-kataloge.de/Bikekataloge ... n/1993.pdf

 

[Benandemu]

Thanks for the comments. As for the bike in question, I would say 1993. The forks are difficult, and could be replacement ones from Marin if they bent the originals. The Team Marins came with chrome forks. Look at the dropouts, as they should read 'Spinner'. They will also have TANGE and the year stamped on the fork steerer.
The decals and locations are consistent with 1993 font and size also.

Every Marin is worth restoring.

 

[Mark2260]

Thnx for the info guys
The forks when seen in the flesh are very badly corroded and have been binned, pretty much all the components are goosed so th3ey have been binned , the frame apart from the bit of pitting on the bottom bracket is in excellent condition no doubt down to the paint they used.
It is now oiled and hung up next to a orange P7 f+f 1994 till i decide which gets rebuilt.

Those two rebuilds look great

Mark

 

[hamster]

Rule one of retrobike: don't bin it!

Usually someone here will want it....

The forks could have been blasted and repainted.