Marin San Rafael odd build

[Justonemorebike]

Recently bought an non lacquer aluminium Marin with some nice Mavic wheels and deore LX components and am trying to pin down a date I thought 1998 but I don't think they made an aluminium one until 2003 looking at the few post 97 catalogues I can find?
Brake s look 94/95
It's definitely a Marin and mid to late1990's

700c wheels good tyre clearance nice and lite some nice brakes (probably worth more than what the bike cost)

 

[sam_white]

Some close up shots and some bigger pictures might help, also a drive side shot!

 

[Justonemorebike]

Above pic was from the auction turns out its a 1996 Point Reyes ( identified in the other group) I managed to get it riding from spare bits in stock.

Very nice ride very much a scaled up 1996 mountain bike or a flat bar 2022 gravel bike with a better range of gears.

I had to lose the grip shift these one seem to be the ones that gave grip shifts a bad reputation I have some sram ones on a Gary fisher that work really well. this is now STX RC shifters whhich is a good match for the STX crank and LXdeore mechs