Neon yellow 1991 Marin Pine Mountain - Palo Alto to Sydney

JonTom

Senior Retro Guru
I first saw this neon yellow Pine Mountain for sale many months ago on US Craiglsit, San Francisco region. The seller was asking US$1000. At the time, I'd never seen one with this colour scheme (although I've since seen a photo of a well-used one on Instagram).

As the weeks and months passed by, the asking price lowered - until one day the ad disappeared. I figured the bike had been sold.

A couple of months later the bike appears for sale again, from the same seller, with a greatly reduced asking price. The seller (Robert) had left his mobile number in the ad, so I sent him a text asking if he'd be OK to pack it and ship it to LA. From there, I could get it shipped by sea freight to Sydney. At first he was suspicious, but after I paid him a deposit he was just brilliant - he packed it, organised a courier to LA, patiently waited for bank transfers to clear ... what a legend!

He'd bought the bike in 1991 from Midtown Bikes, a Marin dealer he knew in Palo Alto, California. The dealer had originally used it as an exhibit/demo bike for a big motorcycle race meeting at Laguna Seca. After that it had sat around the shop until Robert bought it. He rode it a few times (less than 100 miles he reckons) and then - for whatever reason - put it into storage for the next 23 years or so.

The original seat has been swapped for an Avocet, there's a black Ritchey bar where there would have been a blue one (I'm guessing), and I put the Panaracers on (it arrived wearing slicks), but everything else is original spec and mint condition. :D

As I said, I've not seen this colour scheme before. I've seen photos of the blue and yellow Euro bikes, which this is a reversal of.

Here it is out in the daylight the day after being unpacked:
 

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  • 1991 Marin PM Neon 01.JPG
    1991 Marin PM Neon 01.JPG
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Re:

Wot no Afterburners? :(

Very nice though... and my size too! :D What`s the plan bud, paint up a bar to suit or leave as is?
 
Re:

Hey k-rod. Yeah ... your fingerprints are all over it! ;)

Hey Rich, Yes, I have an old '90/91 Marin bar that I'm planning to get sprayed. And if I ever sell it, you can have first refusal. :D

And you're right - no afterburners. The frame is the same as my '90 Pine Mountain where the stays meet the seat tube (the '91 stays are slightly bowed, these are straight). And the rear brake stop is the same too. So it's probably a year older than the seller originally thought.
 
Re:

There was one for sale here in New Zealand last year with this colour scheme (sorry for crappy auction site photo):

Cheers,
John
 

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  • 1991 Pine Mountain Neon Yellow Blue Forks.jpg
    1991 Pine Mountain Neon Yellow Blue Forks.jpg
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No, too small for me.
There's been a few of the alternative/non-UK colour early 90s Marins for sale here over the years.
 
Hey Guzziee, that's a great find - good condition and mostly original too by the look of it.

I wish there were flea markets where I live.
 
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