06 marin alpine trail 4-6″ adjustable travel – loved the way it reacted on square edge hits. Very flexy. Found crack in frame after using it for what I’d call mini DH in the FoD.
08 marin quake – used it for trail riding as Hansrey above does and apart from the whole 7″ sofa style travel thing it was really good. Pedalled well and obviously descending was great. Loved the way it reacted to square edge hits. Did a whole week of riding the northern scottish trail centres and then finished the week by doing the fort william enduro dh. Whether it was the drops at the end of the fort william track or using it for morzine DH I found cracks in the frame.
Got a warranty replacement and used that for DH only and of course soon found cracks in the frame again. in the same place.
09 marin 140 – received this as warranty replacement for the quake and will be using it as my trail bike. Yet to be built up but i’m wondering how long it’ll last. Can’t wait to thrash it – trail centres and “mini DH” at FoD, leckhampton hill etc.
I’m 11 stone run my shocks at 30% sag with bottom out ramped right up high. I’ve currently got an 07 giant trance which has been put through a lot for a 100mm xc frame and it has been superb. Spesh demo for DH has had a week in morzine and the drops and jumps I was doing on it were far far beyond what the quake rode and it’s performed brilliantly.
TL;DR – had several marin full sus bikes. Suspension action has felt great but they seem to blow through travel too quick and are weak when they hit the end of the travel.