Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
  • Marin Quad Tara – Flexy rear
  • mrbotticelli
    Full Member

    I have a secondhand Marin Quad Tara (2007 Rock Springs) that I took to the Alps last year and did my best to destroy 😈

    Neglecting to service the Van R forks before going saw me suffer lots of bushing wear on the left stanchion 🙁 crashing into a ditch put a nice wobble in the front wheel 🙁 but both of those things have been patched up and will hopefully see me through another week this year 🙂

    But I also managed to wear the inside of both chain stays and don’t know why;

    – I’ve had the hub apart and the axle seems fine
    – The QR is straight and true
    – The wheel has been to the LBS who said its fine and that it must just be the flexy rear on the Marin
    – There doesn’t appear to be any play in the rear bearings, pivots etc

    Anyone have any experience of these type of Marin’s and frame rub caused by flexing?

    I was running a Maxxis High Roller in dual ply 2.3 but it seems to be a similar size as the stock tyres and there was a reasonable amount of clearance. On the stock WTB tyres I can push the tyre against the rim which I thought indicated it was the wheel flexing, but the LBS thought not.

    Any ideas?

    docrobster
    Free Member

    I’ve got an 06 version of that frame and never experienced anything like that. Loads of room for a 2.35 HR.
    Bearings might well be shot though. Mine were this time last year.
    Can you feel any flex as you are riding?

    mrbotticelli
    Full Member

    Hi Docrobster, thanks for the reply.

    Can’t remember noticing any flex, might go for a quick test ride in the street to find out!

    How would I know whether the flex was from the wheel or the frame? Did you get your bearings replaced by Marin as part of the lifetime warranty?

    Back in a bit!

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    mrbotticelli
    Full Member

    OK, couldn’t notice any flex.

    Did it a little series of tests:

    1. Lent bike over against cupboard supporting bars and saddle, and stood on the front triangle. Wheel didn’t touch frame.

    2. Bike in same place, placed foot on wheel and pushed it easily to the frame.

    3. Used a plastic work clamp and clamped wheel to frame, wheel happily flexed agains frame in both directions.

    I think my rear wheel is the problem. If so, what’s the solution is it a new wheel?

    davidtaylforth
    Free Member

    I think my rear wheel is the problem. If so, what’s the solution is it a new wheel?

    Are your spokes tight?

    mrbotticelli
    Full Member

    Think they are a little loose, but not horrendously so.

    I took it to the LBS to get tightened and they thought it was OK and just put it down to the well known flexy back end on the Marin…cant find much evidence to support the “well known, flexy back end” view.

    docrobster
    Free Member

    Yes the bearings were replaced for free under the life time warranty. Probably helped that I’ve had the bike from new and took it back to the shop where I bought it to get new bearings. I removed the upper and lower links that hold the swing arm to the front triangle and took them into jeJames who had new bearings in there the next day.
    The play was obvious as up/down movement rather than rear end flex though.
    Sounds like you just need to spend some time with a spoke spanner!

    mrbotticelli
    Full Member

    No noticeable play up and down, so looks like the bearings are still good. Nice to hear that their are still some Marin’s beng ridden, don’t see many out and about yet seems like a capable bike.

    My last attempt at spoke tightening ended in a very wonky wheel…but that was before the internet and involved an old racer, a set of pliers and boy worried about having buckled yet another wheel! Happy days 😀

    I might just go round and tighten each spoke a quarter of a turn until it feels tight and doesn’t want to flex so much.

    Will give a try later this week.

    Thanks for the responses.

    mrelectric
    Full Member

    Mine older FS is a Rock Springs 07 . (See other posts a few months ago on the Quad/tara love-in) Still really like it and have spent time & £ upgrading it but next to my Canyon AM it does somehow seem really flexy @ rear. Not sure it was always like that. I’ve changed shock bushings which helped. Tightened pivots too. Some is deffo rear wheel( old Mavic SLR). Bearings or pivots might need another look. Is it the bearings or pivots that have lifetime warranty? Is it a trip to the LBS I bought it from ?
    Not much help for the OP but answers might apply to mine too. Cheers.

    scaredypants
    Full Member

    was it really wet – mud sticking to the tyres ?

    Surely loose bearings would just allow the swingarm to move with the wheel fixed in it – unless the wheel wasn’t properly tightened in ?

    londonerinoz
    Free Member

    Is your QR tight after riding? Not specific to Marin but I’ve found I have to be really careful aligning and really tightening the Hope QR’s on my old bike. It might be because the drop outs might be worn a bit thin too. I was probably close to losing my front wheel once, it was flopping around side to side so much that I thought I’d broken the axle or hub.

    mrbotticelli
    Full Member

    The back end feels pretty solid, so I don’t think its the bearings/suspension pivots etc…but you never know 🙂

    The problem certainly wasn’t mud, it was during 4 beautiful sunny days in the Alps that the damage occurred, and I’m not sure that I could turn the cranks with that amount of mud in place! 😯

    QR was still nice and tight at the the end, guess the dropouts could be worn, will check.

    Current plan is to drop a wheel from another bike in and see if it has as much flex. Hopefully it won’t flex as much and I can just get the existing wheel sorted.

    mrbotticelli
    Full Member

    Carried out a couple of flex tests last night and am not sure what I learned? 😕

    With the existing wheel in place I could push against the rim and make the tyre touch the frame.

    With a wheel from a different bike (one with slacker spokes 😯 ) I did the same test and couldn’t quite manage to get the tyre against the frame, but it was close and it was a slightly narrower tyre. (It felt stiffer)

    During both tests there was a small amount of flex in the rear, no doubt caused by me pulling on the seat post and pushing against the wheel, but it all seemed to be moving with the wheel if that makes sense.

    Checked the dropouts, and the outsides are worn quite smooth, but they are as thick as on my other bikes so seem fine.

    Current plans are to get the wheel trued/tightened and see how things go. If that doesn’t work out then I wonder whether a new wheel with a thru axle might improve things? Something cheap and cheery like a On-One Reetard, or Superstar AM.

Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)

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