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Right, I have a 98 Marin Rift Zone that I love, its simple single pivot design and happy up hill as much as down hill. Its not the best or the lightest around but its done me well for the last 10/11 years and to be honest there is nothing "wrong" with it, I'd just like to have something a little more up to date, i.e. something with disc mounts etc.
so what do people think? should I:
Buy a whole new bike (£1000 MAX) such as the Specialized Pitch Comp or Felt Compulsion / Redemption 3? though 6" to me seems too much no mater what everyone is saying & coming from a single pivot don't know if I'll fancy multi pivot designs. this also seems a very expensive way to essentially get a disc on the back.
OR
Have a new rear end built for the Marin, I have some basic designs & ideas but nothing finished so would need frame builder input. I really like this idea and it could be the cheapest, though also the most hard work as I'd like to include Maxle, Disc mount & maybe 15mm more travel. yes, the front end isn't designed for this but I don't really thrash my bikes any more so I'd be happy with it.
OR
Try and build a second hand bike out of the classifieds & rob bits off the Marin, though I just priced one up roughly and its going to cost me about as much as a brand new one so is it really worth it?
your tuppence worth of input would be appreciated.
new chain, cassette, cables and chainrings. Everything else second hand for the best bike for your money.
that's still going to be close to a grand though
Either buy new or scour the classifieds or ebay for a full secondhand used bike, a £1000 will get you a great secondhand bike.
I built up a hardtail from mainly secondhand parts. cost me around £800. weighs around 27 lbs with titanium frame, a mix of drivtrain parts - xtr rear mech, pikes, hope mon minis. No way cold I have got a bike of the quality for the price new
No way will a custom rear end be cost effective - that's if you could get someone to build one. Not to mention the wisdom of investing in it to put it onto a 10 year old front end.
Would a disc compatible swing arm be available? Otherwise sh wheels, F&F may give good value, but compare with a new bike to check.
Would a disc compatible swing arm be available
I've mailed ATB Sales to check, i'm not sure when they changed the frame design but I cant imagine they will have anything after all this time.
the reason for doing a new rear end is I've had one half finished on my drawing board for about 12 months or so, it would give me the impetus to finish it. getting it built shouldn't be a problem, there are a lot of aluminium fabricators in Sheffield.
Hi Podge,
I have a 1999 East Peak which is the first year the frame came with disc mounts on the rear swingarm.
PS if you're going to get a new swingarm made, get your mainframe x-rayed for cracks first!
Have you costed it podge?
ah yes, I saw your post about the pivot a while back.ballsofcottonwool
i've just been checking ebay for post 99 bikes and there are quite a few going cheap, i suppose option 4 would be to get a frame and either swap components or rear half of the frame.
Have you costed it podge
nope, I know its not going to be cheap but then neither is a grand on a SH / new bike.
I understand your concern and I know I asked for people's suggestions however not wishing to take the piss but in a round about way if this was the encouragement Brant & Cy got then would we have had Shedfire / Cotic?
I you have the time I'd go a mix of new and secondhand as I've just done.
Admitedly I had some bits about but for just over 400 quid I've got a brand new XTC frame, new Mavic Crossrides, secondhand Fox F100l's, Mono Minis, XTR shifters, new Race Kings and a few other bits and bobs plus what I had.
Up to you, I know what I'd do.
just been down the shop looking at new bikes... Specialized stuff looks good.
that didn't last long...
If you are the original owner have a really good check over the frame and swingarm, if you find any cracks then ATB will give you a new model marin frame as a replacement.
Alternatively I have a 2000 swingarm lying around somewhere if you are interested.
well I needed to pop down for some spacers for the pub bike so figured it cant hurt. I'd love an Orange or Santa Cruz but they are well out of my price range, the Spesh FRS XC Comp looks nice and suits what I want all but for it many pivots at a price I can (kinda) afford.cynic-al - that didn't last long...
cool, I didn't know that, i'm pretty sure I saw my receipt for it the other day too, I hope I did. suppose I best get checking. and yes, I would be interested in the swingarm if do come across it.DrT - If you are the original owner have a really good check over the frame and swingarm, if you find any cracks then ATB will give you a new model marin frame as a replacement.Alternatively I have a 2000 swingarm lying around somewhere if you are interested.
Let me know your email addy and I will sort out some pics of the swingarm (if you dont go for a new frame or are unlucky and cant find any cracks in your frame).
BB failed on my 2000 model, check the wield carefully in that area.
Damn I loved that bike.
I have found a crack, no kidding. drive side of the swingarm. just trying to find the warranty details on the Marin site before I wander down to JE James and try to sort it all out.
ATB are ace for warranty.
yeah, they have been good to me in the past on stuff, assuming they accept it as a true warranty claim and not just crash damage it looks like i'm due 25% off RRP of a new frame cos its over 10 years old... not brilliant (I don't like the new Marin design, looks heavy and cumbersome) but better than a kick in the nuts.
I think I might just flog the replacement frame then pick up something brand new with the cash and the money I was going to spend anyway.
Great, its not often you can say its good news when someone finds a crack in their frame. :-).
You would have had a lifetime full repalacement warranty on the frame when you got the bike though, I would be hoping for a complete free replacement. The last (free) warranty replacement I had was an 06 (I think) Mount Vision frame, which had started life as a '97 (I think) frame. The reduced price on new frameset should only apply to the warranty on new bikes.
just checked the receipt and I bought it in March 97, I guess 12 years is good going really.
if its 25% off then its hardly worth me bothering, if its 100% new replacement then that's good, though I'll be needing new wheels & brakes. I'm thinking get the replacement, flog it and then pick up a whole new bike instead of hanging 12 year old parts off it.
Expect a "best full suss for under 1K" thread soon. i'm thinking
Marin East Peak
Trek Fuel EX 5.5
Specialized FSR XC Comp
or one of the Felt bikes
oh and once ATB get back to me I'll know if I need that swingarm off you. JE James said I can just return the back end but I don't trust a word they say.
It's not worth you buying a new frame at 25% off and trying to sell it on at a profit, people will probably expect more than a 25% discount.
Add the Boardman full-sus bikes to your shopping list, great package and I believe the £1k bike comes with a bolt-through Reba.
Yeah, that's what I mean, at 25% its not worth it. but if I got a full replacement then I'd probably try flog that or part ex it at the shop for a fully built bike, be it Marin or something else.
just looking at the boardman stuff. it looks like a good spec but it also looks like any other 4 bar bike from a couple of years ago.
Not the right choice for the brand conscious, that's for sure, but they look nicer than some budget efforts from the big brands.
Giant Trance X5 might be worth a look too, if you like hydroformed frames.
Having a quick look at the classifieds, 1K will get you a Giant Anthem with Rebas and XTR. You'd never get that good value new, but you won't get a warranty.
Second hand is always a bargain but like you say, no warranty and as i'm claiming on mine 12 years down the line i think thats the way forward for me, getting something new
i'm now filthy but the bike is clean and in bits, checked out the swingarm and there are FOUR yes, 4 cracks in it. deffo time to retire the old thing. oh well lets see what ATB Sales & JE James can come up with.
Trance looks nice, a friend has one, though she's moved to Canada... hummm I wonder if she took it with her.
Trances are wonderful bikes. The new ones look a bit odd in pictures, but in the flesh they look great.
If MC left hers here then i'm going to see if I can nab it for my own long term test. if not I'll have to add it to my list anyway
If it were me, I'd go for the Trance X or Fuel EX. The problem with Trek at the minute is that there price hikes have made them completely uncompetitive, so the Giant would be the better bet.
no love for the specialized? isn't the FSR XC just the Pitch's shorter travel brother?
Podge, you jammy bastard finding those cracks..
My East Peak is like Trigger's broom. Its had a new headset, stem, 2 handlebars, gear shifters, 2 saddles, pair of wheels, 4 tyres, bottom bracket, chainset, 2 cassettes, disc brakes, seat clamp.. but its still the same bike I bought 10 years ago.
I wouldn't call 4 cracks jammy, I'd call it a good job I didn't try the epic I was planning this weekend. I'm also going to be without a bike for a while now and having been made redundant I cant even scam owt through the cycle to work scheme. bummer.