Forum menu
Spent a while cutting and fitting 3M tape (a bit badly - quite a few bubbles - but it’ll protect the paint which is the main thing) and partially built it.
Still need to connect the gears / either shorten the chain or tweak the b screw / internally route the rear brake and shorten the hose / go through and check the torque on everything / change the rear rotor for one big enough for the pm standard on the frame etc. Hope to have it ready to ride this weekend.
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/VsXT1n4S/8-CB98-EEE-929-F-44-A9-A02-A-1-FBE3015-CB86.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/VsXT1n4S/8-CB98-EEE-929-F-44-A9-A02-A-1-FBE3015-CB86.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/2ydXwN3d/447603-CC-9520-4-E2-B-AF03-A6-A30-A14-AB2-B.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/2ydXwN3d/447603-CC-9520-4-E2-B-AF03-A6-A30-A14-AB2-B.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/QCZy1dNx/BF07-A351-8389-409-A-8-BE7-411-E4-EE1963-F.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/QCZy1dNx/BF07-A351-8389-409-A-8-BE7-411-E4-EE1963-F.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/k4bH2bmp/E71-FE00-A-0734-46-D3-A03-C-509-C03-EBA899.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/k4bH2bmp/E71-FE00-A-0734-46-D3-A03-C-509-C03-EBA899.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Lovely paint Joe.
Most acceptable. 😁
@joebristol
Does the dropper post cable come out of the seat tube or the down tube?
could you possibly post a pic?
Afraid I don’t have any photos and it’d be a full dismantle job to show it.
If you’ve gone internally routed dropper it goes down the downtube in a small diameter stainless steel internal pipe. On mine this squeezes in between the bb shell and where the seat and down tubes join and just deposits the dropper outer cable in the bottom of the seat tube. The angle it does this is ridiculous though - straight at the side wall of the seat tube.
I greased the inside of the seat tube / dropper cable outer and then as I pushed it down from the top of the downtube I also pushed a large Allen key upwards to get the end of the cable outer going up. It was as awkward as that sounds!
Just to update this thread I’m really happy with the Marino still. Perhaps I could have gone another 5-10mm longer reach if I’d wanted to make it a bit more hardcore but it’s fun for what I want like it is.
The erase components front hub has turned out to be utter pap. Eats bearing like no hub I’ve ever had before. Not sure if it’s just a poor sealing end cap to blame or just the difficulty in getting exactly the right amount of preload on the endcap (you set this once clamped in the fork).
I’ve retired that front wheel for summer duty only and now an XM481 / Hope front hub combo that became spare from my fs (I went 29er on that) is now my mud plugging front wheel on the Marino.
Thanks, Joe
Just looking at the custom option just now.
Here's mine sporting it's new finish of mud and rust.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51810062118_7086ff4d7b_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51810062118_7086ff4d7b_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2mWh7r5 ]Scottish Dust.[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/stu-b/ ]multispeedstu[/url], on Flickr
@stevie750 I don't want to be a party pooper but, on the back of this thread I ordered a custom Marino last February. After sending many emails and only getting the occasional response, as far as I know, I'm still no closer to getting mine. So be prepared for the wait.!
Started my order last January. UK guy had some stuff to work through and so it stalled until I nudged the guys in Peru in April I think? Got the frame in December. Pretty much what I expected, so fine by me.
@sillyoldman - you’re not wrong about that mudguard - it’s gopping!
Hahaha! I know…. Not easy to find a decent guard that fits a long rigid fork. Suggestions are most welcome!
Mudhugger FRX with the extension for a tidyish looking but full coverage mudguard. Some things are worth the fashion faux-pas 🙂
@DanW Cheers - I’ll check them out. Think it’s the bolt on RRP one I have on 36s on another bike - it’s been good. Zip tie version of either would probably work OK with a couple of additional zip ties on the fork legs eh?
@sillyoldman you were lucky there then. I'm quite jealous. After the last exchange of emails, I'm hoping that it'll go into production quite soon.
Took 18 months for mine to arrive, axle size was wrong and the wheel did not sit central also brake mount is positioned wrong.
Said they would make another but I just sent it back and got a refund.
I'm sure my case is one of the few but it was not the fun experience of hoped it would be.
Appreciate nobody likes someone being negative but this thread alone isn’t a great endorsement for Marino imho.
In my opinion - it surprises me the number of second hand frames that pop up for such a small manufacturer, which makes me think they’re not hitting the spot with their buyers or certainly owners aren’t so enamoured that they stick with them. I include the sick frames that they made in that too as most of those seem - limited as they were - to be sold again soon after. By comparison you don’t get many btr etc popping up second hand.
For me for the hassle factor and the fact even those on this thread didn’t get exactly what they ordered I think I’d rather get something off the shelf like a cotic, Sonder signal or Planet X even or go all out for a Curtis, coal or btr. Appreciate that they are more expensive but not significantly by the time you’ve paid for paint import duties etc.
Just my thoughts 🤷♂️
For me for the hassle factor and the fact even those on this thread didn’t get exactly what they ordered I think I’d rather get something off the shelf like a cotic, Sonder signal or Planet X even or go all out for a Curtis, coal or btr. Appreciate that they are more expensive but not significantly by the time you’ve paid for paint import duties etc.
+1. I put over 2500 miles on a Ti Sick! frame and may put it back into action for winter duty some time but it was never really right
+1. I put over 2500 miles on a Ti Sick! frame and may put it back into action for winter duty some time but it was never really right
If it was Titanium it wouldn’t have been built by Marino as far as I’m aware.
To sum up Marino based on my experience I am very happy with the frame I’ve got to date. Seems to be welded nicely, the internal routing broadly works with a bit if dropper post fiddle (but then my recent Transition Sentinel was worse and a mate had a nightmare with a Sonder) and I couldn’t have got the same anywhere else for anywhere near what I paid.
On the flip side things to be aware of: the communication with be poor to almost nil, it’ll almost certainly take longer to arrive than they quote / you expect and it’ll probably be on the heavier side.
If a frame had been available off the shelf with the geometry and material I wanted I probably would have just bought that and you should too. Custom is a good option if you want something unique.
If you have loads of budget for custom then definitely using the likes of Curtis / BTR / Shand etc. If you don’t want to spend that much and have patience / are in absolutely no hurry then go fir a Marino.
not significantly by the time you’ve paid for paint import duties etc
I paid £350 all in.
Really not sure anyone could even get to anywhere near that price for a custom built frame.
I'm more than happy with what I have and don't plan on selling it any time soon.
I'm very pleased with mine and paid around £400, anything close off the shelf was almost double that. I didn't have issues with communication or a long wait. Go in with your eyes open and you shouldn't be disappointed.
I think seeing a lot for sale is more because people can try out a custom bike for very cheap and barely lose anything if they don't like it. The custom element means a lot of people try silly geometry, the Sick! Bikes were too extreme imo and won't make for a great all rounder.
I would happily buy again from Marino.
Mine was about £330 all in. Really happy with it - build and finishing both better than I expected. It was quite a long wait and communication was sporadic, but I’d do it again.
Perhaps people test wilder geometry on Marino before committing to posh custom frames in the same, or slightly tweaked geometry, and so the Marino mules get sold on when replaced? Dunno.
I get the appeal, great if you can get something you like at those prices. 👍
I have just had a Marino Cabala, shortish lead time, great communication. Came with headset/axle
and 3 well finished derailleur hangers.
Delivered for under £400
Nothing similar geo here for anything close to that in cost.
Really happy with the frame. Great geo as a mullet.
Would recommend.
When i bought my surly karate monkey, i (quite happily) paid £550 for a frameset.
To get anything that’s decent, and with some custom options for £400 looks like great value to me.