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Got an itch for something quite specific FS wise, don't want to spend Chromag money, and can't find a second hand Flare to mess about with.
Reckon Marino could build me what I'm after for a reasonable price.
Anyone tried one of their FS frames? What's the quality like? Don't want anything super fine, but want it straight, accurate to my specs and not liable to fall apart.
I've got one - quality is bang on, process was decent if a little disjointed at times thanks to timezone/language differences and the fact Peru had a pretty bad Covid spike while I was ordering.
Best advice I can give is to be really sure of your geometry - the ordering process pretty much forces that which is a good thing IMO. If you're building around progressive geometry, it's also worth getting spherical bearings or the DHSign Shockfix bushes to mitigate natural flex and keep things nice and friction free.
How does it ride? 6 months into ownership, almost 46 years old and just over long covid and I'm smashing PBs up and down, even getting a few KOMs too. I'm under no illusions that it's down to me 🤣🤣
No idea how to add pictures or I'd post them here!
what geo did you go for. i have a murmur, but keep thinking that i should get a short travel marino built.
also interested in travel and shock stroke
did you go for the standard 4130, or upgrade?
any idea of the frame weight?
thanks
@andyrm Thanks. That's all encouraging. Geo should be OK as I'm 'inspired' by some pretty solid bikes and won't stray TOO far from those as far as the numbers go.
@LAT I'm thinking shortish (rear) travel too - 120mm or so. Still playing with ideas but seems I'm looking at a 195/45 to 210/50 air shock. Assuming/hoping the Marino designer can make that work for that travel as it works on those influencing my ideas.
Geo is pretty wild on mine:
490 reach
440 CS
430 ST
62 HA
82 SA
120 HT, ZS44/ZS56 tapered
Mullet, 180 F&R, 225x70 coil shock (co-designed the trunnion mount with Marino as I already had the shock), spherical bearing on the eyelet end.
I never weighed the frame, but complete build is only 600g or so heavier than the Stumpy Evo build, and only difference is longer DHX2 shock vs MRP Hazzard. So I'm guessing c500g heavier than whatever an alloy Stumpy Evo S3 weighs.
Mine's the standard 4130 double butted rather than anything fancy.
My brother had a Marino hardtail. Welding was fine but it was a leaden crude thing. Was quickly moved on. Couple of posts on here previously of people having to wait significant times with limited feedback or comms. I think joebristol on here has different cable routing and cable stops from what he ordered.
Obviously the previous poster who replied has had a better experience so that’s fair, I just personally wouldn’t - I’d look for a second hand frame and then see if I could do by playing with anglesets etc if I wanted something that didn’t exist. For example those Bird frames being kicked out for very low costs would be a great basis for a build with great support.
Just my thoughts.
Like Superstu said I’ve got a Marino hardtail. I like it and it rides well and cost a sensible amount for a custom geometry frame.
The dropper post routing isn’t what I asked for but it works and looks very clean. It was just a right fiddle to get the outer through as it runs full internal in a pipe that squeezes above the bottom bracket within the down and seat tubes by the looks of it.
Weight wise I’m guessing the full suss is going to be pretty heavy - my hardtail which is sort of a medium size weighs 3.1kg with the seat clamp and rear axle in.
I reckon the chainstay yoke / iscg mount and post mount are heavy chunks of metal - plus mine is fully internally routed and to achieve that they weld in stainless steel ‘straws’ which add weight. Mine is the 725 tubing.
Could you tinker with a Starling instead?
210x50 shock instead of 210x55 = 127mm rear travel.
-2 deg headset would take you to about 63deg HA with a 140mm fork IIRC
And they are beautifully made things.
Might be selling my large Murmur frame soon-ish BTW
😀
There's a decent Facebook group for them if you use it. The problem is most people who have dropped cash on one and are in FB groups/forums are always likely to say it's great.
I enquired about a hardtail frame before I got a great deal on the bfe max frame and I think the wait times have dropped a fair bit from the 6-12 months of a few years back.
Spindatt on youtube has quite a few videos about his Marino full-sus. Might be worth checking out:
https://www.youtube.com/@Spindatt/search?query=marino
Bumped into a bloke on the trails last week that had one. His was based on a Commencal TIEMPO. I think he said ordered January, received in March this year and a little Brexit bonus is that we have a deal with Peru so there were no import taxes (either that or he got lucky). His was the e-stay type frame and he was running a coil shock on it that was short enough to be pointing in the right direction to give something closer to linear rate than some of the long shock frames you see from Marino - some people must be oblivious to a coil shock running a regressive rate! He said he had no problems with alignment, etc. but you do hear of some horror stories on the FaceStalk group. I get the impression that they're getting better though.
“See if this picture works!”
This is super cool Andy! Progressive geometry to the max!
I can’t deny I’m very curious about a big fork, short rear travel full-sus. A future project for when I have more riding time!
some people must be oblivious to a coil shock running a regressive rate!
coil shocks are linear cos springs are linear. the suspension linkage makes the progression/regression - nothing to do with the shock. some single pivots are regressive (a la old oranges) but thats down to the frame design/shock position not the coil shock itself.
air shocks are progressive as air compresses progressively unlike a coil spring.
I`d love a 120 marino with custom geo.
Yes, I know - the regressive rate I was referring to was on the frame.
I've got one and I absolutely love it.
Had it since 2020 and still have no idea what I'd replace it with if I needed to. It's a 27.5 wheeled frame and full custom geo. 62 head angle and 500 reach.
I ordered when there was still a Marino UK who then dealt with comms to Peru which helped a bit I didn't need to worry about the language issues. From sign off of the plans to delivery of the frame took about 6 months. The frame actually arrived Christmas Eve, best Christmas pressie ever!
Its one of the most stable bikes I've had, and Ive had a fair few. At the same time it's really flickable and changes direction brilliantly but never feels twitchy. Overall I would definitely have another one and have considered getting something more outlandish from Marino (Potentially a full 200mm DH monster with a gearbox).
Go in with your eyes open. He is going to build what you ask him to, be sure about your numbers. Comms maybe patchy at times and it might take a while to get into your hands. But you'll get a lovely frame with your own geometry for an absolute bargain price.
I have no idea how to post a pic so here is a link to the other place
https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/19936711/
Could you tinker with a Starling instead?
210×50 shock instead of 210×55 = 127mm rear travel.
-2 deg headset would take you to about 63deg HA with a 140mm fork IIRC
And they are beautifully made things.
starling recommend running less sag to get less travel. it works surprisingly well. i also put an air shock on and 2.3, lighter tyres and shortened the fork to 150’fromm160. it made a good change. i’ve subsequently put the coil back on, but left the lighter tyres.
what id be interested in doing, but won’t because of the cost and because it is purely from curiosity rather than anything that’s bugging me, is lengthening the fork to 160 and fitting an angle reducing headset to keep the head angle steepish and adding some height to the bb.
i was thinking more of 120 travel front and back and i wasn’t really looking for a super slack head tube and was pondering more bb height. the idea floats through my head once in a while and it then it floats out again.
@colournoise as quoted above from chakaping 210x50 on a murmur would give about 127mm of travel, so the 210x50 shock could be a go. i’m assuming that you already have the shock, if not, shorter will be the answer.
@justaname how much travel are you running?
I've got a Marino hardtail and am tempted by a full sus similar to yours but would prefer a 29er with around 160mm travel front and rear
@dc1988 Its got 160mm front and rear. I'm usually out and about around South Wales somewhere so if you're ever in this neck of the woods you'd be more than welcome to a poke around the bike and a quick spin.
Final warning, you will get asked about the bike all the time while you are out riding. Its quite nice to have people interested 🙂