Interested in people thoughts.
I've got a 2007 Marin Rock Springs like this http://www.thebikelist.co.uk/2007/marin/rock-springs that I've had since early 2012.
Over the course of half a dozen overseas trips and some UK based riding I've replaced everything apart from the frame and rear shock and its cost me less than grand in total including the initial purchase. It's been an absolute bargain holiday bike...why aren't there any bargain holiday bike threads anymore?
This year's trip is rapidly approaching and ideally I'd replace the Marin with a shiny ~150mm 29er but I can't justify spending ££££'s on a bike that spends most of the year not being ridden.
What, if anything, could I do to 'modernise' the Marin and make it more enduro and the trails come alive?
Offset bushings, some tokens in the rear shock etc. 😉
I personally wouldn't.
Bikes are so far away from basically everything on your Marin now that it will cost a fortune and probably ruin the ride of the bike you liked in the first place.
Assuming you do like the ride of course, I'd just keep it as is and hire a modern bike for the hollidays.
That way you don't have the hassle of transporting a bike and if you like the hire one that much it might get you riding more over here and seeking a new bike to do it on 🙂
That's an interesting question and I don't know the answer as its not purely about the cost...its that whatever the cost it would need to represent a significant improvement over the Marin for me to justify it to myself.
I've had a blast on the Marin on every trip, its probably far more capable than I am, but I just wonder whether things would be better on a more modern bike...but how much more modern to make a difference.
I've been looking at the classifieds, eBay, Pinkbike etc. for a while and there aren't many XL size bikes that come up for what I think is sensible money, I've actually seen used bikes asking for almost the same as you can find them new.
Have also been wondering about just getting a newer frame and moving stuff across, but again choice is limited and expensive.
Some stuff out there
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2372037/
If you are planning to get a new frame and swap over
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2386174/
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2386179/
Those are probably 2 good full bikes to look at
It is an interesting question.
Mate is just getting into MTB and has got a 2006 Enduro, the same model I had back in 2006, back then 160mm Trail bike’s were rare and it was considered a bit of a monster.
I personally think you’ve got to look at is as a whole rather than just picking and choosing bits that are easy to ‘update’. with the Enduro it came with 6xxmm bars (I think) and maybe a 150mm stem, it’s pretty easy to slap on 800mm bars and an 35mm stem, but you’ll end up with a steep bike that’s 115mm shorter than it was already short and standard and it’ll be twitchy as hell.
If you can get some off-sets to slacken it up and maybe go for a slightly shorter stem and some wider bars, but I wouldn’t go mental with most extreme current standard.
In answer to the thread title: one thing and one thing only. A dropper seat post, eg a mechanical gravity dropper. It will make a big difference, but no other upgrade will. Deffo don't go spending loads of money on it.
@twonks, the Marin only gets taken out for when I need 150mm of travel, most local riding requires nothing more than a hardtail...or even a rigid ss, so without the trips away it wouldn't get ridden at all. It was purchased because I was struggling to find XL bikes to hire, few places hire bikes that big, some might have one XL in their fleet. Turned out to be a good purchase as the Marin has cost me than less half the hire costs...and those who have hired on the trips have never really felt at home on hire bike.
@Mike, interesting bikes, particularly the Transition. Probably not seen those as they're all over 220 miles from me which makes viewing, collecting impractical.
@P-Jay, the forks are 2015 Revs which I assume slacken the head angle as they're 10mm longer than the originals, the bars are 780 wide, the stem has been shorten (but is still a crazy long 90mm by today's standards) the rims are wider and tubeless, and its got a dropper post. They're probably isn't anything else that I could do beyond offset bushings.
What differences would I see between the Marin and something like the bikes Mike linked to?
Keep it retro 😀 or
Angleset + Dropper + 1x (10/11/whatever)
or new bike. n+1 and keep 😉
1x totes not worth it. Chainring, chain, cassete and possibly rear mech prematurely swapped out and for what?
It's a tricky one. If you're comfortable in it why change it? Just keep your eyes peeled and you might see what you're after at the right price second hand. I did, and I did, and I honestly can't believe how little I paid.
Of course I want really happy with the mid noughties bike I had, mainly as it was too short for me, and not in a long/low/slack fashion sense, knees hitting the bars or of the saddle sense... Worked pretty well on the descents though
Think it's already lost its claim as retro...see above list of changes 😀
Fitted a 150mm dropper for last years trip and it was a great upgrade 😁
Considered going 1x but couldn't rationalise the expense against the current 2x9 especially when most of the riding is downhill and requires little use of the gears.
I'm pretty certain an angleset isn't an option as it got a 1 1/8 head tube 😔
Might give some offset bushings a try and keep an eye open for any more local used deals, and possibly look at hiring/test riding something new to get a point of reference to see how the world's moved on.
You can fit an angle set to a 1 1/8 the head tube. I did on my 2011 heckler. You can't get more than a degree change however. I fitted a works.
That and a couple of bushes will knock around 2 degrees off it however, which will be noticable
@tpbiker, that's good to know, assumed there wasn't space to angle the fork in the headtube.
There obviously isn't as much as a tapered head tube but there is enough to get a degree.. Assuming you are running a straight steerer fork (which is I assume is what you are limited to anyway )
That said if I was you I'd be looking at picking up an old 26 inch frame of more modern vintage. No idea what the geo is on your bike but I'm assuming that even a bike from around 2012 would be more upto date than yours with a couple of degrees knocked off it. Sure you would be looking at around 2-300 quid rather than 70 (for bushes and and anglset) but you would probably end up with a far better bike. For reference I picked up a canyon nerve frame fork and wheels off here for a mate for 300 quid so you would have plenty of choice.
I recently built up a 2003 Rocky Mountain Blizzard steel hard tail frame.... a combination of new or 2nd hand parts.... the main thing to consider is that forks with a 1 1/8th straight steerer tube will get harder and harder to source, as nearly all forks these days come with a tapered tube....
Providing your bike is fulfilling your needs then why change it for something newer that is only going to sit in the shed most days..., my other bikes are a an 07 Trek session 10 and an 09 Commencal Meta55.... they both work.... so need for change...LOL
its cost me less than grand in total including the initial purchase.
I'd have a look at what a grand can buy you now, just for reference... There are quite impressive looking "cheap" FS bikes available at present.
Personally I am finding it hard to get past the idea of investing in a bossnut this coming winter in preparation for next summer... And I'd sworn off FS bikes for the foreseeable future.
I think you just get to a point with MTBs now where what's "current" is so far removed from whatever 8~10+ year old bike your trying to "update" that it starts to feel like a bit of a turd polishing exercise...
Keep the Marin as is. It's a perfectly good, older MTB with life left in it, but maybe it gets relegated to the 'B-team'. Reserved for tow path pootles with the kids and/or kept on standby as a loaner for friends/visitors...
All IMO of course.
1x mainly just for declutter especially with a dropper lever as well, narrow wide chainring and clutch mech, thus rid yourself of chain drop, especially with rough downhills. Frustration dropping and jamming chains, and ripping apart chain guides, doing downhills on a 2x was what finally got me to switch.
Not essential though.
But on the keep or new. I still have my 2009/10ish Nomad Mk2 kept for gnarlier stuff. It doesn't get out as much as my other bikes, but I still love it. It's droppered, 1x'ed and going to angleset it and it might go to Ard Rock though not sure between that and my 5010. It's just the Nomad is super plush (CCDB Air shock, Lyrik forks).
Oh, and wide bars and short stem. Though if the cockpit is short, it could be an issue. I'm unsure about anglesets if that pushes the bars back even further, in a noticeable way.
“I’m unsure about anglesets if that pushes the bars back even further, in a noticeable way.”
The slight rearwards offset of the upper cup tends to be cancelled out by the slacker fork dropping the headtube down and away from you, slightly increasing the reach.
The geometry of that Marin looks absolutely antiquated - I’d retire it and get something newer but secondhand. Especially as you’re on an XL - it looks shorter than a modern XS and taller riders definitely benefit most from bikes getting longer.
I' very much in the 'you've enjoyed it before, so there's no reason why you won't enjoy it now' camp. Unless you're riding with some friends that you have to beat, of course, then there's no limit to the money you need to spend. It's an arms race!!!
Due to work & real life changes I've recently been working away from home part of the week but close to my folks house. So I've left my old 2007 Stumpjumper at their's to ride around my old haunts in Aberdeen. The difference taking out my old 26" bike vs my newer 29er or fatty I have at home is incredible, not to mention the trails are all very different to 11 years ago when I left Aberdeen. I feel far less happy on the old bike not enjoying stuff I'd fly through on the 29er.
What I really miss on the old bike is not having a dropper post, your Marin looks like it'll take one with no issues, the cut away on the frame of my 07 Stumpjumper means it can't. Also I really need to swap the front end about. Shorter stem, riser ( & wider) bars are a must.
Little changes can alter the handling a lot.
If fun factor is the required upgrade, stick a motor and a battery in it!
You already have reasonable forks and a dropper post, so not worth spending any money on those. If it were me, I'd try a shorter stem and leave it at that.
I think someone in this parish turned that style Marin into a great looking full suss fatbike....
I loved my version of that frame, an attack trail.... lasted for absolutely ages. Great fun and back up with the Marin warranty.
You ain't going to update it to make it more modern, fitting things like a dropper for example doesn't suddenly change the geometry of the bike.
It is what it is,treat it as a retro bike and accept it.
If you want a more modern bike, get one.
The thing is, how much are you willing to spend trying to modernise an old nag? Offset bushes, an angleset (if one will actually fit), shorter shock, wider bars/short stem and so on, you can easily blow through a few hundred quid and still have a bike that's just a bit 'meh'.
I would start looking at a newer bike, if you've got some nicer parts on the Marin in terms of brakes and drivetrain, those could probably be moved onto a newer bike, not every standard has changed yet...
But honestly:
VS
I know what I would choose today...
I modernised my Patriot 7+ and it's fantastic. My kona Heihei from the same age (2007) just was too different and for its intended use was just too far behind a 29 full suspension.
Sounds like you've done pretty much everything worth considering so I'd say leave it as it is. I was looking at a similar project on my vintage orange about 18 months ago and concluded it just wasn't worthwhile, so many things had changed in the mean time.
Maybe rather than thinking about what will replace your specific holiday / travel needs you could think about what would cover those and your local riding so it's more of a versatile choice? Do you need 150 travel and even if you do, what would stop you riding that on less demanding terrain?
Why do you need to modernise If you enjoy riding this one?
How about a rigid fat front fork, fat wheel, with a 4.8" JJ or the large Minion? 😉
Thanks for all the replies.
I think I'm going to try and go and look at a Bossnut Evo, the reviews are all good and it looks amazing for the money. Seems almost daft to ''chance' a secondhand purchase when you can get so much new.
And the riding in the online content is far beyond how I ride so should cope with my slower wheels on the floor style.
Has anyone got, or ridden, an Evo? If so, have they felt the need for more front travel, I assume the forks can be extended to 140mm by removing a spacer?
If the Bossnut doesn't happen then I'll keep my open for similar priced options...and worse case I take the Marin...it's served my well for four previous trips to the Alps so I'm sure it'll be fine on a fifth. If I get something new then I'll look to move the Marin parts across to something more modern for one of my lads.
What do people think to this 2017 Vitus Escarpe Deore as an alternative to the Bossnut?