How about a Marin bike? (was: Why are expensive bikes better than cheap ones?)

in message <[email hidden]>, Ken

Aston (') said:

Thanks to everyone's help in my earlier thread at

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/uk.rec.cycling/browse_thread/thread/7dba00e82c694f17/d23e2d568d9fab3e#d23e2d568d9fab3e

Quoted message said:

I am now eager to put away my discount bike in the basement and buy a
good quality bike.

In particular I am looking into a Marin Lucas Valley

http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2007/html/bikes/bike_specs/specs_lucas_valley.html

Quoted message said:

or a Marin Fairfax:

http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2007/html/bikes/bike_specs/specs_fairfax.html

Quoted message said:

What do you think about these bikes for my purpose? I plan to ride it
about 20 miles a day on regular roads in the city. Since I am wearing a
suit once in a while, I would like to attach full length light-weight
fenders and a simple chain guard, just one extra ring next to the
pedals (is it possible?).

The Lucas Valley looks nice; carbon seat stays as well as carbon forks are
very nice, and between them give most of the benefits of a full carbon
frame. Sorry I can't comment in more detail - their website is so badly
designed it's hard for me to read any of it.

I'm not certain that it will be possible to attach any chain guard with
that chainset, but if you wear tights, or trousers with cycle clips, it
should not be necessary. If the frame does not have mudguard clearance
(and it probably doesn't) you can use SKS RaceBlade type mudguards.

Quoted message said:

The main purpose is riding in the city but next summer I want to do a
month-long bicycle trip. Do you think I can attach front and rear racks
and go on the road with the extra weight? I wonder if those thin tyres
will be OK. If yes, it would be perfect, as a like to move on fast. Or
should I get a seperate bike for the road trip?

Have you considered using a trailer? I used to do a lot of travelling with
a race bike pulling a trailer. The benefit is that you can carry as much
luggage as you need, and at the end of the day when you get to your
destination you can unhitch the trailer and you've still got your nice
high-performance bike.

Quoted message said:

What do you think?

Ken Aston

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
Ye hypocrites! are these your pranks? To murder men and give God thanks?
Desist, for shame! Proceed no further: God won't accept your thanks for
murther
-- Robert Burns, 'Thanksgiving For a National Victory'

In article <[email hidden]>

Ken Aston said:

Thanks to everyone's help in my earlier thread at
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/uk.rec.cycling/browse_thread/thread/7dba00e82c694f17/d23e2d568d9fab3e#d23e2d568d9fab3e
I am now eager to put away my discount bike in the basement and buy a
good quality bike.

In particular I am looking into a Marin Lucas Valley
http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2007/html/bikes/bike_specs/specs_lucas_valley.html
or a Marin Fairfax:
http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2007/html/bikes/bike_specs/specs_fairfax.html

What do you think about these bikes for my purpose? I plan to ride it
about 20 miles a day on regular roads in the city.

Nice looking bikes, should be well suited to the job if you're not
carrying much.

Quoted message said:

Since I am wearing a
suit once in a while, I would like to attach full length light-weight
fenders and a simple chain guard, just one extra ring next to the
pedals (is it possible?).

Probably - you can get plastic chainguards that just clip into the
socket heads of the chainring bolts, although it might take some
searching to find one with the right diameters. Failing that it should
be a pretty trivial task to make something out of acrylic sheet or alloy
and a few nuts and bolts, or just tuck your trousers in your socks, or
wear gaiters.

Quoted message said:

The main purpose is riding in the city but next summer I want to do a
month-long bicycle trip. Do you think I can attach front and rear racks
and go on the road with the extra weight? I wonder if those thin tyres
will be OK. If yes, it would be perfect, as a like to move on fast. Or
should I get a seperate bike for the road trip?

I'm not sure how the carbon stays and forks would cope with having racks
fitted - I suspect it's not a good idea.
The tyres aren't thin in terms of traditional touring bikes, so
shouldn't be a problem assuming the fairly lightweight wheels are up to
the job - wheels tend to have fewer spokes these days (except on
tandems), but that doesn't generally seem to lead to problems.
There's also the issue of comfort using flat handlebars for riding
longer distances, but at least the bikes come with bar ends so you'll
have a couple of hand positions.

Ken Aston said:

Thanks to everyone's help in my earlier thread at
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/uk.rec.cycling/browse_thread/thread/7dba00e82c694f17/d23e2d568d9fab3e#d23e2d568d9fab3e
I am now eager to put away my discount bike in the basement and buy a
good quality bike.

In particular I am looking into a Marin Lucas Valley
http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2007/html/bikes/bike_specs/specs_lucas_valley.html
or a Marin Fairfax:
http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2007/html/bikes/bike_specs/specs_fairfax.html

What do you think about these bikes for my purpose? I plan to ride it
about 20 miles a day on regular roads in the city. Since I am wearing a
suit once in a while, I would like to attach full length light-weight
fenders and a simple chain guard, just one extra ring next to the
pedals (is it possible?).

The main purpose is riding in the city but next summer I want to do a
month-long bicycle trip. Do you think I can attach front and rear racks
and go on the road with the extra weight? I wonder if those thin tyres
will be OK. If yes, it would be perfect, as a like to move on fast. Or
should I get a seperate bike for the road trip?

What do you think?

They're both nice, useful, practical, rapid commuters (mine's a
Fairfax),
but I'm losing faith a little in the brand.

I'm about to take delivery of my *second* replacement frame (2004
model,
IIRC), as both of its predecessors have cracked. The first went at the
downtube/seat tube weld and the next one went at the top tube/seat tube
weld.

Thank deity for Marin's lifetime frame warranty! I'd be a bit gutted if
I'd dropped eight hundred+ nicker for 18 months of cycling.

Anyway, that's just my experience - one data point does not a trend
make, but two failed frames does leave me a bit wary and suspicious...

"Ken Aston" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Thanks to everyone's help in my earlier thread at
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/uk.rec.cycling/browse_thread/thread/7dba00e82c694f17/d23e2d568d9fab3e#d23e2d568d9fab3e
I am now eager to put away my discount bike in the basement and buy a
good quality bike.

In particular I am looking into a Marin Lucas Valley
http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2007/html/bikes/bike_specs/specs_lucas_valley.html
or a Marin Fairfax:
http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2007/html/bikes/bike_specs/specs_fairfax.html

The key to whatever you buy - apart from not buying something so cheap that
it's made of gas pipe with components of cheese is *fit* The best thing is
to try out some bikes and find which is comfortable for you.

Rob Morley said:

I'm not sure how the carbon stays and forks would cope with having racks
fitted - I suspect it's not a good idea.

Can you still get racks that attach to the axle at the bottom end
rather than the stays?
I seem to recall one like that when I were a lad.

In article <[email hidden]>

POHB said:

Rob Morley said:

I'm not sure how the carbon stays and forks would cope with having racks
fitted - I suspect it's not a good idea.

Can you still get racks that attach to the axle at the bottom end
rather than the stays?
I seem to recall one like that when I were a lad.

ISTR reading somewhere fairly recently that you shouldn't use such a
rack if you have titanium QR skewers, so I guess they might be
available.