# Anyone into trail biking/mountain biking? Help needed



## Alastair (10 Aug 2011)

As per the above, if anyone is and is clued up regarding trail bikes etc I'd like some help. I'm looking to upgrade your bog standard low budget run of the mill mtb, and have fallen in love with a Marin trail bike I've seen on eBay. Not being great at all the techy stuff when it comes to them what should I be looking for,  could anyone point me in the right direction. 

This is the one I've seen, plus the colour grabbed me straight away http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marin-Madrone ... 1595wt_922. 

I just don't want to go jumping into buying it and not be happy. However, I don't have the funds to be buying new for a bike like that. 

Thanks guys


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## plantbrain (11 Aug 2011)

Well, I'm from Marin CA, and all.......this looks to be a decent hardtail, good entry bike and a good price.


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## Sentral (11 Aug 2011)

Marin are a pretty decent brand, so you can't really go wrong. The only thing I would say is that cable discs aren't great, it's much better to go for a bike with V-brakes if you're on a budget; but seeing as though this is on eBay you may get a good deal!


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## Alastair (11 Aug 2011)

plantbrain said:
			
		

> Well, I'm from Marin CA, and all.......this looks to be a decent hardtail, good entry bike and a good price.



Thanks tom, I'll get my bidding on it then I'm a day or two


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## Alastair (11 Aug 2011)

Sentral said:
			
		

> Marin are a pretty decent brand, so you can't really go wrong. The only thing I would say is that cable discs aren't great, it's much better to go for a bike with V-brakes if you're on a budget; but seeing as though this is on eBay you may get a good deal!



I was always under the impression disc brakes were better. Oops


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## Frosties (11 Aug 2011)

Fantastic bike there... I do a bit of trail biking myself and infact when I was in Borneo over 60% of the time was in the saddle... I would have paid well to get something like this out there. However we had the GIANT range and BOULDER model of bikes. These are about £250 to £350 brand new... This Marin - I would expect even on Ebay to top the £250 mark so go for it... you may get a bloody good deal...

Oh and V-brakes over Disk brakes is a personal perception... V brakes are brilliant on sandy surfaces - however in the wet they are rubbish. Disk brakes are brilliant in the mid - but if you get wet slimy gunk on the disk... forget stopping at all!!! Trust me I know - I ploughed into a police car in Borneo after I came out of the rain forest trail on a wet day! long story - funny as hell... For some reason though - the policeman did not see it that way!


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## Alastair (11 Aug 2011)

Frosties said:
			
		

> Fantastic bike there... I do a bit of trail biking myself and infact when I was in Borneo over 60% of the time was in the saddle... I would have paid well to get something like this out there. However we had the GIANT range and BOULDER model of bikes. These are about £250 to £350 brand new... This Marin - I would expect even on Ebay to top the £250 mark so go for it... you may get a bloody good deal...
> 
> Oh and V-brakes over Disk brakes is a personal perception... V brakes are brilliant on sandy surfaces - however in the wet they are rubbish. Disk brakes are brilliant in the mid - but if you get wet slimy gunk on the disk... forget stopping at all!!! Trust me I know - I ploughed into a police car in Borneo after I came out of the rain forest trail on a wet day! long story - funny as hell... For some reason though - the policeman did not see it that way!



I would have got a good deal if the seller hadn't ended the auction   I'm gutted now and can't seem to find that model anywhere. 
I thought so too with the disc brakes, my current one has them, and like today, me and my little girl went out riding, it's pouring with rain and my bike was stopping as normal, hers with v brakes was not doing so well ha ha. Shouldn't laugh as she went into the style along the path....oops!
Ahhh well you know policeman, there sense of humour changes somewhat when they become one ( no offence to anyone on here that is one, your all still very nice   ) ha ha


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## plantbrain (12 Aug 2011)

V brakes are easier to adjust and fix in general if you are out 20 km from civilization.
I've never had issues with them, Dsic? Try changing the pads and bleedign rhe hydrulic type once ina while.....sucks.

the V barkes can be had for pretty cheap. Try the cable Disc for now.........might be all you need. We have a 2000 meter decent here through the forest about 1 hour drive, 30-35km of nothing but descending, I'm more X country, but the ride is funner than anything, the ski resorts around Lake Tahoe are 1-1.5 hours away also, so all summer long.....

Ironically, MTB is safer and less likely to die than Road cycling.

I have a sub 10kg Cannondale carbon Scapel. I'm into it though.


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## Frosties (12 Aug 2011)

Now that's a nice bike! 

Shame about the auction. Keep looking!


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## Alastair (12 Aug 2011)

plantbrain said:
			
		

> V brakes are easier to adjust and fix in general if you are out 20 km from civilization.
> I've never had issues with them, Dsic? Try changing the pads and bleedign rhe hydrulic type once ina while.....sucks.
> 
> the V barkes can be had for pretty cheap. Try the cable Disc for now.........might be all you need. We have a 2000 meter decent here through the forest about 1 hour drive, 30-35km of nothing but descending, I'm more X country, but the ride is funner than anything, the ski resorts around Lake Tahoe are 1-1.5 hours away also, so all summer long.....
> ...



It's all built up where I live for miles around and so isn't really ideal for road cycling unless I take the risk of being hit by a car....
I'm going to have to think really hard on what to get then and may just have to invest in a brand new one then. Looking at this site http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/i ... ?cPath=141 can anyone point me in the right direction. There's lots to choose from. I only have a budget of between 4 to 5 hundred but want as much as possible for that. Ideally, something that I could nip onto the road to hop between trails etc


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