Originally Posted by
MRT2
But, back to my point about realistic expectations. The Marlin 5 is really more a mountain style bike than a mountain bike. The strong point of the Marlin 5 is, for the price, you get a 29er mountain bike with hydraulic disc brakes. And a decent frame. The weak point of the build is the entry level Tourney drivetrain and inexpensive suspension fork, which is really not adequate for single track, at least for a grown man. I warn anyone who comes on this board, DO NOT BUY AN ENTRY LEVEL SUSPENSION FORK BIKE. The suspension fork is the weak point of this bike. Go up at least a couple of hundred bucks, or look for a sale. When my son was competing, we saw this every year. Because it is hard to ask parents to shell out $1,000 or more for a mountain bike for a growing boy, or girl, a lot of parents opt for bikes like the Marlin 5. or Marlin 6. Sadly, even for younger teenagers, these entry level mountain bikes rarely hold up for more than a season of single track. If you have your heart set on Trek, go up to Marlin 7 or better yet, X Caliber line of bikes. Or just be realistic that what you bought is mostly an around town bike..
Yep, and I knew I was getting a lower quality bike for sure, so I wasn't expecting "top tier" by any means, but is lasting 2 months in a row without repair asking too much for my $500??
Taken directly from Treks webpage...
"Marlin 5 is a
trail-worthy daily rider that's perfectly suited for everyday adventures,
on and off the trail. A front suspension fork with 100mm of travel, 21 speeds, and mounts for a rack and fenders make it an ideal choice for new trail riders or anyone looking for a comfortable, stable commuter with the ruggedness of a
real mountain bike."
Now, I know that's all marketing designed to sell bikes, but it most definitely doesn't say "Not suitable for singletrack usage" or "for road use only" anywhere.
My plan was to buy the bike, then
waste some money over the first year or two upgrading some components, starting with the fork, and ending with a proper driveline...I figured it would be a fun & great way to learn about my bike...yes, I could have just saved up and bought a higher quality bike in the first place, but being an ex auto technician (20+ years), I like to tinker, and this would be a fun project.
But, back to my first point...2 months, very light riding, and the chance that I'd have to pay to fix the bike already??? Seems kinda strange to me.
