zjrog

I'm guessing this bike is an early 2000s or earlier bike given the quill stem. Also guessing the suspension fork is not original.

Any idea what model, maybe year?

I'm thinking about looking at this bike for gravel duty. Haven't heard back from the seller yet. So no info other than it looks big...



I have a smaller 98 Schwinn hybrid, that I was considering throwing drop bars on, this might be a better choice.

freeranger

What width tires will that bike accept? Don't want to go too narrow on gravel.

zjrog

The Marin, I have no idea. Hoping to hear from the seller...

The Schwinn looks like it will take 700x42, but haven't tried yet.

In my youth, I rode a Sears Free Spirit 10 speed on rural gravel roads (near Emporia and Dirty Kanza), on 27x1 1/4" tires. Just didn't know any better...

TakingMyTime

If the Schwinn is your current ride and you're thinking about the Marin... are you sure the Marin is going to fit you? That's a pretty big bike.

zjrog

The Schwinn is small for me, but what I have on hand, and with different stem and drop bars might fit. But something bigger would be better. A better course for the Schwinn will be for my Grand Daughter as soon as she can get on it.

The Marin has a size on it. And I think the suspension fork exaggerates the size. But still needing to hear back from the seller...


Really hoping to hear back on this today... I am very intrigued with a disc brake ready fork. But not the frame...

I'm 6'1", long in the torso. My road bikes are 58 and 60 cm... And my 29er is a large frame.

zjrog

The seller bought it about 2003, so it is a 2002 or 3. But didn't know the model (?)... And after a quick search I think it is a San Anselmo. He says he is 6'2" and feels it is a bit tall for him. I'm going to go look at it Tuesday..

Size. I thought my 29er was big once upon a time.

I'm comfortable on it now. And a near perfect match, seat height, bar height and reach, with my Cannondale CAAD8 and KHS road bikes.


Hmmmm.

Now I'm really curious! It might be big... (yes, I reversed the Marin image for the comparison)

hokiefyd 

I would be very surprised if that suspension fork is original. I don't think they'd have used such a long and tall head tube combined with a suspension fork. The standover distance on this bike is probably pretty tall (I'm guessing 32-33" at least), much taller than a typical frame of that nominal size (52cm).

You could "scale" the picture by measuring on your screen the diameter of the tire, which we know to be about 700mm (give or take). That's about 28". Doing this myself, it looks like the distance from the front axle to the top of the head tube is also about 28" (about the same as the diameter of the front tire). Measure your 29er -- what's the dimension from the front axle, up the fork, to the top of the head tube (near the joint where the top tube is welded to the head tube)? If it's about 28", then this Marin may feel similar in size to you. I suspect that dimension is much smaller than 28"...maybe 20-22".

zjrog

I no longer do digital image work, or I'd have the Marin and my 29er superimposed...

I tried to match wheel size fairly close taking the tire size out of the equation. The Marin may be a bit taller at the the headset, but not as outlandish as I'd originally thought.


I found a 2000 model of this bike, showing suspension fork, and similar size (in a thread here about snow and ice mushers).

I'm thinking I need a 1 1/8 quill adapter, then using the 1 1/8 stem and drop bars I have (with Sora 3400 brifters and cyclocross type brakes, like my 29er has) swap on a 9 speed cassette and I might be in business... Cheap... Then see what I have room for, for tires.

Oh man, Tuesday seems far off...

zjrog

The fork appears original. Given it is nearly 20 years old, I think they were still sorting out "hybrids". I have a spare set of disc wheels for my 29er, at least the front could go disc. I'll take measurements of my 29er, and measure the Marin when I go look at it...

The more I look at the comparisons, I'm very interested to see it up close. Just for the components there is value in getting this bike.

DorkDisk

If that is a picture of you on the bike and the seat height works, that Marin is way too large for you IMO. I sold Marins for a while and thats what a L or XL hybrid looks like.

These frames are a combination of slope up and slope down geometries. MTBs use slope down, where the top tube is dropped at the seat tube for clearance. Slope up is used to create a taller head tube, like on Rivendells.

For drop bar conversions, I generally recommend sizing down to compensate for longer top tubes.

zjrog

I appreciate the input. Unfamiliar with Marin in general, hybrids specifically. I'm still going to look at it. Possibly buy for me, my son, or the parts at least. I'm going to take measurements of my 29er, which I have the seat lowered for offroad use (and riding with the grandkids or pulling a trailer or tag along), it sits a good inch and a quarter higher for road use usually. And see if the Marin seat goes lower or not, if it measures even close.

I keep looking at the comparison pics, not sure how far off on scale I did.

This may prove a very poor fit for me. Or just right for my line of thinking. At the very least, it will probably be the most unique bike inn my horde...

I don't suppose you have an idea what the biggest tire I could get in this frame?

katsup

The Marin looks like a comfort hybrid (upright riding). You maybe able to look at the geometry of a Trek Verve to get an idea of fit, I think before 2016, the Verve came with suspension even.

Not sure how well these types of bikes will work with drops, if that is your intention. The components look low end so hope the price is cheap if you are buying it for parts.

Do you know what it says on the top tube?

zjrog

It is not expensive, always nice to have spare stuff on hand. But no idea what it says, it appears to be a match for earlier San Anselmo models. Worth a look regardless.

zjrog

I think that is not quite the measure you expected for the Marin, but more for my 29er. Looks like 25", if Icouldhave moved the camera a bit. I had used an extension on this bike for a while, yanked it off after an offroad ride had me too upright.

I added this pic, 25" to the top of the top tube...

hokiefyd 

Yep...okay...about 25". If I'm scaling the picture correctly, the top tube of that Marin will be about 3" taller than that, or right about the height of your stem and/or handlebar. That's pretty tall! If it works out to be about that height, I'm REALLY surprised Marin would have done that from the factory -- as most people who would ride a 52cm frame would never be able to stand over that.

zjrog

The height stood out, then I got interested with the 52cm size... Interested? More like curious.

As for scaling, the differences in cell phone cameras and perspective might not be helping with size info. Hence going to look at it.

hokiefyd 

Yeah, going to look at it in the flesh is best. I think the relatively thin steel tubes make the bike look bigger, visually. Larger hydroformed aluminum tubing would make that head tube look proportionately smaller, even if all on-center dimensions were the same. Good luck on Tuesday!

katsup

The point I was trying to make is that if you are buying bikes for spare parts to have on hand, you should be looking for bikes with better components, Deore or better.

DorkDisk

Its NOT a traditional 52cm road frame; its a 20.5" MTB style frame, and 20.5"=52cm. They are merely converting units. A 52 road bike is for a very small rider; a 20.5" MTB frame is for a very tall rider; this is the latter.

zjrog

I also have a 22" Trek 7000. 1990 or 1991 model. Original except for tires, chain and brake pads...

katsup

Much better bike, The geometry is different between the Marin and 7000, plus the 26" helps with stand over.

zjrog

I picked it up. It is a San Rafael, not San Anselmo. More as I know it... I'm thinking it should fit 650b. Lots of adjustment in the brakes I think...

zjrog

Top tube height at the seat tube. Marin hybrid left, my 29er right. I threw a leg over it, and it is close. Very close.


Top tube at head tube height. Not quite as tall as my 29er.


Handlebat height. Of course, the hybrid can easily be brought down. Hybrid top tube is 1/2" shorter than my 29er.

Ok. This might not work for me. But. I want to get it aired up and see how it feels otherwise. Can't do that till Friday. I know of a Performance branded touring frame available. The Marin components could mostly swap over. Still. A very interesting bike. Much lighter than I expected.

hokiefyd 

It looked like standover would be really high (I guessed "32 or 33 at least"), and it looks like it's going to be in the 34-35" range near the middle of the top tube where you'd normally stand. You'll need a nominal 19mm in brake pad adjustment in order to support a conversion to 584mm (27.5" or 650B) wheels. The (top of the) brake track radius on 622s is 311mm, and is 292mm for 584s. That's how far you'd need to be able to adjust your brake pads down, in theory, to reach 584mm wheels.

I agree with you that, at the very least, you just bought a handful of decent components. Is that rear derailleur a Shimano Alivio? Perhaps an RD-M430?

zjrog

It is Alivio. Unsure of specific model number. I haven't had a chance to look at everything just yet.

I've asked a couple friends if they have a 650b wheel to see if I can fit one in. But even so, pretty sure stand over is going to be an issue.

At least I have donor parts if a better frame choice comes along. (I have one in mind, already...)