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How about a Marin bike? (was: Why are expensive bikes better than cheap ones?)
Thanks to everyone's help in my earlier thread at
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...3e2d568d9fab3e 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_2...as_valley.html or a Marin Fairfax: http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2...s_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? Ken Aston |
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#2
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How about a Marin bike? (was: Why are expensive bikes better than cheap ones?)
in message .com, Ken
Aston ') wrote: Thanks to everyone's help in my earlier thread at http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...3e2d568d9fab3e 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_2...as_valley.html or a Marin Fairfax: http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2...s_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 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. 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. What do you think? Ken Aston -- (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' |
#3
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How about a Marin bike? (was: Why are expensive bikes better than cheap ones?)
In article .com
Ken Aston wrote: Thanks to everyone's help in my earlier thread at http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...3e2d568d9fab3e 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_2...as_valley.html or a Marin Fairfax: http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2...s_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. 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. 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. |
#4
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How about a Marin bike? (was: Why are expensive bikes better than cheap ones?)
Ken Aston wrote:
Thanks to everyone's help in my earlier thread at http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...3e2d568d9fab3e 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_2...as_valley.html or a Marin Fairfax: http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2...s_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... |
#5
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How about a Marin bike? (was: Why are expensive bikes better than cheap ones?)
"Ken Aston" wrote in message oups.com... Thanks to everyone's help in my earlier thread at http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...3e2d568d9fab3e 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_2...as_valley.html or a Marin Fairfax: http://www.marinbikes.com/bicycles_2...s_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. |
#6
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How about a Marin bike? (was: Why are expensive bikes better than cheap ones?)
Rob Morley wrote:
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. |
#7
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How about a Marin bike? (was: Why are expensive bikes better than cheap ones?)
In article . com
POHB wrote: Rob Morley wrote: 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. |
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