All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

coworker got a Trek Marlin at a very good price. Decent starter hardtail if that's what you're looking for. It won't blow people away but it'll help you cover ground on the trails. especially if you get the higher end Trek Marlin's.

 

What he said. It's a solid starter bike. I'd def opt for the Marlin 7 over the Marlin 5 though based on component spec.

Edit: 7 has cooler colorways too

 

I am a big advocate for Trek bikes as great entry bikes. Trek carries a lifetime frame warranty for the 1st owner and most Trek shops are generally decent to newer and more casual riders. The Marlin is a decent enough frame that you can ride the bike as built, and swap / upgrade parts as they wear out or break, which is not a true statement for all the bikes in that pricepoint.

 

On the same boat, tho I think I'm making my purchase today. Cannondale Trail 7, not my first choice... but MAN is COVID ruining my first MTB purchasing experience. Everything is out of stock, so cross shopping / test riding is almost impossible. Rockhoppers, Talons, and Marlins are sold old at any of my LBS. This will be my 1st MTB, so sub $600 where I'm shopping.

 

750.00 for 7 days inc tax & ins. High end bikes are like 90.00 a day and go down from there.

 

@Bannerman there’s a market for it...calling for investors

 

You know what feels good? Figuring out shit for your friends. "Hey man, I've got this weird creaking noise. pretty sure it's my bottom bracket"....and within 30 minutes, you diagnose and fix the problem for them real quick and you tell them, "it's almost never the bottom bracket. let's figure this out". Turned out to be the crank ring interface with the crank.

 

There definitely is. Talked to the guy that runs Moab Cycles the way up to TWE and he said 90% of their business is bike rentals and shuttles. About 10% new bike sales to locals. Each shop may vary but that was his assessment for them.

 

Get back to work.

 

That exact same issue just happened to the SRAM Dub cranks on my Spur today. I proceeded to crack the adjustment ring by tightening it too much, so now I'm waiting for a replacement. In the meantime, I'm taking the entire drivetrain apart, re-greasing, and getting it ready for the new ring.

Damn thing sounded like the entire BB and drivetrain was about to disintegrate, and it took me a minute to figure out where all the noise was coming from. Now I just need to learn to be more careful with that tiny little 2mm bolt...

 

I don't know about the Marlin specifically, but my son rides a Roscoe 8 and that is a great bike. It has definitely taken a beating. My son is 15 going on 16 soon and we got it for him the end of last season. This has been his first real bike that he didn't out grow before we got it home so it has been the bike he has ridden the most. He had a specialized Pitch Comp before this that was too small for him within a month of buying it. But I can say the Trek is a much better bike for the money. Yes the Roscoe 8 is a better build than the Pitch comp but but it is also just a better built bike. If it is any clue to the abuse he is putting on it, he is on his 3rd derailleur hanger. He rides had, but when he wrecks, he wrecks hard too.

 

moab cyclery is trash, would advise not going there. I needed my bike fixed, called them and they said it would take a couple hours. Bring it by at 9am when they said to, and he said he couldn't guarantee anything better than a 24 hour turn around. Not what i was told over the phone but oh well, i get it, you're busy.

we go out, hit a trail in the truck, and check back in around 4pm. They havent touched it, and told me it wouldn't be done till at least 1pm the next day. So of course i take the bike back, pissed, asked the guy wtf happened to my 24 hour turn around. He just gives me some stuck up attitude about "we're busy, cant help it. everyone in town is busy". Ya, no shit you're busy, everyone is busy. But tell me that, set a realistic expectation and say it'll take 48 plus hours. I wasted the whole day leaving it here with you, and there are people who can fix it in less time and be honest with me.

I brought it to chili pepper bike shop at 5pm, and it was done by 10 am the next morning. Chili pepper had also replaced a blown up fork for me the year prior, same thing, in less than half a day. Those guys are the busiest shop in town and still are super chill and have outstanding turn around. Go to chili pepper every time for sure.

 

@Gunshot-6A I was hoping that you'd be the one to chime in! Thanks everyone for the input. Thankfully there's a couple bike shops in town that are still decently stocked in addition to some used options.

 

Yep, I get your frustration for sure. All we did was use their shuttle service that day. Dustin at Double Down is a good dude. Might be the newest player in town and was being real cool to get a good rep I guess. Good business practice. I heard Chili Pepper was good and Poison Spyder also but I'd go back to DD. I guess it all depends on the bike you would want to rent and that would dictate where you go.

 

13 minutes of silence in remembrance, please.

Be patient with the beginning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9r-NxuYszg&feature=emb_title

 

I’m the most impatient person in the world and nothing makes me lose my mind more than someone wasting my time. Did Chili Pepper not give you a good repair timeline in the first place?

 

Chili pepper fixed it in exactly the timeline they told me. Moab cyclery did not. They said it would be 2 hours, then it turned into 24 hours, then it became 35 hours. Should have gone to chili pepper first

 

Sent shock in for warranty repair. I guess nows a good time to do a thorough clean and posssibly add some protection... Invisiframe vs Ridewrap?

 

@honda50r - adds on showing up on pb page.... good luck with the business