Mountain Biking - my bike.... good or bad??

about a little over a year ago i bought a Gary fisher marin, is this an ok bike or should i through it away?? it only weighs about 25 pounds, is that good or bad?? help would be appreciated.

Hey,
I think we're going to need a little more information to help you out. I don't know a lot about bikes, but this seems to be a decent bike for the casual rider or beginner rider. What type of riding do you do? Off road? Commuting? Why would you want to throw it out? Is it still in good condition, or has it been beaten up. It should still be in pretty good shape after a year...might just need a tune up. As for the weight, it depends on what you're doing. Racers will go for a lighter bike and shave off as much weight as possible, but for me riding trails for exercise and fun, 25 lbs would be fine. Give a little more info as to why you're questioning the bike.

John

ok... for shocks it got rst 281's, its got a sram grip shift system, all shimano beakes,crank,everything. its in really good condition, i was just saying that because if its a piece of crap i dont want it. i pretty much use it for messing aroud in the woods and hills, not huge drops, but pretty big, is that enough info???

Gary Fisher was one of the guys who made mountain bikes popular. I would say you've got a pretty good frame there. You might want to up grade some of the components, but if the frame fits you, I wouldn't get rid it.

I work at a shop that sells the Marlin. It's a great entry-level bike, but could stand some upgrades to help performance and weight to make a "Race Worthy" bike. If you're not going to race though, save your money and just have fun riding the cr@p out of the bike. As parts break, upgrade. If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, get a new fork. That'll make a HUGE difference in the bike. Then if you still want to spend some $$, get a new set of wheels.

L8R

thanks for all the info, what kind of forks would you/i get when needed, and how much are they?

I'm a big fan of Marzocchi forks, but they're more expensive and usually heavier than others. BUT, I'm more concerned with how smooth they feel and durability. I'm not a weight wienie.

I also like Manitou's new fork line with the reverse arch and the adjustable travel.

I've never been a big fan of Rock Shox due to personal experience with them, but a lot of people love theirs.

You can usually get a good closeout deal on some forks for under $200. Marzocchi's usually don't sell for under $250.

I'd stick to a maximum of 100mm of travel. I would recommend only 80mm. I've got a Z-2 which only has 80mm and if you've got the correct spring rate for your size, it'll be fine. I've yet to bottom mine out!

L8R

First of all, there are no bad bikes, they all have character, second shocks, or springs as I call them are for sissys, ride the bike, don't make it ridable. I ride a straight blade ridgid fork in the woods, It weighs .75 pounds and never leaks oil or air, it never sticks and gets me over everything, and when it finally breaks, I'll just build another one just like it.