I recently bought this super clean 2007 or 8 Marin Pine Mountain steel bike frame, with hopes of swapping parts over from my yellow utility bike. My yellow bike is a custom KHS Alite 1000 build from the late 90's which I bought in 2007, but the frame is too small for me at about 16.5" from BB to top tube. This frame is 20" BB-TT. It's also a couple inches longer in the top tube, with a steeper seat tube angle. I'd really like to get at least the wheels, seat and post, and bars on it to check fit before I decide to keep it or try to sell it again.

I thought about swapping my bike's CK NoThreadSet over, but decided to just get a new lower price headset. Problem is I ordered the wrong type and will have to exchange it. Also I've run into another problem where the head tube is much taller than my yellow frame, and now it appears that my fork's steerer tube is too short.

Add to that the fact that the frame is disc brake only so I'll have to get a new rear wheel and disc brake, and it also has down tube cable routing which means bottom pull FD whereas my yellow bike has top tube cables with a top pull FD.

I really hate to part with the frame because it looks so nice and has a lot of features I want like rack and fender provisions. Plus it's steel which I've been wanting to try. I found a 29" hybrid at the LBS with similar frame size (22" size, I ride a 56 road bike) and that bike seemed okay on my short ride with it. I didn't have much stand over clearance but that was with 700c tires whereas this frame takes 26".

So as it stands now I would have to exchange the new headset thru Amazon, or try to swap my 20 year old CK headset, and also buy a new fork (Nashbar steel fork at $50). And then eventually get the rear wheel and disc brake plus 3x8 bottom pull FD to get the whole bike completed.

Are there any other options just to be able to check the fit of this thing without spending a bunch of money?

Some pics of the frame up in front of my yellow bike. Perspective exaggerates some of the differences, I think.

Ahhh, you have a fork extender on the KHS.

I'd probably keep the yellow bike intact, or mostly intact. You're already finding a bunch of parts that will need to be replaced for the swap.

Maybe start prowling for a better donor bike.

Also, don't forget local bike co-ops or used bike junkstores for parts.

I would keep looking for other bikes with similar size/geometry that you can borrow or just try out. Although, that Marin does look like it has a much longer head tube than mountain bikes I have used. It might be hard to find something that matches the Marin really closely, but you should be able to get enough of an idea.

For future reference, see if you can figure out what amount of fork travel and rake/offset the Marin frame was designed for, so that you can find the right fork for it.

You bought the wrong frame and if you pursue this it's going to be a money pit. Get the right one.

As I said I tried a Trek hybrid at the LBS with similar seat tube and top tube lengths, and it felt okay other than the standover height, which would be less on this frame since it will have 26" wheels.

The fork I use now, and would buy a new one if I have to, is the Nashbar height-corrected chromoly rigid fork, with 453mm axle to crown height. The 2007 Marin Pine Mountain came with a Fox 32 F100R 100mm travel front fork. I can't find the exact axle-crown dimensions for that Fox fork, but it's probably pretty close to the Nashbar fork.

Nashbar Rigid Mountain Bike Fork

It looks like a nice frame, and all of the parts you need are available at reasonable cost. So if you have enough of a sense that it's the right size, then go for it.

I wouldn't worry too much about a rear brake right away. Just build it up and ride it with front only for a few weeks. If you like it then get rear wheel and brake.

If it has a brake bridge on the rear triangle you may even be able to fit a BMX caliper in the rear. Lever pull won't be a proper match, but it'll be something, and far cheaper than new rear wheel and disc brake.

Front derailleurs are pretty cheap.

Yeah that was the plan. I'm just not real happy about having to buy a whole new fork just to be able to test ride it to see if it will fit or not. I want to build up a dedicated commuter bike from scratch on down the road, but this one ain't it, and I wouldn't be using this fork with that future build, either.

So I'm returning the wrong headset from Amazon, and I went ahead and ordered a proper one that will fit (and is about half the price). Also Nashbar was running a 21% off sale yesterday so I ordered another fork for about $40 final shipped cost. I think I'll make out okay. If it turns out not to work I'll return the parts, or try to sell them along with the frame.

I like the Marin frame. Here is what I would do...

Get the specs of both frames so you can figure out if you are able to get the saddle and handlebars setup in the right place for you. If you can get it close to what you have or what you wish you had, then I'd go for it.

Find out the compensation for the correct fork... a Kona P2 or Surley may be a good choice and not too expensive.

You will have to understand that some parts won't transfer, BB width, seatpost, FD. Eventually get a disc rear wheel and brake.

There are racks that will accommodate rear disc brakes w/o eyelets. I think Axiom makes some.

Pretty cool bike.

John

Good idea. You'd need the bottom half of a headset to get very precise measurements but even without you can get pretty close. Get some wheels in and put bike on a level floor. Then with a spirit level, some string, a weight and a ruler you can measure reach and stack of the bike. Also check seattube angle to see if the two bikes vary greatly there.


BB spindle width is usually more crankset-dependent. There could be a difference of BB shell width, however. One might be 68 and the other 73, for instance.

Got a different, cheaper headset (FSA "The Pig") for 20 bucks, and a Nashbar steel fork like the one I already have, but on sale for about 35 bucks. So far I'm only in about $110 on this thing. I rigged up a DIY tool and pressed in the headset cups earlier this week, and then installed the star nut into the fork last night. Now I just need to move my handlebars, wheels, and BB/crankset over to start seeing how it's going to fit. I did check the BB shell on both frames and they are the same width.

If it's just grossly too large or something, I'll try to sell the frame, headset and fork together.

Well I went ahead and started taking the yellow bike apart. I got the handlebar, stem riser, stem and bars on; then swapped over the BB (20 year old UN-72 looked and felt great!) and crankset, rear dérailleur and chain, and put the front brake caliper on. Swapped over the saddle and seat post, which I set about the same height as before or maybe a touch lower.

When I first stood over the bike, WHOA! The top tube pretty much touches my crotch! But then I took it outside and rode it around single speed in the granny ring and smallest cog. So far it feels perfectly fine riding around. I'm actually a little more upright before due to the taller head tube, but that's what I want anyway since this is mainly for around town trailer hauling.

So at this point it's feeling pretty good except for the stand over clearance. Thoughts? It's a really nice looking bike, will be even better once I get a rear disc wheel and brake, my rear rack and some actual real dedicated fenders.