My 2011 Marin Bolinas Ridge 29er Upgrades w/ Pics

[Spartan14]

Ok so I picked up this bike at an REI garage sale for $400 a couple months ago. It's a 2011 model. The stock 3x8 was constantly throwing the chain and getting Chain suck. The shifting was crap even after tuning it several times and then having it professionally tuned twice I was still dropping the chain off the granny on climbs and falling over. Since then I've replaced the entire drive train and gone to a 2x9 24-36 Firex with bash guard. A SRAM 991 rear cassette. I installed a new Truvativ Bottom bracket,SRAM X-9 Front and rear derailleur's with X-9 shifters. Avid Elixir CR Hydraulic Brakes 185 mm front 160 mm rear. I wasn't very comfortable with the cockpit so I shortened my stem with a Crank Brothers Cobalt 3 80mm stem, Cobalt 3 Riser handle Bars, Cobalt grips, Cobalt seatpost and seatpost clamp to move my saddle back 20mm. I replaced the Continental Race Kings with WTB Werewolves for a huge improvement in traction. I'm just about to order a new Fox F32 fork and wheelset to accommodate the thru axle. So I've replaced everything on this bike but the saddle, headset, wheelset and fork so far. Off the top of my head I should have saved some cash and bought a better bike to begin with.

Go ahead tell me my bike is way over built I know.

[bdee]

looks good man.

im new to the marin brand myself. i have a thread in here showing my 09 Alpine Trail frame i built up. i got the frame for $100 (in excellent shape) and everything else i bought separate or had sitting around. i've been loving it so far, although it is the only 29er that iv'e ever ridden.

at least you have all the parts now to build a new frame should you decide to go that route, lol.

[ghettocop]

Nice, I have done a less complete version of your swap on a 2011 Alpine Trail... X9 front and rear, X0 grips. Fork will be next. Not a weight weenie, so not worried about the wheelset, and it has held up really well under my 240lbs body. Love the bike!

[Iron_sparthan]

Originally Posted by Spartan14

Ok so I picked up this bike at an REI garage sale for $400 a couple months ago. It's a 2011 model. The stock 3x8 was constantly throwing the chain and getting Chain suck. The shifting was crap even after tuning it several times and then having it professionally tuned twice I was still dropping the chain off the granny on climbs and falling over. Since then I've replaced the entire drive train and gone to a 2x9 24-36 Firex with bash guard. A SRAM 991 rear cassette. I installed a new Truvativ Bottom bracket,SRAM X-9 Front and rear derailleur's with X-9 shifters. Avid Elixir CR Hydraulic Brakes 185 mm front 160 mm rear. I wasn't very comfortable with the cockpit so I shortened my stem with a Crank Brothers Cobalt 3 80mm stem, Cobalt 3 Riser handle Bars, Cobalt grips, Cobalt seatpost and seatpost clamp to move my saddle back 20mm. I replaced the Continental Race Kings with WTB Werewolves for a huge improvement in traction. I'm just about to order a new Fox F32 fork and wheelset to accommodate the thru axle. So I've replaced everything on this bike but the saddle, headset, wheelset and fork so far. Off the top of my head I should have saved some cash and bought a better bike to begin with.

Go ahead tell me my bike is way over built I know.

Wonderful bike.

[Spartan14]

Originally Posted by Iron_sparthan

Wonderful bike.

Thank you sir!
It is a lot of fun to ride

[mr_chrome]

good frames are never over-built.............I am looking at the same model 2012 to add to my corral of bikes..........and like you, I will eventually upgrade everything on it, I'm sure.........may strip stuff off of my Cannondale Jekyll (including the Lefty) in the long run if I like the geared 29 experience better.........

[Zai]

Would you still have bought a Marin bike?

[ltk1144]

Jeez man I just bought this biks today and have already experienced the same problem! The cranks keep letting go of the chain when im on low gear. Love this bike and also got it for $400 but I guess I might have to get a new gear

[rockandroll322]

I'm a big guy, would you recommend this bike? I'd buy it through REI just in case anything happens to it. What do you guys think?

[ltk1144]

Originally Posted by rockandroll322

I'm a big guy, would you recommend this bike? I'd buy it through REI just in case anything happens to it. What do you guys think?

Hey, I wouldnt recommend it at all. Trek Marlin is better in the same price range.

[-mogwai]

i'm having second thoughts about this bike all because of this thread... i just bought the 2012 at rei... they didn't have my size, so they're shipping one out and building it on thursday.

[KVW]

dropping the chain even after several readjustments sounds like the front derailleur just can't hold it's limits for whatever reason or the FD cage is bent... or maybe it just sucks, lol. Might have been able to just buy a new front derailleur to solve that I would think but I could be wrong.

As far as chainsuck, sometimes when a chain is brand new and not broken in, its a bit stiff but if it's still sticking even after breaking in, sometimes the factory grease on the chain is TOO damn heavy. My motobecane exhibited the same symptoms when I first got it... chainsuck galore. As an experiment, I threw the chain in acetone, rinsed, then simple green, rinsed, then denatured alcohol to get rid of all the thick factory grease (may have been overkill, lol) and then sprayed it down with triflow (a light teflon lubricant)... no more chainsuck.