Mount Vision - A Vision to Behold (Marin Mount Vision)

Member Name: TOPANGA

Product:	Marin Mount Vision
Date:	01/05/01 (1283 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Superb long distance comfortable and fast.

Disadvantages: none

A change is due

After having a great time with my old bike I decided it was time for a change.Even after riding my old bike for nearly eighteen months and having the feeling of really being connected to it I still felt there was something missing.I didn`t need to think about how the bike would handle but had time to see what was coming up ahead and work out how to tackle it.Still in my case there was one or two sections on my favourite trail that I just couldn`t clear.

Putting that together with the fact that everything on my old bike was wearing out at the same time,and I really wanted to change to disc brakes had made up my mind.Time for a new bike.
Full suspension to give me that elusive clean run,and discs to lift my braking surfaces out of the mud and cut out expensive rim wear.The choice came down to two - The Marin or a Trek Fuel.After taking the Marin out for a day I was convinced.

Marin bikes have been described of the Ford Mondeo of the trails.This I feel sems to be a pretty good description.Like the Mondeo the Marin has its good and bad points,but on the whole the good outweigh the bad.

Its main advantage has to be its capability downhill and over technical terrain.After a few rides on my new bikes I found that those elusive bits on my favourite trails would soon be easily cleared.The other thing I noticed was that I could ride further.Ride lengths became considerably extended and recovery times shortened.I can only put this down to the full suspension making the overall ride less stressful on my body as a whole.

So with all the improved Marin downhill speed,technical prowess and total ride comfort has my overall speed increased? No,in fact it has not changed noticeably at all.This I put down to two factors.Firstly,the uphill performance.Riding a full sus bike is harder uphill.Not by much perhaps but definately harder.Secondly,I find the Marin does not ask to be ridden as hard as my old bike.The Marin is li
ke Motorway Mondeo Man - Long distances in comfort and at a fair speed with the odd flat out belt when necessary.

So overall with the Hope disc upgrade taking the total cost to a smidgen over Two Grand,is it worth it?
Well I have to say a loud "YES".

This is what you get for your money.

Frame 6000 series Aluminium
Shock Fox float rc
Forks Manitou Mars Super,80 mm
Groupset Shimano XTR
Rims Mavic X517
Tyres Maxis M 129 Kevlar
Heaset WTB momentum comp Al

Summary: