Marin ALP range...

[amelia-jane]

Are these bikes any good?

Would be used for commute and lightweight touring.

Was particulary looking at the Marin Olema - anyone feeling bored enough to check it out and give their opinion..?

 

[Alembicbassman]

I had a Marin Larkspur, nice frame, not the lightest bike around. I sold it and bought a Giant Escape Mini 1, lighter and smaller, great for commuting.

 

[GrasB]

Have an '03 ALP, Mill Valley (it was the highest spec of the ALP frame sets back then), it's a great bike & at the time was, & maybe still is, a very different type of hybrid to most on the market. Basically it's more like a slightly relaxed geom road bike with huge clearances & with a frame design which seems to be from ridged MTB heritage.

 

[amelia-jane]

Thanks.

The bike is described as having longer 'chain stays' - any idea what this means and what impact it has?

Would post a link but i'm a technological idiot...

 

[marinyork]

Got a kentfield, a cheaper version of the larkspur and fairfax. Good for messing around in urban environments. The higher up bits of the ALP range seem greedily pricey for what you get these days but that's true of other things since the 2009 massive price rises. As for touring, I reckon it'd be all right, but you'd get er radically different opinions on that from other people to say the least...

Longer chain stays mean more clearance (again) presumably.

 

[GrasB]

Long chain stay means that you get larger distance between the bottom bracket & the rear hub. The net result is you get loads of space between the seat post & rear wheel. This is great if you want panniers as it means you can set the rack, thus the panniers, further back on the bike.

The one thing for touring is is that ALPs tend to have very stiff frame. Though carbon forks do help a lot with this.

 

[earth]

I had a 2004 Mill Valley ALP and it was great. Longer chainstays mean you have a longer wheel base so its not as twichy steering wise and you have clearance for 28mm tyres + mudguards if you want.

I have a Specialized Sirrus now and I would much prefer the Mill Valley. Although they seem to have got more expensive now but not necessarily as good.

 

[spinner]

I have a 2008 Alp Mill Valley and can't fault it - It's comfy, light, fast and looks great.
However, I was told by the shop that it doesn't have fittings for a pannier. Seems a bit odd, but would be worth checking out if that’s something you'll want.

 

[jimheaney57]

I have an ALP Fairfax and I love it.

I also have a Marin Bear Valley MTB which I've had for nearly 30 years.

Just really started cycling properly about 18 months ago when I started doing triathlons as injuries where preventing me doing longer runs. Started on the Bear Valley on which I did my first triathlon

Bought the ALP about a year ago. It looks great and gives me a super ride. It may not be fastest bike on the road but it does me. Regularly doing 50+ miles on it.

For someone like me who wants to feel more secure than on a pure road bike this seems to be the perfect compromise.

 

[arallsopp]

I spent a couple of years with an ALP Highway One (before it got nabbed). Was a supremely capable machine, and I've gotta say, I LOVED IT.

Fast as a road bike, but with a very pleasant geometry and masses of stability.

 

[glen101]

i'm just about to buy my first bike on cycle scheme. i've been out and tried:

kona dew deluxe
claude butler urban 500
cannondale bad boy disc
specialized sirrus elite
trek fx7.5

of the above its between the trek and the sirrus with the trek just ahead.
but the same shop that had the trek, also had a marin alp fairfax but not in my size. plus there don't seem to be many around to try out.

can anyone tell me how the fairfax would compare with the trek in terms of the seating position. i preferred the trek and sirrus because they were both quite upright positions. the trek handlebars are bontrager SSR OS with 25mm rise, which i guess, gives the more upright position. the fairfax has a totally flat bar. will i notice any difference? will i be bending forward more?

any comparisons appreciated

 

[glen101]

i'm just about to buy my first bike on cycle scheme. i've been out and tried:

kona dew deluxe
claude butler urban 500
cannondale bad boy disc
specialized sirrus elite
trek fx7.5

of the above its between the trek and the sirrus with the trek just ahead.
but the same shop that had the trek, also had a marin alp fairfax but not in my size. plus there don't seem to be many around to try out.

can anyone tell me how the fairfax would compare with the trek in terms of the seating position. i preferred the trek and sirrus because they were both quite upright positions. the trek handlebars are bontrager SSR OS with 25mm rise, which i guess, gives the more upright position. the fairfax has a totally flat bar. will i notice any difference? will i be bending forward more?

any comparisons appreciated