Marin Muirwoods 29er Bike

Comments about Marin Muirwoods 29er Bike:

I have owned the Muirwoods for about 9 months now and feel that I can give an informed opinion at this time. I love this bike!

I put over 2000 miles on it last season and even rode my first Century ride with this bike. I chopped the ends off the very wide handlebars and added bar ends for addional comfort. I also went with a 700x32 Continental tire for decreased rolling resistance on those longer rides.

The only problem I had were spokes breaking on the rear wheel, but the technicians at REI rebuilt the wheel with beefier spokes for no charge.

The disc brakes provide exceptional stopping power and the deore derailleur shifts smoothly. I have recently added fenders so I can ride during the wet season.

This bike is a little heavy but has wonderful gearing that will take you up even the steepest hills. It is perfect for anyone who wants a comfortable bike that will take them virtually anywhere! Panniers and/or baskets can easily be added to the frame if you want to tour the country or just go to the store.

I look forward to putting many many more miles on this beautiful machine!

Comments about Marin Muirwoods 29er Bike:

I'm going to be honest here, I bought it because I got set on having a 29er, but didn't want a dedicated mountain bike. Of course, I could have opted for a 700c, but "needed" beefier tires.

That all being said, yes I bought b/c of the trend/hype that surrounds 29ers, but I couldn't be happier. Yes it is heavy, but man is it a sturdy ride. I'm 6'2" 190lbs (not huge) and it suits me perfectly. I think I could get up to 240 and it would still be the perfect bike.

I tend to stick to paved trails and local roads, and my longest ride on it to date is a little over 10 miles, but it's really comfy and even though i'm not a huge fan of mechanical discs, these ones are actually pretty good.

I am shopping for another set of wheels so I can have some mild dirt tires ready as needed...that says something right? I have confidence in this thing to tackle other terrains.

Yes, the hype is true 29" wheels really get you movin and keep you moving and most obstacles (curbs) are nothing to this guy.

Comments about Marin Muirwoods 29er Bike:

I was looking for a bike that could handle the rigors of daily use as an urban commuter and grocery-getter. I tested many bikes, ranging from retro-styled cruisers to cushy suspended hybrids. They all either provided too little road feel or otherwise had the wrong geometry for my riding style. When I mounted the Muirwoods 29er, it felt instantly like I was back on my beloved old frankenbike I used to tear around college, hopping curbs and navigating pedestrians. The steel frame is a bit heavy, but it certainly doesn't give me any second thoughts about hitting gravel or pavement irregularities like my road bike does. I've mounted a rack and grocery panniers to it and use it to fetch groceries and such, as well as for commuting. It's my pickup truck- sturdy, no-nonsense, and aggressive. The black motif is rather stunning, especially once the black rack, bags, fenders, etc. are attached.

A few things that could be improved upon are rather minor, at least for my demands. The pedals could have a bit more bite, and some accommodation for a kickstand would be welcome in the case of less-than-ideal lockup situations, as well as for loading groceries.

Comments about Marin Muirwoods 29er Bike:

This is the first bike I've owned in 18 years. I wanted a hybrid and bought this one based essentially on price figuring I'd upgrade eventually once I'd lost weight and got back into the sport. To heck with that - I love this bike and will be buying one for my teenaged son too.

I normally ride this on the side roads and paved trails in N. Atlanta and it has performed wonderfully. I recently got the opportunity to carry it 'back home' to rural FL where I gained a whole new appreciation for this bike. This bike is tough. I transported it to and from the interior of Ocala National Forest via a bumpy boat ride and rode it through all sorts of conditions from fire roads to forest floor to wild pig paths - it performed like a champ. I can hardly wait to take this bike back to New Orleans with me on my next trip.

The only thing I am changing on this bike is the seat. It's functional but not as comfortable as it could be. Otherwise, I really lucked into this bike and you should too...

Comments about Marin Muirwoods 29er Bike:

I bought this bike to be a bad weather commuter. I ride it 15-20 miles a day, usually in the rain. After over 1000 miles I'm pretty happy with it.

I had REI cut the handlebars down at the time of purchase, and I've been happy with that decision. The handlebars are a little straight and caused me some discomfort, but after I added bar ends, I've had no complaints.

I put SKS P50 fenders on it. They fit nicely and look really sharp. Mounting the front fender was a bit tricky because of the high crown on the fork, but I was able to solve that with a standard T-plate from the local hardware store and a couple of reflector brackets. (See picture)

I love the tires that come with this bike. After 1000 miles of riding in sloppy conditions, I haven't had a single flat. The tubes are great too. They hold air and maintain their pressure better than any tire I've had.

The disc brakes are OK, but I upgraded from the stock BB5's to BB7's for better adjustability and replacement pad availability.

Comments about Marin Muirwoods 29er Bike:

This is the ninja warrior of bicycles: quiet,fast and invisible if you so choose. I love this bike. The extra loft in the tires seems to provide improved handling in the traffic, and the hard-tail gives me tons of speed and stability. I am looking into getting a handlebar extender to improve the ergonomics but I am longer and leggy than most. I feel like it has been a real good buy, and I am on the bike everyday. Nice design. I catch people checking it out and trying to figure out what is different about it. Bikes Rock YEAH!!

Comments about Marin Muirwoods 29er Bike:

Bought the bike at REI [...]. From the store I immediately rode it about 22 miles. The bike is amazing. Keep in mind I've only had it for a day. I found the 29s to be awesome. I covered so much ground so quickly with little effort. It took on potholes with no problem, it even took curbs with ease. The handling is impressive, I had to do a couple quick maneuvers and it was VERY responsive. As for the looks, the flat black looks GREAT!. You can hardly see the graphics on the body so it definitely looks clean. I got a rack to fit on the back, and I already spray painted it flat black as well.Now for the CONS: Don't be mistaken, it's a heavy bike. I don't mind the heavy frame, but I can definitely see the ride being easier had it been aluminum. That's no problem though, better work out :) the pedals are too small. I'm a size 13 shoe, so I was hanging off them. I'm looking to replace the pedals very soon. The seat is a generic seat you'll find on bikes much cheaper than this one. I already replaced the seat with a better designed seat.My evaluation is 5 stars, and this bike is affordable and an excellent commuter. GREAT BUY!

Comments about Marin Muirwoods 29er Bike:

I always seem to regret it when I try and "save" money on a bike, this is one of the few times it worked out very well, I gave it a 4 star for a bike, its a 5 star for a sub [$] bike After 260 miles I can say its a nice solid feeling bike with good handling great seat and tires. Its not a mountain bike, but it it rolls over Pittsburgh's so called roads nice (60% pot holes/15% debris/25% actual road) most dirt roads are smoother and I have no trouble with those on this bike either. It has mounts for good fenders and a rack, The Avid BB5's brakes are easy to adjust, pads are a cinch to replace and have more than enough stopping power for a street bike and work better than rim brakes in the snow/rain. The shifters work well, the rear is snappy the front takes a pretty long pull to get it to change but its smooth and its not a race bike so I am not really concerned. The crank arms seem pretty good, and I was glad they where NOT the square taper type found on most bikes at this price point. The chain rings look like tin foil but most bikes in this price point have similar versions even if they are covered with nice looking plastic and not so ugly. Its a personal preference but I feel the bars are a bit to wide for a city bike. (easy to cut or spend $20 on a different pair) Like all bikes the peddles stink (same as what came on my [$] Cannondale) I like to clip in or have platforms with sharp pins so I do not slip around when my shoes are wet. Ok now for the one really bad thing, the logos are raised aluminum sticker deals that are not even stuck on all the way, not only are they so ugly I was almost sick when first looked at them but the edges are sticking up and out and not glued down smoothly to the frame, THEY ARE HEINOUS to put it kindly, and they are 9 of them! but because they are so cheap, thick and not stuck on well that I easily pulled them off with hardly any sticky residue left behind, what remained rubbed/rolled off with my thumb. To be honest normally I would not care much but this bike is so sweet looking the lumpy tags bugged me and for a commuter not having logos is a plus anyway, and it adds to the clean look so it worked out for the best. I love this commuter and there really isn't much more they could have done to it without dramatically raising the price, going with the Avid brakes and Deore rear derailleur was a good move over Alivio and Tektro on most bikes in this price range.

Service and delivery comments:

Took about 3 weeks to get the bike to the store and I feel thats a little long, but it was set up and ready to go the same day it arrived.

After about 200 miles the rear hub worked a little loose, I stopped in REI to buy a couple cone wrenches to fix it but they where out of stock, the service guy that told me what size wrenches to buy fixed it while I waited and I was back on the road in 15 minutes!

I have to be honest I didn't expect that from a chain store, and especially on a busy weekend

Comments about Marin Muirwoods 29er Bike:

I bought this bike for two purposes - for commuter purposes and to use occassionally riding bike trails. [...]. The first couple of days I had the bike I carried it aboard the train and rode from the train station to my job. The bike was nimble on the streets and sidewalks I traversed to get to my job. The gearing was very nice and seemed effortless. The disc brakes were very efficient and I could stop easily. Last week I used the bike to ride the Kay Trail in Missouri which is 200+ miles. The Marin Muirwoods '29er turned a few heads and had most people commenting that it was a sharp looking mountain bike which it really isn't but what the heck. The OEM tires worked fine on a crushed limestone surface but I will probably upgrade the tires once I do some research on some of the alternatives. As I experienced three flat tires, be sure to have a flat repair kit or extra tubes. The larger 29 inch tubes can be difficult (but not impossible) to find say in Rocheport, Missouri. As an all around bike, for what I use it for, and for the price I paid I feel very satisfied with my purchase.

Comments about Marin Muirwoods 29er Bike:

Beautiful bike that will turn heads. The 29" wheels make for a smooth ride with very nice handling. The frames feel large, so you need a longer seat post. I am riding the 17" and in order to get good leg extension, I have the post maxed out. The Avid mechanical breaks are nice and for the price, they cant be beat. Over all, I rate this bike very good, for a comfortable ride and sturdy components.