1999 Marin Shoreline Trail upgrading

nafescort

Hello all, I am after a little bit of advise/information/help. Just a bit of info about me and my bike first. When I was in my younger years (14ish) I used to be in a mountain bike club with the local youth centre and go all around England with the club doing some good rides. The bike that everybody wanted in the club was the Marin B17 DH bike and I really wanted one as well. As I wasn’t that well off my mum and dad put together some money to get the Marin Shoreline Trail for me which I absolutely love and was more than happy with this. Now 11 years later after getting driving license and married I have come back to using my bike again but the people I ride with are into their DH stuff. As my bike is a little tired now I want to convert it a little to be more like the B17 I always look at in want.

A picture of how it almost is currently



So firstly I want to upgrade the rear shock as it’s still the original with the bike and squeaks terribly now. The only problem being, I can’t remove it from the swingarm. Does anybody have any ideas on how to get it off. I have removed the nuts from either side just viewable in the picture, but I cant get the long bolt/threaded stud out.
Also does anybody know if I can increase the amount of travel I already have (5”) and how I can do this?

Picture of swingarm & shocker




Secondly I need to upgrade the front shocks. My wife’s bike is an old built up azonic bike with some Marzocchi Bomber JRT but not sure of the year, the problem with these is that they are mega soft and bottom out just by leaning on the front (I’m not a fat git neither I promise). On closer inspection of removing the top caps off the stanchions I realise that one side is completely empty and doesn’t have springs in which explains why they are super-super soft. So does anybody know what year these might be and if spares can be got for them and any ideas what I may need to get them back to useable condition.

Wife’s bike/Donor Bike. (She only uses to commute 2 miles a day so won’t mind me downgrading bits of it, she probably won’t notice anyway)




Thirdly is the brakes are on v-brakes on mine so I will be swapping them from my wife’s bike which has a hope m2 hydraulic front brake and some kind of mechanical disc for the back. Wheels will be used also.

Sorry for the long post. I hope somebody with some distant knowledge of retro bikes like this can help me out. (Or anybody else of course)

Cheers

Nafe

supersonic

These were a nice bike back in the day, good frames. But an XC bike it will always be, it won't work well at all as a DH type bike. Frame is just not designed for it, and longer forks would probably really mess the geometry. Sure you could toughen it up, but hard XC is as much as I would do. You can't increase travel really.

You may have to tap the shaft through the shock. Then is a case of getting a new one with the same eye to eye and stroke length, and suitable fitting kit.

For the brakes, does the frame have disc mounts, and also wheels and fork? If your shifters are combined with brake levers, you will need new shifters too.

What is your budget?

nafescort

thanks for the fast reply, i alway assumed the frames where the same through the range of full sus bikes apart from the swingarm which mine was upgraded to the higher models after i broke the original steel one.

i dont really have a budget as such, i am just going to have it as a rolling project but i have some money free soon so will be able to spend some money on it.

the swing arm does have disc mounts yes but the current forks don't which is another reason why i was considering the bomber forks.

also i under stand the shiter/brake lever problem. i have some spares laying around but it would probably be another thing i would go out and buy some good ones.

i have had an atempt and knocking the shaft out but i didnt want to hit it too hard just incase i cracked the frame

supersonic

Maybe best just to pop the bike down to the local bike shop so they can take a look.

I think some of the frames were different regarding the alu alloy and heat treatment, but a long time ago!

The JrT is a nice smooth fork, but quite heavy - I would look at putting something like a Rockshox Tora on there. Should perform better, and being single crown will not cause any frame probs.

nafescort

I might just do that thank you. i think there is a marin dealer in hull local to me so i will drop in sometime.

what rear shock do people recommend? i can't remember if the dimensions eye-eye was 185mm or 190mm

i am also building a road bike so i will have to save up for parts and split between projects

jskdog

Iv got exactly the same bike with InSync Elixer 523's just started a post about them. Brilliant bike love mine to bits but unfortunately still has the original cro-mo swing arm! Mines got an X-fusion glyde RL with S750 by 51 spring on the back which works a treat for me really cant fault it, im 13st 10 and it feels spot on for me.

supersonic

Just measure from eye to eye - but the stroke length is important too ie 38mm, 51mm etc.

milfredo

If you wind off the preload so the spring becomes loose it will make removeing that bolt easier.

nafescort

thanks jskdog i will have a look at that.

i love my marin to be honest and will never get rid of it, which is another reason for needed upgrades. all my mates keep saying "i cant beleive you still have that old thing". they forget i can still ride it like a numpty and not break it.

thanks supersonic your advise has helped me alot

jskdog

I got mine off ebay a couple of months back for £103 and its mint, the best investment to date! I remember seing these in mbr as a kid and dreaming about having one and now i have. I know there old school but they ride so well I couldnt as more from a bike.