Hybrid – Marin

Marin DSX

The Marin DSX family of ~~hybrid~~ gravel bikes are loads of fun. With wide (45mm) knobby tires these bikes roll really nicely on dirt paths and gravel roads but still cruise fairly effortlessly on paved roads.

Evolving mountain bike designs have opened up a gap that bikes like a DSX can fill. Thirty years ago people would buy a new mountain bike and ride it wherever they wanted to go. Nowadays, a mountain bike typically comes with 4-6 pounds of aggressive off-road treaded tires, 5 inches of suspension travel and 3 inches of dropper seatpost. Those numbers add up to a lot of inefficiency for anything but the most rugged of dirt trails.

Marin DSX 1

This explains how gravel bikes can fill a need that mountain bikes don’t serve anymore, but how are these DSX models different from a typical hybrid bike?

Well, they come with simple single-ring drivetrains (only one shifter to deal with!) , tires that handle loose gravel and dirt better than the typical hybrid, and spirited handling that’s less sleepy than what you get with a hybrid or touring bike.

There are four DSX versions to choose from between $900 and $1700, and none of them will put you to sleep.

Marin Fairfax hybrids

Marin Fairfax 2

Classic Cycle stocks a lot of hybrid and flat-handlebar road bikes. Why did we add these Marins to an already fairly crowded showroom?
A lot of little reasons.

There’s the Fairfax 2, a nearly perfect rig for local commuting. The burgundy color stands out against grey asphalt (and sometimes even grayer skies). It comes with hydraulic disc brakes, reliable Shimano components and all of the attachment points needed for fenders and racks.

Fairfax 3

Fairfax 1

The Fairfax 1 gets you on a reliable new commuter bike with disc brakes for around $600.

The bikes are put together really nicely. They feature Shimano & Tektro parts, Schwalbe tires and WTB saddles. There aren’t a lot of “house brand” parts on them, just good brand names.

Marin San Rafael

Marin San Rafael 1

So you’re indecisive. Or not.

You want a mountain bike for riding on trails in the Grand Forest. No. You want a road bike so you can ride Seattle-to-Portland. No, that’s not right either. You plan on bike commuting to work during the week, and doing some touring and camping on the weekend. On gravel roads. Or maybe you’ll start doing triathlons.
You just want a bike. Is that so hard?

If you can’t make up your mind, and want just one bike to handle everything, Marin has you covered with their San Rafael and San Anselmo series of bikes. Staring around $500 with the San Rafael 1 (Diamond frame style) or San Anselmo 1 (low step-over frame) models, with versions going up to around $900, Marin gives you a broad range of bikes that do nothing exceptionally well but aren’t too bad at anything either.

San Anselmo 2

Aboard Dual Sport bikes like these you’ll likely get dropped by road bikers and mountain bikers alike, but you’ll probably still have more fun than they will while trying to keep up.

The thing to remember is that you can quickly ride on the roads to the gravel trailhead (while your mountain biker friends will probably opt to drive there) and your road-bike riding friends won’t be able to follow you onto the dirt.

Marin Presidio series

Marin Presidio 2

Let’s say that you’re looking for a bike for your commute. If one of the features that you’d like is an internal hub shifter, your choices are a little limited.
There are a fair number of new bike brands that pop up every day (mostly via Kickstarter campaigns) that will incorporate internal gear hubs. This is mostly because these brands are started by people who have no idea how to design a practical bike, and derailleurs merely offend their design sensibilities by disturbing the “lines” of their sleek modern creations. These internet-only bikes wouldn’t stand up to test rides or dollar-for-dollar comparisons if we had them in the store.
What we do have is a line of well designed urban bikes made by a 30 year old bike brand. With Marin you can choose among four models that offer internal gear hubs (some with belt drives). Not only will you get a bike that looks elegant and simple, you’ll get a bike that handles right, has attachment points for fenders and racks (in the correct spots), brakes that work, saddles that are comfortable, and seven sizes for the right fit.

Marin Stinson

Marin’s comfort/recreation bikes are built to just hop on and go riding.
Marin designed the Stinson so that It could be ridden comfortably in regular clothing. The seat has ample cushion, so there is no need for padded bike shorts. The grips feel right without gloves, and the chainguard keeps your pants from getting snagged in the works. An upright position and stable handling makes this bike work well for a new bike rider or someone who wants to pay attention to the scenery, not to their aching neck.

The Stinson uses bigger cruiser-sized tires (think mountain bike tires, but smoother) to give the bike a soft and stable ride.
A lot of people think that they want a beach cruiser bike for roaming around the neighborhood. A great idea, but beach cruisers are not ideal for the Puget Sound region. Beach cruisers typically have a single speed (which makes it tough to climb up hills), swept-back bars (which make the bike hard to control if you get up out of the saddle) and coaster brakes (which don’t offer enough stopping power on hilly terrain or wet streets). Don’t buy a beach cruiser. Buy this Marin.

About our website…

Add to cart…

You may have noticed that many of the bikes on our website are lacking prices.
We also seem to be missing an “add to shopping cart” button.
These omissions are purposeful.
We like bikes. We like you. We want you to ride a bicycle that works well, fits you correctly, and is appropriate for the kinds of riding that you like to do.
We can’t make all of this happen through a website.
If you want a new bike, come in to Classic Cycle. Talk to us. Touch the bicycles. You can ride around Winslow, and see what the different models have to offer.
Come in to the shop and try out the bikes that interest you. Ask for our opinions and get some concrete facts. With us you’ll know who is behind the product review.
Sit at our bar and watch bike racing on the television or experience a bit of our little museum.
Spend some time here so Jaime can show you clothing and accessories that will resolve the little issues that nag at you while you ride.
Paul will assemble your bike with the same attention to detail that went into building bikes for two Olympic Games and countless professional racers.
Leave the UPS guy alone. He can’t help you put that mail-order bike together…