Marin Mountain Bikes Muirwoods

Price Paid:  $350.00 at Moscow

Favorite Ride:
Marin Muirwoods 2007

Bike Setup:
Full stock setup

Summary:
Bought on spring sale, thus so cheap.
I like this bike very much! There are no troubles with maintenance. Good rims, great "bad-boy" looking. I rode about 800 miles during last 2-3 months and can say that it's great for a road riding, noticeable faster than "common" MTB-bike of such price with low-class heavy fork and aggressive tyres.
On good flat soil roads it very nice too.
But its not easy to ride in forest, road covered by sand, or mud, but tbh this is not the things this bike made for. And of course it always possible to replace stock tyres with good semislick (what i'm gonna do) to feel more confident on off-road routes.

Strengths:
Light & fast, great on road.

Weaknesses:
Stock pedals weared and lost "gripping" ability after ~1000km

Similar Products Used:
Rock Machine CrossRide 75

Price Paid:  $500.00 at Bay Ridge Bicycles,

Favorite Ride:
Bergen County bike path

Bike Setup:
Stock

Summary:
The Marin Muirwoods is the perfect balance between a road bike and a mountain bike with the ruggedness to take on a trail. I had a mountain bike and then a road bike but really wanted the best of both worlds and that's what this is. I only gave 4 stars because I think 5 stars for anything should be almost impossible.

Strengths:
Wide handlebar, comfortable geometry, ruggedness, quick & nimble, lightweight

Weaknesses:
None so far

Similar Products Used:
Cannondale entry-level mountain bike, also an entry-level road bike

Price Paid:  $400.00 at REI

Favorite Ride:
30 mile loop around Carlisle, PA

Bike Setup:
Stock, except for eggbeater pedals.

Summary:
Bought the Muirwoods this March for a 20 mile roundtrip commute to Harrisburg, PA. Currently, I ride between 40 and 100 miles per week on the commute (depending on how many days I have to drop the kids at daycare) and usually 30 miles on the weekend. What a great bike!

It's light, fast and agile, and the frame is strong. I had an accident a couple of weeks ago on my commute, a tractor trailer made a right-hand turn in front of me. It was either go up over the curb, or under the truck. I went over the curb...the hard way. Other than needing to get my front wheel trued, there was nothing wrong with the bike.

Strengths:
Sturdy bike with good components for the price. I love the black frame and wheels..it is practically invisible on the rack that I park it on.

Weaknesses:
The holes for the water bottle on the seatpost are too low...the waterbottle rack interferes with the deraillier. If the holes were a half inch higher, it would be no problem. I was able to modify my water bottle rack, but someone should have thought of that.

Price Paid:  $400.00 at Ga cycles, Southampt

Favorite Ride:
Marin Muirwoods

Summary:
I bought a 2006 muirwoods last year to do a charity ride form John O Groats to Lands End. I was pretty much in the mercy of the salesman at the time as I didn't know too much about bikes. It turned out to be an absolute gem. It took me through 1041 miles without so much as one puncture, great bike!
I'm about to take it on a 200 mile one day ride in July, and that will be on the same tyres, I can't wait. It's so comfortable on the long haul.

Strengths:
Great acceleration, nice sturdy frame, comfortable and pretty mean looking too.

Weaknesses:
zilch

Similar Products Used:
Only other bike before this was an old kona lava dome

Price Paid:  $330.00 at Bike Connection

Bike Setup:
Stock

Summary:
All I can say is: it's a fantastic bike!

Strengths:
Very quick acceleration. Fast and agile. Very lightweight.

Weaknesses:
Haven't found any yet.

Similar Products Used:
Marin Mill Valley
Marin Kentfield