Marin Mountain Bikes Fairfax

Price Paid:  $430.00 at REI

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
Every time

Bike Setup:
stock.

Summary:
Love this bike for the $$$. Weekend warrior. I echo what the other reviews say, great ride, had to swap chain, cassette, brake pads after 2k mi. Only 1 flat in rear tire in 2 years, no spoke issue. Highly recommend.

Strengths:
Frame, ride, carbon fork, good all around bike.

Weaknesses:
Others commented on rear flats w/ stock tires. only 1 flat in 2k mi, mostly paved surface.

Similar Products Used:
bridgestone mb

Price Paid:  $640.00

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Marin Fairfax

Summary:
I have used this bike the last three years for my commute -- 45 km/day. It has a smooth comfortable ride which is perfect for commuting. Within the first year I had to upgrade my spokes as the ones that came with the bike kept breaking (haven't had a problem since). Upgraded tires for improved flat protection. Shifters broke down in third year of owners ship so I upgraded those as well. All in all this bike has been excellent value for the money.

Strengths:
Light weight

Weaknesses:
Wheels, tires, rear spokes were undersized as I don't believe I am OVERsized:)

Price Paid:  $280.00 at Pro-Deal'd

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Hills

Bike Setup:
Stock, cept for combo platform/spds

Summary:
Amazing bike for the price paid. Excels at commuting to campus and holds its own on the road. The carbon fiber fork makes for a much smoother ride. It has definitely made me ride more often and become fitter.

My complaints lie with the powertrain, brakes, and seat post. The powertrain/shifting took many trips to the bike shop to dial in and get it to shift smoothly. The brakes are weak and make a lot of noise when any little amount of dirt gets in them. The seat post has a built-in shock that is fairly useless, in fact I think it is detrimental to the ride comfort (it will randomly bump even if I am on a flat, smooth surface). If I am going over anything bumpy I will be standing up anyways.

Strengths:
Cost
Durability
Comfortable

Weaknesses:
Drivetrain
Brakes
Seat post shock

Price Paid:  $650.00 at Local dealer

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
everywhere

Bike Setup:
Stock, with fenders and more ergonomic grips

Summary:
This bike is really a mixed bag. For its price, you get a great frame (the same as high-end models minus carbon seat stays) and a light carbon fork; but almost everything else is cheap and has to be gradually replaced if you are going to ride a lot. So, if you're a tech freak like me who thinks it's fun to install a lot of shiny new parts, this bike is a great buy. If you don't like upgrading, consider buying a more expensive model like Mill Valley, or at least replace the chain, pedals and brake pads (IG-31 chains tend to wear out after 1000 miles, and stock brake pads totally lose grip on wet roads).

Strengths:
Rides great when new.
Lightweight and extremely well-built frame, carbon fork.
Can be equipped with wide full-length fenders.

Weaknesses:
Cheap drivetrain parts won't last long.
Wheels too heavy.

Similar Products Used:
Nopsa Picnic touring bike

Price Paid:  $600.00 at REI

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Commute

Bike Setup:
See review.

Summary:
I use this primarily for commuting to work. It is fast and nimble. It has carbon fiber front fork, which provides good ride comfort, despite the use of all aluminum frame. The bike has pretty good components and the front brake has a modulator to prevent locking. The roads I ride are not even with many potholes and I frequently encounter loose dirt and sand, but the bike handles all these with ease. There is no loose cable and the wheel has not needed truing. By contrast, I had a Specialized Cirrus once and its cable and wheel need work constantly. However this bike does have weakness for my ride. Within a month, I had flat tire twice in the rear by riding over the same surface as before. I was told that this is because it uses regular commuting tires that do not have any flat protection. My Specialized Cirrus uses the basic Nimbus tires (700x28), which has flat protection under the thread (but not at the side wall) and which never had problems with flat. I thus decided to switch tires. The Nimbus must be heavier than the original tires and it provides protection at a small expense of performance as now you need more effort to peddle. Another thing that I have changed is the stem. I am 5’ 8” with a 31” inseam so I usually ride bike with an 18” frame. For the Fairfax, it only has 17.5 and 20 at REI so I chose the 17.5. The bike has a MTB style of handlebar that is a tad too low so I have to lean forward more than I like for daily commute. So I switched to a different stem with I believe has a 6° angle and now it is much better. With this set up, I ride in all kinds of weather, even when it is raining hard. The bike never loses traction and it can hop on and off the curb occasionally without any obvious harm to the bike, and I am thus very happy with it.

Strengths:
Excellent bike for the price. Good brakes, carbon fork, smooth shifting, and a rigid frame.

Weaknesses:
Tires lack flat protection and stem too low and flat to force the rider to lean forward more so than necessary for commuting.

Similar Products Used:
Specilized Cirrus (basic model)