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Home > Product Reviews > Hardtail > Marin Rocky Ridge Reviews

Marin Rocky Ridge

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Marin Rocky Ridge
More about Marin

Average Rating: 4 out of 5
No. of Reviews: 11
RRP: £995
Year: 2007

Description:

7005 aluminium frame, oversize double butted Edge II top and oversize double butted Plus II down tube, AXC XXL Tri-Burner seat and chain stays.

Fox 32 Vanilla R, 140mm fork.

TH-857 1 1/8" threadless headset.

Shimano Deore, 32 hole disc hubs.

DT 15 gauge black stainless spokes.

WTB SpeedDisc All Mountain rims, double wall, 32 hole disc.

Front WTB Timberwolf 2.3", Rear WTB Moto Raptor 2.24 (52/54) Comp tyres.

SRAM X-9, 9 speed shift levers.

Shimano Deore front derailleur.

SRAM X-9, 9 Speed rear derailleur.

Shimano 9 Speed, 11-32 cassette.

Shimano HG-53 chain.

TruVativ Fire 2.0 AM crankset, 4mm Alloy All Mountain bash guard, 36/24 chainring, Giga X Pipe drive exterior BB system.

Giga X Pipe drive bb, intergrated with crankset.

Comp alloy micro adjust seatpost, 30.9mmx 400mm.

WTB Pure V Comp saddle, with Love Channel and Comfort Zone.

FSA Maximus bar, double butted alloy, OS-31.8mm 40mm rise.

Gap FR230 OS threadless stem with alloy face plate, with 31.8mm bar clamp.

WTB MotoTec locking grips, drop guard end plugs.

Hayes HFX-9 hydraulic discbrakes with V7 rotors.

Hayes hydraulics disc brake levers.

Crank Bros Acid pedals.

REVIEWS

1 to 10 of 13 reviews, to post a review you need to be a member - Join now.Page: 1 2

dan wynn

Posted: 25/08/05
Updated: 06/06/07

'SINGLE TRACK BABE BUT A COMPONENT MINGA'

Strengths:
This is a very nippy and great fun bike on single track, small jumps and downhills. Comfortable to ride but a bit of a slogger on the up hills.

Weaknesses:
Crank bearings and headset bearings only last 4-6 months particularly when the weather is bad. Blew the fork seals and can you believe the rear wheel bearings went as well. I've had broken spokes,rubbing brakes (yes, I've tried realigning)

Overall:
This is the best bike I've ever had! I love it but not the expensive component problems

Performance		80%
Reliability		40%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

60%

Bart Simpson

Posted: 16/10/05
Updated: 06/06/07

'AWESOME ON TIGHT SINGLETRACK'

Strengths:
Fantastic handling, grip and general behaviour over rough ground.

Weaknesses:
Short seatpost and crappy saddle attachment point. Not the best climber around.

Overall:
Bought this on the basis of several reviews, including BikeMagic's. I think it is brilliant for "aggressive XC". It's reassuringly heavy, but not intrusively so, with very quick respones. It's great in the woods, unflappable over gnarly ground and stops on a sixpence. It looks good( or bad? ) in matte black. If you are after a race fast hardtail, don't buy a Rocky Ridge. If you are like me, and enjoy a good thrash in the woods or in Wales, and don't mind whether or not you are the first one up the hill, you won't be disappointed!

Performance		100%
Reliability		80%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

93%

ricky (talks a good ride)

Posted: 05/09/06
Updated: 06/06/07

'SINGLETRACK SHREDDER,DODGY PAINT'

Strengths:
great standard-awesome upgraded.HUGE fun to ride anywhere.

Weaknesses:
wheels and cranks not the best.

Overall:
I fell in love with(and bought)the 04 model-the colour and graphics were stunning.however I had to sell it on due to finances.I later bought an 05 model which offered a great vanilla fork mated to eyeball popping hayes brakes and grippy wtb tyres.After upgrading to a hone double with e13 bashguard,dx pedals,hope bulbs mated to ex729 rims,bontrager carbon bar and a cjane creek thudbuster post topped with an sdg bel air saddle,I think I have "pimped my ride"as far as I want.The bike turns heads wherever I ride it and has the performance to match the looks-despite the love or hate charcoal??? paint job,

Performance		100%
Reliability		80%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

93%

Matt Curtis

Posted: 30/06/01
Updated: 06/06/07

'Aluminium hardtail. Rigid frame. good components '

Strengths:
light, responsive and extremely fast. Comes alive above 25kmh off road / 45kmh on road. Can upgrade to disks

Weaknesses:
not forgiving of mistakes.
Uncomfortable after very long rides.
Frame would probablky not benefit from further upgrade

Overall:
perfect XC bike for its price.

Performance		80%
Reliability		100%
Value		60%

Overall Rating

80%

Mike asian

Posted: 31/05/04
Updated: 06/06/07

'BEST HARDTAIL EVER!!!'

Strengths:
everything.

Weaknesses:
nothing

Overall:
i own a 1997 marin rocky ridge. and i wrote an article about the bike on the HARDTAIL section of bikemagic.com

well talking about the fork. its a marin all-star triple butted chromoly (black) fork. its superior to those $400 and under shocks because lets face it. whos gonna buy a $400 fork and race it on a professional level? no-one... the rigid fork is amazing at taking bumps as some people say "u need suspension" it soaks bumps fine and even with suspension ( most the shock goes into ur wrists and forearms/elbows anyways. the rigid fork gives u amazing cornering traction because its always digging the front tire into the dirt and never easing off the pressure like front suspension forks do. as for climbing, the this fork makes climbing easy. its soo lite ( about 1.5lbs) and so u never need to try to pop the front end over roots and stuff. it virtually does it itself. plus i have shimano LX/paralex front/rear hubs which makes it a lot easier to role over obsticles withought suspension. and for descents its great at that too. using its light and very sturdy design and metal composite, u can easily roll over anything and never worry about breaking the fork. its practically indestructable. and if i commute to work on the road. ur are one lucky son of a gun compared to those guys riding those heavyer suspension forks. so basically for those guys who say " u need suspension" ... u actaully dont. have this marin front fork keeps traction, cornering, strength, and quickness/agility top of the line!!!

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

100%

STEVE BETTLEY

Posted: 08/02/03
Updated: 06/06/07

'A VERY IMPRESSIVE RIDE ON AND OFF ROAD'

Strengths:
RESPONSIVE FRAME. GREAT BRAKES.
GREAT FORKS.

Weaknesses:
HAVEN''T FOUND ANY YET.

Overall:
THIS IS A GREAT BIKE FOR GETTING TO WORK OR HAVING FUN AT THE WEEKEND. IT IS LIGHT AND RESPONSIVE BUT FEELS SAFE AND STRONG.

Performance		80%
Reliability		80%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

80%

Juan Doran

Posted: 11/01/04
Updated: 06/06/07

'Total Comedy Bike With Huge Grin Factor :-)'

Strengths:
Brilliant in twisting singletrack, nice direct power transmission, totally chuckable, reliable but quick steering and surprisingly comfortable too. Looks great and not many around either.

Weaknesses:
None that I can think of...

Overall:
This is more a test of the frame and concept than a direct assessment of the production bike, since I built it up around a frame with Fox Vanilla 125s, Hayes brakes instead of the stock Maguras and an XT chainset, plus Easton stem and EA70 riser bar. I would say the longer travel, plusher, slightly stiffer fork maybe makes it ten per-cent better than the standard bike with Rockshox Duke, but the Duke works pretty well also.

The bike's new for 2004 and cops a substantial helping of jump bike DNA with an aggressively slanted top tube, short, stiff-looking rear triangle and geometry set to run with a 100mm plus fork. It looks great, with tribal decals on the metallic finish and only small Marin badges on the head and seat tubes to give the brand away.

It looks like it should be awesomely short and stiff, but stick a layback post on it and it's surprisingly roomy and comfortable. The front end steers beautifully and is fantastic for swoopy singletrack where it has a great combination of fast, precise steering and stability. Even when the front's skipping, you always know it'll snap back into line.

The real surprise is how soft the rear end feels for an aluminium bike. Marin say it's the triple-butted stays at the rear, but it has at least as much to do with flex from the long length of exposed seat tube and cushioning from decent-sized treads. I'm running 2.35 Schwalbes, which is maybe overkill, but does the job.

With the Vanilla fitted up front, it's a question of stuffing the fork through and the back'll follow on after. Really it's a bit like just riding a big, plush fork. I knew it would be good in the twisties, what I wasn't expecting was what a competent, all-round, Peak District trail bike it would make.

I've ridden full sussers for the last three years and was expecting to get a bit of a caning and have to rethink my lines radically, in fact you can get away with murder and it's happy with all but the biggest rock gardens, climbs decently and descends like a bastard thing as well - just remember not to sit down.

It seems to be everything that a Cove Stiffee's claimed as, but without the harsh ride they're renowned for and has seriously made me question whether I really need suspension at the back

Overall this thing is a total blast and I'd recommend it to anyone in stock guise or with a lonnger, plusher fork up front. Value's hard to quantify, but I've given it '5' on the basis that I've ridden bikes costing three times as much that felt nowhere near as together as the Rocky Ridge. Just lovely :-)

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

100%

Mike asian

Posted: 31/05/04
Updated: 06/06/07

'THE BEST OVERALL HARDTAIL EVER!!!'

Strengths:
this bike is verly lite, quick and maneuverable . very stong frame too. components fit this bike perfectly!

Weaknesses:
none that i have experienced.

Overall:
i ride very technical trails. from steep downhills to very steep inclines. this bike seems to do it all. this bike is cold forged to bring amazing lightweight and durrable action. ive never felt anything flex on this bike. it seems to be super agile too. i can maneauver like im on a bianchi road bike. marin made this frame perfectly. from the correct angles to its perfect weight distributions. this bike is quick, fast, maneauverabel, and very very lite. about 19-20 lbs. I HAVE THE 1997 MODEL. plus it comes with a limited edition white industries crank set. which is $200 on the market. definately the best do it all, hardtail ever.

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		100%

Overall Rating

100%

john who?

Posted: 18/07/04
Updated: 06/06/07

'THE DOGS BOLLUX!!!'

Strengths:
Flexible, stong and very quick and agile.

Weaknesses:
None as yet

Overall:
Will tackle all terrain I've put it through with competence and relative ease. Cracking set-up will cover the most demanding tasks thrown at it. Agile and swift off road and goes like a rocket on tarmac.
Cool bike!

Performance		100%
Reliability		100%
Value		80%

Overall Rating

93%

colin bryant

Posted: 07/07/04
Updated: 06/06/07

'RECOMMENDED TRAIL BIKE, MAY BE A LITTLE OVER PRICED!'

Strengths:
Good trail riding position, extremely comfortable for a hardtail.
Highly manoeuvrable. Excels at steep technical descents, feels so in control.
Climbs remarkable well to.
Also, looks suitable for getting ones other half in to MTBing (if you change the seat).
Smart frame colours & graphics.

Weaknesses:
Paint finish patchy/thin around some joins & its not very abrasion resistant.
Price, lot of money for a hard tail.
Not yet available as a frame-set in the UK.
No lock out on a 100mm fork, U-turn is just a gimmick.
Not a weakness but....this is a trail bike, & as such its never going to be as fast as a XC machine on the smooth, but its OK.

Overall:
Bought this for my wife (5'7" = Medium) who's just started MTBing, but I just had to try it out.

She liked the relatively short, upright riding position this bike has, combined with the low stand over, comfortable ride, and safe & secure handling.

I normally ride a full suser; so it was interesting to find this bike comfortable, & capable around one of my regular off-road routes (18miles). It managed everything I'd normally expect my Orange Sub5 to do. No problem!

I'd recommend this frame for anybody starting out in MTBing, as well as seasoned hard-core trail riders who don't want full suspension.

If this bike came as standard with a lock out fork, better head set, & a harder wearing paint finish, all for the same money; it would be great value. It doesn't so I've only given it a 3 for value.
These points aside, this is still one very sorted bike, glad we got it, also glad we got a discount. Recommended!