Re: Newish to MTB

#126490

I got a 2011 Marlin as part of a warranty claim on my first bike, and ran into the same issues-I love the frame, but the components were heavy and/or not rugged enough. I didn’t want to buy a new bike due to the cost and I couldn’t find the exact build spec I wanted (and I didn’t want a different frame), so I decided to upgrade in bits and pieces. Between buying some used parts locally from trusted sources, shopping around for good deals on new components and doing most of the work myself, I’ve built MY bike for roughly the same cost as buying a new bike (that may not have exactly what I want on it).

For me, I upgraded to BB7 brakes, then new drivetrain, custom wheels (not as expensive as you’d think when bought from the right place), upgraded fork, seatpost/saddle, hydro brakes then handlebar/stem.