I'm about to get a used, around 20 years old Marin Lurkspur with triple butted CroMo Tange frame. I don't find very much about the bike, only the newer Lurkspurs, they have a different frame geometry though.
I found this article: https://gspiess.wordpress.com/2007/01/08/10/
Am I looking wrong or aren't there many reviews about this bike?
Is it a good bike for family trips, riding the kids with a trailer or a backseat? I'm planning to add a rear rack similar to the article above and maybe a new handlebar (Surly Corner Bar). The gears seem fine for now. Pricetag is around $80 which seems all right?
Thanks!
by caffeineandgravel
1 Comment
It’s a fine bike for family trips etc but it’s not as you describe it.
This is a 1997 bike and was the lowest model in the Marin hybrid range that year.
The frame is “Custom Butted” which could mean anything, but the rear triangle and the fork blades are Hi-Ten steel. That’s a long way off the lightweight triple butted frames found on the Point Reyes and Redwoods bikes. Ironically for hauling a trailer and/or a child seat with a five year old, it’s probably a better choice than its more expensive stablemates, as Marin got so fixated on lightweight steel before they moved to aluminium in 1996 that they became a bit flexy under load.
Here’s the catalog: https://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/v/Manufacturer+Archive/Marin/Catalogues/Marin+Catalogue+1997/34+Larkspur.jpg.html
This example looks to be in good condition, but it was probably only a $200 RRP model back in the day.