Unfortunately my bike arrived as a box of parts, even though I bought the "genius build". Now, when I would like to be riding, I have to hassle with what I do. Do I return the bike and take my business elsewhere? How much will that cost? Certainly my lbs will charge double what the genius build does to assemble the bike, ruining any saving and taking even more time. Just a huge mess and hassle. Thanks Giantnerd for ruining the experience of getting my Bolinas Ridge. Maybe someone else will read my review and exercise more caution.

i've had this bike for about a week and just got everything adjusted to my liking and i am super impressed. it has awesome components for the price. fedex delivery was super quick. my only beef was that i was missing a set of bearings for the head stock. I called Marin (i could only find there number on facebook) but they were pretty helpful on the phone. I ended up just buying the parts at the local bike shop ($10) because I was too impatient.

i've had this bike for about a week and just got everything adjusted to my liking and i am super impressed. it has awesome components for the price. fedex delivery was super quick. my only beef was that i was missing a set of bearings for the head stock. I called Marin (i could only find there number on facebook) but they were pretty helpful on the phone. I ended up just buying the parts at the local bike shop ($10) because I was too impatient.

I love this bike!! it's so much fun on fast trails. It's not great on technical trails but it still gets the job done. Shifts well, has a smooth ride. One negative is it's pretty heavy. I don't know what it weights but it's well over 25 lbs. The frame is solid. breaks are ok, good for mechanical disc breaks. Love the bike could not be happier at this price point (475 with nerd dollars)!!!! It's you're tall you will probably like the 29in wheels. I'm 6'6" and this is the first bike that i've owned that I felt fit me.

Having never ridden or owned a 29er, I was excited at all I have read about them. I am one of those guys that does a lot of reading and research before buying something. I looked in town at Trek/Fisher Marlins and Wahoos. They are nice, and similar in price (I found them local for about $530) but both came with single walled rims. Seems a little weak for these big bikes. The Specialized 29ers are also nice, but in the mid $600's. I looked at the Diamondback Overdrives a lot as well, but hey had lesser components and were actually a little more expensive. I settled on the Marin from Giantnerd. It was shipped out in just a couple of days and arrived in a couple more. I got free shipping, and grabbed it with an extra 10% off as well. You can't touch that price with anything out there. Believe me, I tried.

The components are nice. The bike shifts smooth and reliable, and the disc brakes stop on a dime. They do chatter a bit when wet. This is my first bike with discs, so I was really not expecting that. The forks are softer than I expected, but relatively light and have the lockout feature. It is nice for around-town riding. Just FYI, the forks had no installation instructions, or owners manual. Not hard to find online, but I was a little surprised in any case. The shifters are really the only complaint I have. They seem cheap. I prefer the brake, shifter combo's on my older Specialized bike. Maybe they will last a long time, We'll see. The tires are fast and have good traction on trails. I ordered some for my son's bike as well. The saddle is a little hard for my taste, but is actually pretty decent.

Overall I would rate it 5 stars easily. I really enjoy the way it rides. It is much faster than the 26" bike I am used to. Funny though, you don't really realize it till you ride the 29, and switch back to the 26, at least for me. It rides almost silent. You only hear the hum of the tires. No rattles or shakes. I am a long way from a serious biker, but I am also a guy that reads a lot before making a purchase. In my price range, there was nothing that could compare. Giantnerd did everything I could ask for. Really really happy with the purchase.