Bought this bike last year for my girlfriend as we were about to ride from WDC to Pittsburg on the C&O Canal/GAP. It was JUST what she wanted and she loves it. We added fenders and rear rack. She is in the XS frame size so 3 sets of frame bosses and one on each sided of the fork. The geometry was key as she has had neck surgery and needed the long head tube, but we didn't want to go to a custom build. Also the sloping top tube means she can mount/dismount easily without going into a mixte frame. It's not a light bike, but fully loaded it was stable and comfortable. I am happy with the cable disc for our use as were usually pretty far away from any bike shops. Still using OEM 650B rims but installed Schwalbe marathon plus. Also used as a commuter bike. Can't recommend it enough - great to see a video on it!
Thank you for showing me this. I was tossing up buying a Trek Checkpoint for long distance touring. But this Marin seems like a lot of bang for the buck with a more relaxed body position
Yes I have ridden a checkpoint And although it is a very nice bike and fairly fast it just doesn't have the comfort and stability that the four corners has. I'm not knocking the checkpoint I'm just saying that compared to the four corners it is definitely a bit more uncomfortable and not quite as good as overall trekking. Thank you for your comment
Thanks for your rather super videos im going to buy one these marin 4 corners they seem just what im after i love your relaxed straight talking style and i can immediately tell your a man i can trust thanks very much sir.
I own a 2016 model I've done a couple of up grades to it , brakes, mtb crank set, it's done around 5k miles now , it's an inexpensive bike compared to some but is a super bike for the cost . Sora 9 speed is bulletproof, the shifting is a bit agricultural but it still works well when coated with mud unlike 11 speed.
Wow that's a great real life story of a Marin four corners, Thanks for sharing that! They are a rock solid bike and I've had some friends say they were considerate if it had more than a 9-speed cog set but when it comes down to it that gear set is just rock solid and you can find replacement parts for it inexpensively and just about anywhere in the world.I'm so happy to hear this comment I think I must have missed it when you first posted it but kudos to you purchasing such a rock side of bike in the first place! I have my cameraman's four corners in the garage this weekend and even with all the bikes that are down there I can't wait to get on the four corners and take a spin in the morning The bike just feels so comfortable!
Great review. Thanks a lot. Right now I‘m looking for my First gravel bike. I am 6‘4 (194cm) and always rode Enduro MTB. Today I checked the Marin DSX 23 (beautiful bike) in XL and yesterday the FOUR CORNERS 23 also in XL. The FOUR CONERS fehlt great. The DSX felt like a M sized frame (was actually XL). So my gut tells me: Take the Four corners… but my head is a Little afraid because of the cheaper parts… is the SORA a“Ride and forget“ System or should I prepare myself for an upgrade? Thanks in advance and best wishes Front Germany Gregor
You are correct It definitely does a lot of things really good! I think it's a great bike for beginners who don't really know what they want then again it's also that good of a bike that even people with years of experience fall in love with it , just like I did.
Cool, thank you for the video. I wanted to ask - what height are you? Because I bought an L and I wonder if I shouldn't have M (I am 178 cm tall). Thank you. Greetings from Poland. :)
Whats the tire clearance left on the frame? I tried 29x2.1 WTB Nano and Panaracer Comet Hardpack but almost always get tire rub on fully inflated tires on a Medium Frame. Went down to 700 x 47 semi slick with enough space for thin plastic mudguards and a bit of space left for some light mud.
@@WilliamMightyRed Might try 2.0 next time but I am afraid a little rim wobble might be a problem. Stock rims might be tough but I wonder what rim inner width might be best for this frame if I ever plan to upgrade the wheels which are heavy. I have seen someone before put on 27.5 x 2.4 on the front on a 29er frame
@@oiyo5124 2.0 should be safe. I upgraded the stock wheels to DeoreXT hubs with Sun Rhyno lite rims. Excellent all around. Inner rim is about 22mm. I also switch tires to Cult Vans tires. They sit about 2.0" with plenty of clearance left front and back.
Someone asked me what type of wheels these were on this bike. They are set of crankbrothers gravel wheels. They are the 700c zinc wheel set and there are really a lot of advantages to this wheel set for strength reliability and overall performance they are not a high dollar wheel set I believe they were around $500 Don't quote me because I'm not in front of a price list at the moment but I have to say the performance of these wheels completely outweigh the cost. I use these wheels in many gravel races and feel confident way deep in the woods that these wheels will not fail and if I were to break a spoke I could change it easily without dismounting the tire.
Hello!! Hope you are doing well! Do the Crankbrothers Cobalt 1 with the same tyres 700x42 fit the same as those? Do you recommend to go for the colbalt 1 for the Marín four corners? Would it be a good improvement?
@@fernando-io5mi The Cobalt rims are spaced for a mountain bike you should stick with the Zinc 3 wheelset to avoid complicated fitment issues. the overall diameter is the same but rear spacing is different
Check out bicycle Blue book they're pretty accurate at pricing used bicycles. The four corners elite is an expensive bicycle but on the used market I wouldn't pay more than about $1,000. It is a good bike and worth well more than it's price That's just my opinion when buying from a personal seller and not a bike shop You might as well get a really good deal
Wow I really like both bikes very much! But they are two different animals The four corners is definitely more of an upright position and almost anybody feels instantly comfortable riding this bike all day long. The Gestaltit's definitely more comfortable than a regular road bike and more capable at many different situations but it is a speed demon compared to the four corners but you do lose some of the upright position to gain that speed. Both bikes are rock solid with great components If you're worried about not being able to keep up with the bunch The Gestalt definitely helps. If you want all-day comfort and a total rock solid build then the four corners all the way. I hope this helps I guess it depends on what type of riding you want to do both bikes are very versatile but a completely different ride between the two. as far as value goes they're both on the top of my list. Luckily this weekend I have both bikes and my garage and all weekend to ride. If you're close to South Mississippi you're welcome to stop on by and ride with me you could try both of them out
@@TheBicycleRider thank you for your detailed response. It's very nice of you to offer me a hands on LOL. I would love to but I'm in Argentina at the time. Keep up with the channel I'll be supporting you and your partner
@@jaimevasquezbaquerizo oh it is my pleasure to respond , I have to apologize sometimes I'm on the go and use speech to text with my phone and it gets a bit messy at time with punctuation and sometimes the wrong words. Sometimes I don't have time to proofread so thanks for reading between the lines. If you ever have any questions I'll be glad to give you the best answer I can. oh and by the way your country is beautiful and you have some very talented riders there as well.
Hi there, since you gave such a great detailed answer I was wondering if I could tag on to this quetion. I am similar to Jaime but I’m more between the Four Corners and the Lombard. I will doing mostly paved road training with some light dirt road use and just getting around town. Comfortable riding position is definitely high on my list but I didn’t know how the Lombard rated in that regard. Somewhere between the Four Corners and the Gestalt? Thanks for any info.
I'm catching this comment as I'm walking into the office for the day. I will post up later the exact gear ratios on this bike but with three in the front and 9 in the back believe me this bike can climb climb climb. I actually took this bike to Belize and was able to climb all the mountains in the pine ridge with no problem even packed down. I wouldn't worry about the climbing capabilities of his bike It definitely has the gears to do it and it is sturdy enough that you won't have to worry about things falling apart on those rough roads you have down in Central America. I personally love Central America and can't wait to get down there again!
A good friend of mine is 5'6" and rise of four corners medium he says it is very comfortable and glad he didn't buy the small. He was right on the edge of what the Marin fitment chart. Marin says 5/6 to 5/10 should be a medium 5/2 to 5/6 is a small so I can see how this could be a tough decision for you. My friend is happy on his medium Hope this helps.
@@TheBicycleRider Hello. I decided on a 4 corners because the position seems really comfortable (thanx for the reviews by the way). After examining the geometry of the frames and reading the comments I still have one question to decide between size S or M (I am 170 cm) : how tall are you ?
It Was hot the day we filmed this video and yes I was in need of a big drink of water but Gary my cameraman wouldn't let me take a break! Thanks for calling him out in it!
Bought this bike last year for my girlfriend as we were about to ride from WDC to Pittsburg on the C&O Canal/GAP. It was JUST what she wanted and she loves it. We added fenders and rear rack. She is in the XS frame size so 3 sets of frame bosses and one on each sided of the fork. The geometry was key as she has had neck surgery and needed the long head tube, but we didn't want to go to a custom build. Also the sloping top tube means she can mount/dismount easily without going into a mixte frame. It's not a light bike, but fully loaded it was stable and comfortable. I am happy with the cable disc for our use as were usually pretty far away from any bike shops. Still using OEM 650B rims but installed Schwalbe marathon plus. Also used as a commuter bike. Can't recommend it enough - great to see a video on it!
Thank you for showing me this. I was tossing up buying a Trek Checkpoint for long distance touring. But this Marin seems like a lot of bang for the buck with a more relaxed body position
Yes I have ridden a checkpoint And although it is a very nice bike and fairly fast it just doesn't have the comfort and stability that the four corners has. I'm not knocking the checkpoint I'm just saying that compared to the four corners it is definitely a bit more uncomfortable and not quite as good as overall trekking. Thank you for your comment
Thanks for your rather super videos im going to buy one these marin 4 corners they seem just what im after i love your relaxed straight talking style and i can immediately tell your a man i can trust thanks very much sir.
Sweet bike! Its a jack of all trades. Pleasure to ride
Great, detailed straightforward review. Subscribed!
Thanks, this really is a fantastic bike
Bought this one few months ago...it's absolutely fantastic
Wow we love to hear this! We are still riding the four corners quite often and feel the same way you do We really like this bike!
Excellent review. Thank you for making.
Thank you for the compliment This bike really is fantastic and I can't say enough good about it.
I own a 2016 model I've done a couple of up grades to it , brakes, mtb crank set, it's done around 5k miles now , it's an inexpensive bike compared to some but is a super bike for the cost . Sora 9 speed is bulletproof, the shifting is a bit agricultural but it still works well when coated with mud unlike 11 speed.
Wow that's a great real life story of a Marin four corners, Thanks for sharing that! They are a rock solid bike and I've had some friends say they were considerate if it had more than a 9-speed cog set but when it comes down to it that gear set is just rock solid and you can find replacement parts for it inexpensively and just about anywhere in the world.I'm so happy to hear this comment I think I must have missed it when you first posted it but kudos to you purchasing such a rock side of bike in the first place! I have my cameraman's four corners in the garage this weekend and even with all the bikes that are down there I can't wait to get on the four corners and take a spin in the morning The bike just feels so comfortable!
So confuse on what to get... Four Corners, Gestalt, Lombard, or Nicasio ?
Great review. Thanks a lot. Right now I‘m looking for my First gravel bike. I am 6‘4 (194cm) and always rode Enduro MTB. Today I checked the Marin DSX 23 (beautiful bike) in XL and yesterday the FOUR CORNERS 23 also in XL.
The FOUR CONERS fehlt great. The DSX felt like a M sized frame (was actually XL). So my gut tells me: Take the Four corners… but my head is a Little afraid because of the cheaper parts… is the SORA a“Ride and forget“ System or should I prepare myself for an upgrade?
Thanks in advance and best wishes Front Germany
Gregor
I agree. I have one myself and I like it very much. One bike for all terrain
You are correct It definitely does a lot of things really good! I think it's a great bike for beginners who don't really know what they want then again it's also that good of a bike that even people with years of experience fall in love with it , just like I did.
Cool, thank you for the video. I wanted to ask - what height are you? Because I bought an L and I wonder if I shouldn't have M (I am 178 cm tall). Thank you. Greetings from Poland. :)
I am 5'9" tall and the med fits me perfectly let to torso ratio comes into play . wow Poland looks very cool !
I have this bike! Spot on review! Mine has 2.1 crossmarks with tannus armour and it is a real bruiser!
Your bike sounds really rock solid! What a totally reliable ride . Thanks for your comment!
Whats the tire clearance left on the frame? I tried 29x2.1 WTB Nano and Panaracer Comet Hardpack but almost always get tire rub on fully inflated tires on a Medium Frame. Went down to 700 x 47 semi slick with enough space for thin plastic mudguards and a bit of space left for some light mud.
@@oiyo5124 Clearance will depend on the tire make/model and how inflated it is. Sometimes tire fit comes down to trial-and-error.
@@WilliamMightyRed Might try 2.0 next time but I am afraid a little rim wobble might be a problem. Stock rims might be tough but I wonder what rim inner width might be best for this frame if I ever plan to upgrade the wheels which are heavy.
I have seen someone before put on 27.5 x 2.4 on the front on a 29er frame
@@oiyo5124 2.0 should be safe. I upgraded the stock wheels to DeoreXT hubs with Sun Rhyno lite rims. Excellent all around. Inner rim is about 22mm. I also switch tires to Cult Vans tires. They sit about 2.0" with plenty of clearance left front and back.
The smaller size came with 650B tyres. Will it make large difference in speed when compare with 700c.please replay.
Someone asked me what type of wheels these were on this bike. They are set of crankbrothers gravel wheels. They are the 700c zinc wheel set and there are really a lot of advantages to this wheel set for strength reliability and overall performance they are not a high dollar wheel set I believe they were around $500 Don't quote me because I'm not in front of a price list at the moment but I have to say the performance of these wheels completely outweigh the cost. I use these wheels in many gravel races and feel confident way deep in the woods that these wheels will not fail and if I were to break a spoke I could change it easily without dismounting the tire.
Hello!! Hope you are doing well! Do the Crankbrothers Cobalt 1 with the same tyres 700x42 fit the same as those? Do you recommend to go for the colbalt 1 for the Marín four corners? Would it be a good improvement?
@@fernando-io5mi The Cobalt rims are spaced for a mountain bike you should stick with the Zinc 3 wheelset to avoid complicated fitment issues. the overall diameter is the same but rear spacing is different
@@TheBicycleRider thank you!! I appreciate your time to reply!
I really need to know if i can fit my "OUTPOST Elite Frame Bag Large size" to this Medium size bike. Do u maybe know ?
Great video! I came across a 2019 Elite four corners for 1380 USD... i cant get an accurate market price. Its brand new, would this be a good price?
Check out bicycle Blue book they're pretty accurate at pricing used bicycles. The four corners elite is an expensive bicycle but on the used market I wouldn't pay more than about $1,000. It is a good bike and worth well more than it's price That's just my opinion when buying from a personal seller and not a bike shop You might as well get a really good deal
I'm between a Gestalt X10 or the 4 corners. Which would you recommend
Wow I really like both bikes very much! But they are two different animals The four corners is definitely more of an upright position and almost anybody feels instantly comfortable riding this bike all day long. The Gestaltit's definitely more comfortable than a regular road bike and more capable at many different situations but it is a speed demon compared to the four corners but you do lose some of the upright position to gain that speed. Both bikes are rock solid with great components If you're worried about not being able to keep up with the bunch The Gestalt definitely helps. If you want all-day comfort and a total rock solid build then the four corners all the way. I hope this helps I guess it depends on what type of riding you want to do both bikes are very versatile but a completely different ride between the two. as far as value goes they're both on the top of my list. Luckily this weekend I have both bikes and my garage and all weekend to ride. If you're close to South Mississippi you're welcome to stop on by and ride with me you could try both of them out
@@TheBicycleRider thank you for your detailed response. It's very nice of you to offer me a hands on LOL. I would love to but I'm in Argentina at the time. Keep up with the channel I'll be supporting you and your partner
@@jaimevasquezbaquerizo oh it is my pleasure to respond , I have to apologize sometimes I'm on the go and use speech to text with my phone and it gets a bit messy at time with punctuation and sometimes the wrong words. Sometimes I don't have time to proofread so thanks for reading between the lines. If you ever have any questions I'll be glad to give you the best answer I can. oh and by the way your country is beautiful and you have some very talented riders there as well.
Hi there, since you gave such a great detailed answer I was wondering if I could tag on to this quetion. I am similar to Jaime but I’m more between the Four Corners and the Lombard. I will doing mostly paved road training with some light dirt road use and just getting around town. Comfortable riding position is definitely high on my list but I didn’t know how the Lombard rated in that regard. Somewhere between the Four Corners and the Gestalt? Thanks for any info.
Garry is one lucky guy!
I'm still hesitating in buying one due to the transmision. How many teeth on the back? There's a lot of climbing in CentralAmerica.
I'm catching this comment as I'm walking into the office for the day. I will post up later the exact gear ratios on this bike but with three in the front and 9 in the back believe me this bike can climb climb climb. I actually took this bike to Belize and was able to climb all the mountains in the pine ridge with no problem even packed down. I wouldn't worry about the climbing capabilities of his bike It definitely has the gears to do it and it is sturdy enough that you won't have to worry about things falling apart on those rough roads you have down in Central America. I personally love Central America and can't wait to get down there again!
CRANKSET
Shimano Sora Hollowtech II, 50/39/30T
CASSETTE
Shimano HG300 9-Speed, 11-34T
It got me over some 4,000m passes in Tibet, wouldn’t worry about it
anybody have an idea of a good size for someone who is 172cm? 5'6/7 .. hard to know from what is on the internet
A good friend of mine is 5'6" and rise of four corners medium he says it is very comfortable and glad he didn't buy the small. He was right on the edge of what the Marin fitment chart. Marin says 5/6 to 5/10 should be a medium 5/2 to 5/6 is a small so I can see how this could be a tough decision for you. My friend is happy on his medium Hope this helps.
@@TheBicycleRider very helpful, thanks!
@@sasanbehjat5821, you are very welcome. Thank you for joining in!
@@TheBicycleRider Hello. I decided on a 4 corners because the position seems really comfortable (thanx for the reviews by the way). After examining the geometry of the frames and reading the comments I still have one question to decide between size S or M (I am 170 cm) : how tall are you ?
@@sasanbehjat5821 : what size did you buy? are you satisfied ?
absolutely RIGHT!
Thinking about this or a gestalt, but I'm a road newbie and not really into the sports so maybe leaning to this one 😆
The 4 corners could be a great choice for you . It is definitely comfortable and Shure footed .
Man..... get some water. 😂😂
It Was hot the day we filmed this video and yes I was in need of a big drink of water but Gary my cameraman wouldn't let me take a break! Thanks for calling him out in it!
Forty one thirty..there