If you're shopping for one, you've probably seen the Path Less Pedaled review. If not... check it out. This video is spot on. Between my GF and I, we have 3 Larkspurs. We each have several other bikes as well. If somebody forced me to get rid of all of my bikes but one, this would be the one I keep. I use it to commute, just to roam and we even ride on double and single track with it. With a rack and panniers, it's a workhorse with other capabilities too.
I have been riding the Larkspur 2 for 2 years, everyday for about 37 miles daily. The steel frame handles everything well, I have ridden the bike on trails, went bike camping with it, and also did my deliveries with the bike everyday. Only things I changed were the wheels, bottom bracket and headset as the bearings were gone after so much mileage but other than that, everything else works fine. The dropper post only seen one cable change after these 2 years of daily riding under the hot sun and rainy days, and the brakes still work fine apart from the brake pad replacements. Its a real solid bike for the price, I am running 27.5 x 2.4 slicks, and it can still fit fenders. The tyre clearance is huge.
It's definitely a great bike, glad you've had the chance to put some serious mileage on it! And also good to know the only things you've had to replace are with regular wear and tear.
Did the Katy trail (well, more bc went back and forth) so 290+ miles loaded with panniers for camping each night …. It is an awesome bike! And in urban areas feels like an SUV
Anyone making distinctions on what types of bikes any other person should have based on any criteria *other than how they'll be using it* is not a person worth listening to in the first place!
Great video and a very interesting bike. I'm just worried I might be too big for it. I'm 5'11¾" with long legs (33½" inseam) more on par for someone over 6', according to a bike shop owner who did my bike fitting, and Marin says the largest size is for 5'8"-5'11".
The best advice is always to do a test ride. Not every bike will fit every person. Typical bike designs are based on averages. That being said - modifications can be made to most bikes to adjust fit such as a longer stem or perhaps bars with less back sweep to efficiently lengthen the bike. But test rides will be best to determine if it is close enough to consider some mods for fit or if it is a fine fit as-is stock.
I'm 6' and bought a large. It's perfect. I have a lot of room to raise the seat, if I wanted to. I love the bars they come with, but I did swap mine out for VO Klunkers, which give a little more rise, but you could easily get rise with a different stem too.
Anyone know whats a good tyre pressure for this? 80kg road and gravel. I cant seem to get them right as ive never had a bike with wheels like these. Thanks
Depending on total rider/bike weight along with tire size pressures will vary. I would not start with a number- but I would first make sure you have either a pump with a gauge or a pressure gauge. The way I like to setup my tires is mainly by feel- Wider tires are going to be higher volume a generally be lower pressure while narrow tires would be lower volume but require higher pressure-if you rely on numbers too much you may be WAY off if you change your tire size or swap to another bike with a different size. I aim for the sidewalls of my tires to slightly flex out ward under load but not fold or collapse while cornering. The best way I have found to do this is stand beside your bike hold the brake of the tire to are testing and lean onto the saddle (like you would lean onto a counter) try to get a decent amount of your body weight on there and watch the side of the rear tire - you'll want to see a slight deformation on the sidewall where it meets the ground (just a little bit) this means the tire will absorb bumps but not flatten out if you hit a bump. You can adjust this lower if you are riding more off road and want more traction or harder if you want it to feel faster for tarmac. I would do a similar test by putting some weight on the bars while also holding the brakes and watch the front tire is the same way. I generally like a few less PSI in my front tire (proportion will vary depending on size!). I would then use your pump or pressure gauge to learn what pressure YOU like for your normal riding and in the future you can know what pressure to aim for without the testing! Sorry for the long comment - this might warrant a little video explanation in the future! Subscribe so you don't miss it! -Owen
This looks like a great bike. As a small rider the small is a little too big at 5ft upwards spec. Can any alteration be made eg with regards to reach to make it more suitable?
It depends on your exact height and proportions on what type of alterations are required to see if it will be a good fit. First the stem could be shortened a bit to adjust for a shorter reach ( a more extreme modification could be even more backsweep on a different set of handlebars). But the one thing here is that the dropper seatpost might have to be removed depending on your inseam length. This likely wouldn't stop a possible test ride as you can drop the post low but if it is extended up it will likely end up being too tall for you to comfortably ride. It would be worth dropping in to do a test ride to determine for sure! We have the small built up and currently ready for a test - the same one that appears in this video in fact! -Owen
@urbane-cyclist was the medium the properly size for this rider or was she just riding it for filming? The geometry looks slightly undersized for a medium. For those on the cusp in sizing, would this be a bike to size up on?
The medium was correctly sized for the rider (I know this because I am the rider!). Marin has a size chart on their website, which you can see here: www.marinbikes.com/ca/bikes/2024-larkspur-2 It does run slightly smaller than what you might be used to from other medium bikes in Marin's lineup, but it's not a size anomaly. The compact geometry and relaxed hand placement mean that riders of all heights won't be reaching and stretching themselves on this one!
