Marin is a

bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bic ...

manufacturer in

Marin County Marin County is a county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat and largest city is San Rafael. Marin County is acros ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, established in 1986. It specializes in

mountain bikes A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, which m ...

but also has other types. Many of its 68

bicycles A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bic ...

are named after locations in and around

Bicycle range

Marin offers mountain bikes (full suspension & hardtail), road, street/urban, comfort and specific designs for women & children generally placed in the mid-high end bracket of each respective market. Since the late 1990s Marin has manufactured full suspension mountain bikes. Working with Jon Whyte, a British engineer who worked with Benetton

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

racing cars in gearbox design, Marin developed a single-pivot rear suspension. Subsequent innovations including the TARA (Travel And Ride Adjustable) and quad link suspensions have lost the purity of the original concept but have maintained their popularity. In February 2012, Marin Bikes agreed to be sold to a European Investment firm.

Timeline

* 1986 Marin founded by Bob Buckley, whose first order of business was to hire Marin County notable (and Mountain Bike hall-of-famer) Joe Murray to help with product design. Marin’s first product was the Madrone Trail, a $199 mountain bike. * 1996 Marin is the first company to win a XC National Championship aboard a full suspension bike with

Paul Lasenby Paul Lasenby (born 1975 in Buckinghamshire) is an English former professional mountain biker Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes s ...

winning the UK national title. * 2003 Bob stepped back in as acting president after a three-year hiatus with the desire to refocus the brand’s product offerings. Marin’s first Quad Link suspension bike is launched. * 2004 Marin Bikes moved to the old Grateful Dead building in Novato, taking over its 32,000sq ft office and warehouse space. The actual Dead recording studio remains operational until late 2007, with surviving band members and other area musicians rolling though the facilities. * 2008 construction of a second building was completed with addition of a 1,600sq ft office dedicated to product and design. * 2012, at age 66 Buckley sold Marin Bikes to a private holding group. The business remained headquartered in Marin County and operated as an independent group, managed by Tom Herington, Marin’s former CEO/CIO. Herington had worked with Buckley and Marin Bikes for 25 years as a contract consultant before being appointed CEO in 2011. * July 2012, Matt VanEnkevort joined the company as CEO. Herington moved to the COO role. VanEnkevort had worked at Full Speed Ahead, Inc. in Washington State.

References

External links

Company homepage
Cycle manufacturers of the United States Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1986 Mountain bike manufacturers Companies based in Marin County, California 1986 establishments in California {{cycle-manufacturer-stub