Marin Four Corners - Gravel Bike Made For Touring | Long Term Review

[@gearedforadventure]

Please keep in mind that I am not an English native speaker. I've tried my best, but I'm sure there are some grammar mistakes in the video. Apologies for any of those .

[@no_Ray_bang]

Thanks for doing it in a second language. Anyone who feels you need to apologize for laguage imperfections is someone unworthy of apologies

[@cameroni7798]

Dude, you were terrific. You speak at least three languages: Polish, English, and Bicycle. Great job!

[@lurker-mq4fp]

No problem understanding you at all. Great review on the bike - cheers!

[@M.B-Bb]

All is fine , great Video.

[@IDontTalkToCops]

Your English speaking is great. You should be confident to continue doing videos in English. Thanks for the video 👍

[@hap1n355]

80% of communication is body language. Your doing a awesome job. Thank you for the great information.

[@thattravellingguy]

This is the review I was waiting for. I am waiting since two years, for the trek520. Unfortunately it has not come yet. Most reviews for the four corners are in Malaysian, or Russian and other languages. You have no idea how grateful and thankful, I am to you for making this review. 4C has been on my mind, but due to lack of reviews I was holding back. And your English is very good. You spoke very well and fluently.

[@gearedforadventure]

Glad to see the video was helpful. Trek 520 specs more towards touring, but in terms of components is pretty similar - mix of Alivio/Sora on Trek vs Sora on 4C. Trek has lower gearing thanks to the alivio crankset, but considering the price difference, you can swap the cranks on 4C, buy a set of fenders and racks and still have some money left to spend on additional accesories. And Marin offers (or at least did so when I bought my bike) lifetime warranty for the frame just as Trek does.

[@amitkumar-wj8gn]

Still have this bike, absolutely love it. After three years, I changed to flat handlebars and also changed cranks and cassettes and brakes. Now, I run a 40/30/22 and 11-36. Having a 50 tooth ring on a 14 kg bike is absolutely stupid. I also upgraded to hydraulic brakes. Now, it is a proper flat bar tank and makes for amazing touring bike.

[@gearedforadventure]

Yeah, the crank is absolutely out of place, they should have put there Alivio, just like Trek 520.

[@Imranjk80]

Do share a pic of ur bike Amit

[@adityasundar324]

Any particular reason why you swapped the drops for the flatbar?

[@atexnik]

Which crankset are you using? Did you also change the front derailleur?

[@amitkumar-wj8gn]

@@atexnik i am using an Altus Triple, 40*30*22, thankfully it works fine with the Original Sora FD. No issues.

[@luceif21]

Im researching this bike for my next purchase and been watching tons of videos about it. Yours, by far, have the best explaination and suggestion. The little things that you've mentioned play a major role in my decision and im glad i came across your video. Well done and thank you.

[@matthewlockhart3226]

Great view! Not many 4C reviews out there but the few that are seem to be very positive. I bought a 2022 a few weeks ago. It wasn't the top choice on my list but it was on my list and, most importantly, available. I'm very happy with the purchase so far. Great long-term reviews like yours reinforce my decision. Thanks for posting!

[@gearedforadventure]

Thanks. Enjoy your new bike!

[@jspoons6619]

Yes I also found myself in the same boat with the whole supply chain and inflated pricing during Covid. Bombtrack or Kona would have been my first choices the bike had to be 100% steel I have never really like Alu frames and Carbon is not practical. Due to inflated prices both Latter makes were now to pricey and hard to find in any big sizes. It even took several E-Mails going back and forth from companies in Europe were I am based trying to track a Four Corners down in XXL and in stock prices had also jumped from the 900 euro mark to 1200+ Euro. It took me over two months to finally get a new bike in this time I was with a bike my trusty 12 year old Focus suffered a cracked fork crown, with no way to replace it and a lack of getting parts. I then took an Holiday in Poland this would have been nicer with a Bike , but we bumped into a guy riding a Four corners so we got talking he had it pretty loaded up too. He said he found it heavy but a good bike. to be fair no steel touring bike is ever going to be a lite weight. regardless what you installing on it. So as soon as returned I ordered a 2023 model this arrived quickly and I was up and running before the end of August 2022. I have since put about 4000 km on it not really done a long tour yet but several days out and a daily commute in all weathers. the stock Tires were not good due to supplier issues it can with a make that is no well known or a major brand . these have since been twice changed I went tubeless it was nice but then I had a big tire failure and decided that yes fine but not practical for my needs I am now on Schwalbe Marathon performance folding 50/662 a new tire from the brand with better performance than their normal Marathon Plus range of heavy tires. biggest let down is the drive train Sora yes it works and it works well , but I have basically destroyed the rear cassette and the chain and the chain rings have worn badly. To be fair to the Group set I have always been heavy of parts and the City I live in in Germany as a very hard ware rate on bike parts mainly down to some really shitty mixed quality bike paths. winter is also a destroyer of parts and this bike as been all through winter rain snow or shine, of course I am now going through the nightmare of upgrading long gone are the days of simple mix and match parts with Shimano or any other brand. so bits I already own others I need to still buy. Because I have moved to Deore I will have to fit a flat bar yes a bit of rebuild but I do not use the drops and as we not Deore will not work with Shimano brake shifters I also do not want to pay out the much higher costs for such set ups over the much cheaper flat bar bullet shifters even at the cost of a more cramped Cockpit The bike is a solid bike that four 2023 should be better come with a better spec than Sora. Here I Germany I can find some Brands Germany ones who also make touring bike in Steel at near or slightly higher price from 900 to 1300 euro mark still with a mainly Steel frame set with Alu forks , and still using QR hubs . most came with some Deore equipment 3x10 or 2x10 on the drive side using the entry level items. again limits supply and a long waiting time and me wanting an all Steel frame set in the fullest form and will the extra load that can be carried 160 kg minus your own body weight of course and all the above listed supply issues I ended up in the Marin camp. I would imagine that the 2024 models could feature a facelift since Shimano is dumping much of its mid to lower end group sets for the New Neo group with at last cross compatibility though I will believe it when I see it. with a more robust Group set it would be a much better bike value wise. this they could do while not having to make any major changes to the frame set it could still stay using a road spacing for the Hubs and bottom bracket and not have to add the extra costs of Through axles something I am not a fan of. surly Marin could still maintain the good price value of the bike and it near unbreakable frame quality. really only the running gear is the weak point for something classed as touring bike these days I can imagine you will find at least 10 speed Deore parts in most places around the world. For me this is only the real weak point with the bike Sora is not really up to the job with both heavy commuting or Backpacking in mixed conditions and weather. I even do not have any issues with the wheels my rear went out of true but that my own fault after I did not correctly install my rear Pannier and it went into my back wheel. but I repaired it and it as been solid ever since , of course I want to get at some point DT Swiss wheels but not just yet. a great bike that could be better just for a few minor changes.

[@mofmanp8874]

​@jspoons6619 did you change the sora yet? And did you convert to flatbar.i have 4corners and am looking into it

[@matthewlockhart3226]

@@mofmanp8874 I haven't changed the sora and I'm still trying to figure out what bars I want...Jones, Velo, etc.

[@mountfairweather]

Ive had this bike for about 1.5 years. I live close to many trails with a lot of hills. It sure gives me a workout going uphill, but handles descents on semi technical mountain bike trails with ease. The frame and tires can take an absolutely savage beating. Drawbacks for me have been the hubs (wore out fast), the rims are quite heavy, the gear range could be more desirable for huge climbs, and bottom bracket didnt last too long. Overall the bike is a little heavy and not the most responsive or zippy but can withstand harsh commutes, long bikepacking trips, technical descents , all while being comfortable. Its a versatile introductory bike that will keep the beginner and budget minded buyer happy for years

[@norisknofun9720]

yea, uphill is rough. Needs to be adapted

[@donatochirianni5882]

hello, do you remember the length of the seat post? because having a short seat tube risks being short

[@mountfairweather]

@@donatochirianni5882 what? Lol

[@hobblobber3914]

@@mountfairweather it is true, I have a short seat post and I am indeed also short!

[@megauploader199215]

Excellent review! I got one in large last year, and completely agree with your points. Upgrading my wheels to something tubeless capable soon, and eventually my drivetrain. Things I have changed so far - handlebar, saddle, and tires.

[@duamilli]

hello, is the four corners tubeless ready?

[@mofmanp8874]

Did you go to a flatbar?

[@michaelsalama6631]

no@@duamilli

[@marlonsison1302]

one of the best geometry specially in long rides

[@sharingmatters]

Comfort over speed.

[@ChezBolin]

a very informative and honest review - I bought the 4 corners recently and I am looking forward to travel with it : )

[@fredherzberger4677]

This has confirmed the bike leaning toward touring more than gravel. Which is just what I'm looking for. My research said the widest tires were 47mm. I'm very pleased to see that you were able to use 2". That was a big concern ,not anymore. Thank you for the informative thoughtful review.

[@hdrynd]

i have to subscribe because of how good and complete review you are doing with this bike. tho you are not english speaker but you speak it good and easy for me to understand. thanks man!

[@Perforator2000]

I've been riding my Four Corners for a few thousand miles over the last year with some touring here and there. I recently changed the wheels to DT Swiss G540 on SRAM 900 hubs, running Specialized Pathfinder Pro 700x42 tubeless. I like it a lot, but I have also run into the wobble issue sometimes when I load much weight in the front. I tried a small handlebar bag and fork bags, but there was a persistent slight wobble at cruising speed. I was going to mount a Tubus Tara lowrider rack in the front, to try adjusting the weight balance over the front axle and hopefully eliminate the wobble. Unfortunately, the braze-ons on the left side of the fork are so far out of alignment that it makes the rack not fit properly. So, I'm going to actually try a new fork, the Ritchey WCS Steel Adventure Fork. It's about 400 grams lighter than the Marin fork, has about 3mm more offset which reduces the trail distance a little, and a through axle. I'm hoping these changes might help eliminate that wobble when the bike is loaded, along with having correct alignment on the mounting surfaces for the rack.

[@heliodacosta2658]

Thanks for your statement here mate, I'm very keen to get one myself for touring. And reply some if my questions. At the moment I'm riding a aluminum frame bike, I manage to touring with it, but I can't put too much weight on it.

[@Perforator2000]

@heliodacosta2658 I actually ended up deciding to stay with the original fork, and just slightly bent the front rack to make it fit. I can use two small panniers on the front and I get no wobbles at all anymore.

[@no1brightonian425]

Don't worry about your English it's very good!

[@Wings_of_foam]

I just bought a Gestalt X10 2022. I'm very happy with it.

[@adventur_russ]

Great review! Could you or some of the viewers please share which rear bike rack and the bag you have on the centre tube? Cheers!

[@tanmaybhamre1284]

Thanks for such a detailed review. Cheers.

[@bluemamba5317]

Just ordered the 2021 version on discount for 722€, hope it will be good for me!

[@masterofbeastofgames]

Oh my I love my new bike used to ride everywhere in Florida ...

[@toadstoolze]

Good review... I have the 2018 model and wanted to go tubeless but after pricing up new wheels, tyres and the tubeless kit sealant, valves, tape ect it would make more sense to save the money and sell the bike this way I could upgrade to a more advanced bike with a better spec and something that was already tubeless compatible

[@skyblue-lb9kr]

excellent review, i learned a lot!

[@atulraj3410]

Thank you for the review. Appreciate the effort you put into the video.

[@rickheasman8547]

Thank you for such an in depth informative review .

[@lweleven3423]

your English was very good. and firstly i will say. this is a great informative useful video with great content ( why cant all reviews be like this ) and has helped me a lot . the bike certainly ticks lots of boxes . its a steel bike its going to be a bit heavy . i wonder how carbon forks would work with this . its seams maybe the best way to buy this bike would be to buy a frame and build it ...BUT one think i did not know is the small does not come with 700c ..so this has now been crossed off my list . it was favourite because or the stack and head tube . looking at you travels i cant see me coming anywhere close to this type of use . or punishment . i may look at a Sutra see how that stacks us or a genesis tour de fer ..

[@gearedforadventure]

Thanks. Both Sutra and Tour De Fer were on my list of "would likes" :) Great bikes.

[@hkchan1339]

Marin had other models with metal frame and carbon forks

[@sh6997]

Great video, thanks! I just bought one on sale.

[@pabelitto]

hi man. thanks for a great review. Id love to ask this question which no one can answer me: 1. is the L size Four Corners too big for a guy who is 177cm? 2. will the Nicasio plus with 1x9 drivetrain be enough for bike touring over all with 2 heavy panniers? I did some bike touring in the past for several days and thinking about buying either Four Corners (they just dont have the M size, only L) or Nicasion plus. thanks, I would love to hear what you think!

[@albusd369]

Hi! Did you buy the L size eventually? I'm facing with the same dilema in terms of sizing.

[@pabelitto]

@@albusd369 hey buddy. i actually realized, that the L size wont fit me so I am still waiting for the M size, which is unbelievably still out of stock EVERYWHERE (both Nicasio+ and 4 corners). I just cant believe it. in the mean time, Im still using my Triban. so will have to wait for the M size

[@albusd369]

@@pabelitto I hope you could find the right one. I ended up with the Nicasio+ 56 frame size, and I'm perfectly satisfied. :)

[@pabelitto]

@@albusd369 thnaks mate. enjoy your bike! :)

[@Тарик-с5ч]

Продам свой четыре угла размер М.

[@NotSoGoodGamingTV]

Great Video! So why, and what, did you replace it with?

[@noreasonwhynot4548]

Thanks for the excellent review. Some great advice. Will the bike fit 65mm wide SKS mudguards?

[@gearedforadventure]

yup, it should. I was using SKS velo 65. Although I know some people had problem fitting them in the rear. Maybe it depends on the frame size.

[@noreasonwhynot4548]

@@gearedforadventure I've ordered a Large. I was hesitating to order until I saw your review, which remarkably was posted only a few hours previously! Great timing! I wish there were more robust long-term reviews like yours. Look forward to seeing more content from you.

[@gearedforadventure]

​ @No Reason Why Not Thanks. Have fun with your new bike! BTW about the mudguards - with 2x2.0 tires there is no room for a fender in the fork. What I did was just cutting the mudguard in half and screwing it to the front and back of the fork (you can see how it looks in th video). With tires that are 1.75" and below, mudguard fits the fork just fine

[@noreasonwhynot4548]

@@gearedforadventure Thanks for more great advice. Another issue I may have is deciding what pannier racks to use. I was just reading that Tubus racks can have problems with mechanical brakes. I have a Tubus Cargo and a Tubus Lowrider that I was hoping to switch between my on-road tourer and the Marin for more off-road adventures. Do you expect I'll have any issues?

[@gearedforadventure]

@@noreasonwhynot4548 Not sure, I don't have any Tubus rack, but I was using two different rear racks with this bike with no issues. There was a time when a lot of bikes have had brake mounts on the outside part of the rear triangle, so a bulky mechanical brake could collide with a rack. But most bikes this days (Four Corners included) have brake mounts inside the triangle, and TRP Spyre have slim profile, so I'd expect it all working together just fine. I'm pretty convinced I've seen tubs racks mounted on Four Corners bikes.

[@apfelmeerschweinchen58]

Really nice! thank you very much!

[@Ullasjoy]

Very detailed video, greetings from 🇮🇳

[@clockdva20]

Latest spec for the 2023 model has a couple of changes. Most stays the same same group set same Marin wheels .I belive they used to have a WTB seat that is now Marin . For some resion tyres are now from a company called VEE tyres I had never heard of this brand until now. They are made in Vietnam but I think the Company is based in Europe. Not sure why the brand change, could be supplie issues or trying to keep the Four Corners price from climbing to high, in these times of inflation the current price is just over 1200 euros so up a bit from the 2022 model, but all bike price have risen . I built my Four Corners up over the last few days 2023 spec I was presently surprised with the rise I have been tweaking the ride position for a few days .Sora is solid to a point but Deore GS is it not. This I will end up swapping to as I already have those bits from my old bike but only in 1X configuration and of course this means going flat bar .this rebuilding im an not in the mood for now , instead I will run this in stock form for now as it is stupid to rebuild a new bike . These tyres are my major worry though ,they ride fine in these very dry times, but I am yet to find out how they are in cooler or Wetter times. I have mostly used Schwalbe tyres but now with these larger tyres and the whole gravel spec thing is new for me. I may try these Vittoria or Pirreli rubber both are getting good reviews , Marin say their rims are Tubless ready so I may with the next tyres go tubless. But we will see .thanks for the video .

[@gearedforadventure]

Yeah, the current price is a bit too much for what the bike offers, but unfortunately the same can be said for any other bike from any other company. In Poland, where I live, it was possible to buy new framesets for a while, which was quite a nice option.

[@gearedforadventure]

About tires, I tried Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H and they are a blast in dry conditons, but very, very slippery in mud. Gravel M should be better in this regard.

[@clockdva20]

@@gearedforadventure This current market is not a buyers market , this is not going to change anytime soon , even the 2nd hand market is now overpriced . I agree the current price is a little to high for the spec .at its original price it allowed for a logical upgrade path , this is no longer possible because of the price jumps across bike parts . I have a large collection of spares from older bikes . What I am however lacking is wheel sets or to be more precise wheels that support discs. This is my first disc braked bike , and to my surprise the rear wheel as already slightly gone out of true. I have replace the tires now not with my first choice because I simple refuse to pay over 120 euros for a set of cycling tires at the current hyper prices or wait 16 weeks . Mostly everything else I have installed is refitted or repurposed to fit this bike , that the way it is for now. Poland is a nice Country I was there a few week back for a weeks Holiday in Dwor Mulawki . We even came across a touring biker and had a talk with him in English .we had a good time there , though cycling would have been nicer. Thanks for the reply .

[@clockdva20]

@@gearedforadventure Waiting time for Those tires is really bad at the moment and the price is crazy to I have now fitted 45 mm Maxxis Ramblers that I found at a normal price of 35 euro they have since jumped in price though not my first everything is a bit of a lottery with parts in the current climate. This is what I have now until at least next summer so I have to make it while hoping that things like the war and the supply chain woes end .

[@dinjuckin]

Thanks for this very detailled feedback ! @Low Gear Could you tell us the final weight of your bike (with the new rims and crankset) ? :)

[@gearedforadventure]

I don't have the bike anymore :) but it was quite heavy, probably between 13- 14 kg (including the rack)

[@CrazyCranker]

Bombtrack Arise Tour or Four Corners? which one to chose? Bombtrack seems hard to find here in Japan. :( I can get a 2022 Four corners at a decent price. I wish I could find a 2022 Bombtrack Arise Tour in Royal gloss blue, that is my dream touring bike. :)

[@mimi02ish1]

Let's see a review of the Bombtrack!

[@gearedforadventure]

Late, but just uploaded! ;)

[@vincenzodaddy1223]

I am really interested in this bike, I am 1.88 tall, do you think is it better a L or XL?

[@sharingmatters]

XL

[@Justeunederniere]

Hi from France. Please which luggage rack did you use? Thanks. Best regards.

[@donatochirianni5882]

hello, do you remember the length of the seat post? because having a short seat tube risks being short

[@gearedforadventure]

No, unfortunately I don't :(

[@DucKien86]

Could you give information about the murdguard? Thank for your review!

[@gearedforadventure]

Mudguards are SKS Velo, with stock tires it was size 55, with 29x2.0 size 65. With wide tires I wasn't able to fit the mudguard into the fork, so I cut the mudguard in half and screw the two pieces to the fork independently. In the rear I was able to fit the mudguard without a problem.

[@DucKien86]

@@gearedforadventure your information very helpful. thank you so much ! My bike was size 43 (S) , do you have any idea for the mudguard?

[@Dziku888]

@@DucKien86 try some SKS Edge Al 46.

[@sreekumarv.s3460]

Hi LG, which will be the best choice among 3 - Marin Gestalt/Nicasio/Four Corners?

[@MrDesperadum]

Do you think Nicasio Plus will be any better than four corners for touring with panniers ?

[@wunnamedia]

My height is 175cm. Which frame size should I buy for long touring?

[@longlong9137]

hi what brand and size of this rear seat bag?

[@prithviraj2354]

Marin four corners vs Bergamont grandurance 4. Which is the best for touring

[@nicolagalasso9598]

Hi! Marin suggests size XL for 190cm drivers; do you think an L like you have is too small (and less comfortable) for someone 190cm tall like me? thanks!

[@gearedforadventure]

Sorry for late answer. I am 185 cm and being between L and XL I deliberately chose L. I'm sure the XL would feel to large. But being 5 cm taller I'd probably go for XL, as the manufacturer suggests.

[@nicolagalasso9598]

@@gearedforadventure thank you very much for the complete and precise answer!

[@Ezzie2308]

I’m 180cm, Marin suggests size L. Do you think it will be too big?

[@srendavidsen3445]

What rear rack do you have on the bike ?

[@garyperks1]

What did you upgrade to after you sold your Marin Four Corners?

[@gearedforadventure]

I have Bombtrack Beyond 2 now, I just uploaded review to the channel

[@xelseartheonlyone1267]

Cromoly steel frame is resistant to corrosion? I wanna get one, but i worry about rust. I ride a lot in front of the sea. I love steel bikes though. I don;t like aluminum.

[@gearedforadventure]

Sorry for late answer. You can use anti-corrosion coating for cars to preserve the inside of the frame, and on the outside just be careful not to scratch the paint. From my experience, cro-mo bikes don't rust too easily even if not sprayed from the inside and even if, its mostly just surface rust (but it will appear at some point for sure). But I think salt in the air can be quite a damaging factor in your case.

[@atexnik]

Here is what I've done so far on my Marin 4C: 1. Replaced the sora triple crankset with Alivio triple. Also, added 5mm spacer under left (nds) bb cap, since the mtb shaft is 5mm longer. 2. Replaced the rear mech with new Alivio shadow. 3. Drilled a 4mm hole under bb shell as suggested by Marin tech support when I asked them about the missing drain hole. It's funny, though, they don't do that at factory 4. Retapped and faced the bb shell, because it was awfully crooked and the surfaces were not parallel, thus it would definitely kill the bb quickly enough. Marin QC is garbage...

[@MindMonkeyFTW]

Why would you need such a drain hole? And would you suggest anyone else drilling a hole?

[@atexnik]

@@MindMonkeyFTW because all bicycles should have one to allow the water that inevitably gets into the bb shell via seat tube and other tubes to drain as quickly as possible. This is especially important for the steel frames, which are prone to rusting if exposed to water for longer time. Also, water can potentially damage the bb axle and the bearings if the level gets high enough (imagine the bike standing whole night under heavy rain or immersed partially into water when crossing a water barrier). Yes I do highly recommend (Marin tech support confirms it) to drill the hole. Be aware that you need to mark the lowest point of the bb shell before drilling. All my other bikes have the drain hole from the factory.

[@MindMonkeyFTW]

@@atexnik Thanks for the suggestion! I've immediately drilled a 3-4 mm hole under the BB shell. I greatly appreciate your reply!

[@atexnik]

@@MindMonkeyFTW additionally, I advise you to cover the bare metal inside the hole with some metal paint. You can use a tooth stick for that. Just a tiny amount of thin layer of metal paint will do.

[@MindMonkeyFTW]

@@atexnik You mean the walls of the hole I just drilled? Will do! 🙂

[@weiwei1808]

Good 🎉

[@ajmal5873]

❤

[@tamphan6828]

LoveIt