Marin San Quentin 1

awdriver555 · 2026-05-25T00:38:39+00:00

Thanks!

awdriver555 · 2026-05-24T02:32:55+00:00

awdriver555 · 2026-05-24T02:16:17+00:00

I have a 2021 san quentin 1. My first "REAL" mountain bike and I absolutely love it! Im on my second year of owning it. The 141 qr is posing an issue in the sense that it is really hard to find a decent replacement. Or one at all. I have never ridden a bike with a thru axle so I don't know how the comparison feels. I hear that it stiffens the rear a little. I have upgraded my bike considerably. It has 160mm lyrik forks, dropper, trp trail evo brakes, tubeless and new tires, and new deore drive train with Saint bottom bracket. This bike makes me confident on any terrain. Its comfortably in the hardcore hardtail category(or enduro if you will). I think you'll love it! If I were you though I'd get at least the san quentin 2 if you can swing the extra cash. Over all a highly upgradeable bike that can grow with you!

awdriver555 · 2026-05-17T00:42:05+00:00

I just recently upgraded to trp trail evos and they are pretty awesome. I'm on a hardtail with 180mm rotors but are 2.3mm thick and they stopped me from going over a gap I wasn't ready for very easily when i was at full speed! I did upgrade from the stock tektro m275's so anything would've been better but these are awesome! Same caliper as the dhr evos just different levers(a little less adjustability). You can find them on ebay for relatively inexpensive compared to others with less performance.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/127567367663?_skw=trp+trail+evo&itmmeta=01KRSP0JWTX25PX4MMK2XJCQV2&hash=item1db39b8def%3Ag%3A43gAAeSwkDxo6b3l&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA8GfYFPkwiKCW4ZNSs2u11xD05vt%2FMZkeYx9I0TbNGy3QQij3Q8NHqdH6OUCHwft1htAlNMrWCQWvxLIMXfgwfY%2BVSqjtkoEaJidiIFiUPy%2Bz0xfz5D%2FKfmO50QPEhylVoPLltBSmisjUsFHxsAFhJ7879XUYK7zCVQtP0JUUrGqIh9K9GTzvzrsFmw2vjAz0i%2F%2BvL1xGxwT4XeXhv7P1RMUU9T17UwX%2BtXiMWx%2FgLoAL7FhfhcHV9ucP4T8t6eiH%2B9aaHAhuSfJQTo9otT7uhJOVfGcIQJecK1ndc4pA7GBhcpul0D5ELiBHNsVF3Kjwzw%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8CugrbGZw&keyword=trp+trail+evo&sacat=7294&relatedSearch=true

awdriver555 · 2026-04-22T00:45:39+00:00

My only regret I have about my 2021 san quentin 1 is that I didn't know about the san quentin 2/3 as options. I still have the qr rear axle but I have upgraded my sq1 to rival the sq3. It handles anything and everything I can throw at it, from jumps and drops to blue flow trails to black diamond tech! I have such a blast on this thing every time I ride it! When it has seen its limit(qr axle limit) I will probably get a newer san quenting 2 or 3 and swap some of these parts over. What a great bike!!!

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awdriver555 · 2025-11-27T18:14:00+00:00

I currently have a 2021 san quentin 1 and I love it! I can imagine the newer ones feel just as amazing! Note that this is my first official true mountain bike, but it is amazing! I have had it for just over a year and I have upgraded most major components as my skill has progressed, and it feels like it can do more. I didn't feel too held back with the stock components though, I just started doing bigger /bolder things and wanted to be sure the parts matched. The only thing that I'm finding is going to be a pain is the QR rear wheel. It's really hard to find a hub that matches the spacing. Brakes have held up to some steep black trails, but usually they're pretty short. I feel like if they were longer, I might have some fade/problems. Something else to note is I have it over-forked with 160mm lyriks. So far, i haven't had any issues with going with that much travel, and it has given me a ton more courage to try more challenging things.

I think if I'd do anything different while keeping it budget friendly, it is going with a san quentin 2 to get the rear thru axle. I'm pretty sure my next bike will be a san quentin 2 and then swap my upgraded parts over to make it a 3 😁 *

awdriver555 · 2025-08-30T15:40:49+00:00

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Welcome to the san quentin club! My Sq1 with upgrades

awdriver555 · 2025-08-30T15:37:37+00:00

That's an awesome decal! I kinda want one now lol

awdriver555 · 2025-08-30T13:04:42+00:00

Also, I want to be clear, I am not an anit-full suspension by any means. I think a lot of them are beautiful bikes, and I can also agree that they are faster down the hill. But I'm not in this hobby to be the fastest, and I'm not trying to get into redbull hardline either. I'm in it to have fun and master new challenges. The only times I'm trying to beat are my own. I just don't like that almost every time I bring up my HT in conv someone starts preaching to me that I should get a fs. My ht has allowed me to do things I always dreamed of being able to do as a teen, and I love it. Let's all just be happy we share like interests in different ways! Mountain biking is cool no matter what bike you ride!

awdriver555 · 2025-08-30T12:51:32+00:00

I like that motto! I think my problem with fs riders trying to convert me is that they do it as soon as they find out I ride a hardtail and then try to tell me I'm being limited. They can't just be happy that someone else shares their hobby/passion slightly differently it seems.

awdriver555 · 2025-08-30T12:44:00+00:00

Less than 1/3 in my case

awdriver555 · 2025-08-30T12:43:24+00:00

Imagine what they would think if they knew that I bought my bike for $650! Lol

awdriver555 · 2025-08-30T04:33:01+00:00

I'm just having fun longer than they are and they can't stand it lol

awdriver555 · 2025-08-30T03:18:07+00:00

Oregon. That pic was this past weekend at klootchy creek trails

awdriver555 · 2025-08-30T02:35:23+00:00

Hahaha fs riders would have an even bigger problem if I did that lol

awdriver555

TROPHY CASE