Comments about Marin Marin Fairfax Flatbar Road Bike '09:

I am 54 years old and use this bike to commute back and forth to work (40 miles roundtrip). I find it is much more comfortable on my back and neck for me to ride long distances with a bike with flat bars instead of drop handlebars just because my body does not like to bend in thoses places as easily as when I was younger. I researched around quite a bit before buying this bike and found it to be the best value for the money (especially if you buy it on sale) considering the line of components and the carbon fiber front fork. The bike is a very comfortable ride, lightweight, has good acceleration, handles well and is easily capable of sustaining pretty decent speed. It is not a stiff racing bike nor is it a heavy touring bike. It is somewhere in between. I've put nearly 2000 miles on this bike with no problems. My only complaint is that either the brake pads or the wheel rims are not quite right because there is a perceptible grinding sound when applying the rear brake but I ride mostly the flats and don't do that much braking so it is not that big a deal for me. Also, I strongly recommend changing out the front pedals to clipless pedals to get the most out of this bike.