Our former employee, Zoe, picked up a Marin Lombard during her time with Outpost.  This is what she had to say:

After working at a bike shop for a few months and building a rudimentary knowledge of the cyclist world, I figured it was high time for me to invest in a bike that was well suited to my needs.

I knew that I needed a bike that was versatile. I was averaging about 7 miles on my daily commute, but also wanted to be able to take on road rides and light touring. Braden pointed me in the direction of the 2016 Marin Lombard.

I have to say, this bike is extremely versatile. It’s gotten daily use for the past five months and has exceeded my expectations. I’ve taken it everywhere from my daily commute to school, the Capital Trail, a short tour to Ashland fully loaded with supplies, and bumping around some of Richmond gravel and dirt trails.

The longer chainstay and lower bottom bracket make the bike a lot more stable when it comes to touring. On my trip to Ashland, I was loaded up with sleeping bag, camping supplies, my friend’s belongings, and a five pound bag of brussel sprouts (courtesy Outpost grocery store). The bike did not feel top heavy whatsoever, and the 3x9 gearing was great for lugging the load up any hills I encountered.

However, though the bike performs well in the touring category, it still allows for an adequate road ride. An upgrade to Belgium rims with skinnier tires has me riding Riverside with more strictly-road-riding friends every couple of weeks. The tires that came stock with the bike are thicker 700x35C, and allow for easier navigation of trails, along with disc brakes that are great for riding in any conditions.

I have to say, I was enthusiastic about cycling before this bike, but after making the purchase, riding a bike has become so integral to my lifestyle. Even driving a car now just feels somewhat wrong. I won’t speak too much to my views about society shifting to a more bike-centric culture, but I will say that if you are looking to getting into riding a bike more often and in all conditions, this bike is an absolutely worthy investment.