Marin Bikes Mountain Bike Range Guide
Marin Bikes Mountain Bike Range Guide
Marin were one of the first big mountain bike brands. Founded in 1986, their bikes were some of the most desirable around in the mountain bike boom in the 1990s. It helps that they were founded in northern California, not far from where mountain bikes were invented. To this day many of their bikes are named after favourite trails and local landmarks around the San Francisco Bay area.
Although Marin make kids, gravel and hybrid bikes they are still best known as a mountain bike brand. The Marin mountain bike range is pretty huge so in this guide we’ll walk you through the main model families and the types of riding they are good for.
Marin Alcatraz – From £849
Best for – dirt jumps and skate parks
A big part of the recent success of Marin bikes has been their sponsorship of dirt jump and slopestyle star Matt Jones. Marin have co-designed the Alcatraz range with him to create the perfect jump bikes. There are complete bikes available as well as a frameset for those who want to create their own custom setup.
Marin Bolinas Ridge – From £549
Best for – General purpose use and weekend rides with the family
Marin’s entry level mountain bike is a good general purpose bike. It’s a fully capable mountain bike but will also double up for commuting and weekend rides with the family. It uses the same basic formula found on many entry level bikes. That is an aluminium frame using 27.5” wheels on the smallest sizes and 29” wheels on the larger sizes. 100mm travel front suspension soaks up the bumps and you get either mechanical or hydraulic disc brakes depending on whether you go for the Bolinas Ridge 1 or 2.
Marin Bobcat Trail– From £729
Best for – Aggressive singletrack trail riding
This is a more trail focussed bike, intended for more purely off-road use. It comes with a longer travel 120mm fork, more relaxed geometry and bigger tyres. All 3 models of the Bobcat Trail also come with an off-road specific 1x drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes.
Marin Wildcat Trail – From £549
Best for – Women looking to start mountain biking
The Wildcat Trail is Marin’s women’s specific mountain bike. There are 3 bikes in the range with the 1 and 2 being similar to the Bolinas Ridge with 100mm travel suspension fork and multiple chainrings at the front. The Wildcat 3 is closer to the Bobcat Trail with a 120mm travel suspension fork and single chainring setup. So, if you want a general purpose bike the Wildcat 1 and 2 will do the job. If you want a bike designed more for singletrack trail riding then the Wildcat 3 is the way to go.
Marin San Quentin – From £949
Best for – bike parks, enduro and DH focussed riding
The San Quentin takes the Bobcat Trail and steps things up another level. You get a tougher frame, and longer 130mm or 140mm travel forks. This takes the San Quentin from a singletrack trail bike into something that can handle a day out at the bike park, DH sessions and even some light dirt jumping.
Marin Team Marin – from £1445
Best for – XC racing, training rides and laps
The Team Marin is a more traditional XC focussed bike. It is designed to be light, fast and super-efficient. If you want a bike that can blast up climbs and over ground at speed then the Team Marin is for you. With a 120mm fork, 1x12 gearing and chunky 2.3 tyres the Team Marin is fun and composed on trails whether you are heading uphill or downhill.
Marin Rift Zone – from £1699
Best for – a do it all trail bike that can handle big days in the mountains and laps of your local trails
The Marin Rift Zone is a versatile do it all trail bike. With a lightweight aluminium frame and 130mm of suspension travel the Rift Zone is efficient enough to pedal all day but is still capable and fun when you hit the downhills. The Rift Zone bikes are super affordable and are some of the best value full suspension bikes on the market. There are also Rift Zone E and EL electric bikes available.
Marin Alpine Trail – From £3099
Best for – enduro racing and bike park laps
The Marin Alpine Trail is designed for enduro racing but is also a popular option for bike park use. It comes with 160mm of suspension travel at the rear and a 170mm travel fork on the front. The Alpine Trail aluminium frame comes with a flip chip which alters the bottom bracket height and seat stay length and an adjustable head angle. It also gives you the option to run a 27.5/29 mullet setup or a 29/29 wheel setup. Combined together there are 12 different configurations to choose from so you can tweak the ride to suit the terrain. There is also an Alpine Trail E version available if you want some extra power from an electric motor.
