Marin Alpine Trail's big wheels equal big speed. Every Marin 29er is designed to elevate your ride. Combining Marin's proprietary 29er geometry with the inherent qualities of larger 29" wheels, every bike offers a stable ride that rolls over roots, rails
Submitted by
anthma
a Weekend Warrior
from Ooltewah, TN
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2011
Strengths: Great entry level 29er! Just a few upgrades make it better!
Ruby SL, brake levers, clipless pedals, cranks, stem and bars and grips. Also made single speed!
Weaknesses: Still kinda heavy- lighter hubs/rims would help
Bike Setup: Ruby SL Fork, brake levers, clipless pedals, cranks, stem and bars and grips. Also made single speed!
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Submitted by
bigwheelie
a Cross Country Rider
from Richmond, Texas USA
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2011
Strengths: Geometry perfect for my build and style of riding, frame (strong) not overly heavy and very worthy of upgrades.
Weaknesses: Stock Forks, Cranks, wheelset, bars are poor quality but expected on a $800.00 29er hardtail
Bottom Line:
Best riding 29er I ever rode, each 29er I've owned has been a slightly better geometry with the Alpine Trail 29er being the best, it doesn't have the Frame twist that the $2,000 Marin Nail Trail has. A friend owns one and we both have noticed this. Despite Recon Forks as opposed to the Fox on the Nail Trail for $200.00 less I feel I have a better crank set, wheelset, bar, pedals and a bike only a few ounces heavier. Fast, smooth with great natural cornering ability and great predictable trail manners. It may be an Alpine Trail 29er but it is a unique creation with my hand picked components. Much better than the showroom version and Remember that this frame is a well kept secret of being a good riding frame that is worthy of upgrading, some of the welds aren't as beautifully done as some more expensive bikes but do not hurt the strength and rigidity of frame.
Similar Products Used: Marin Palisades trail 29er (bad geometry) Giant XTC 29er, Haro Ally SS 29er.
Bike Setup: Rock Shox Recon Gold forks, Stylo Team 3.3 Cranks, Easton EC 90 low rise bar, Stans ZTR ARCH Wheelset, SRAM X7 hubs, SPD 540 Pedals SLX Front Der, SLX shifters, XT Rear Der. Continental Race King 2.2's tires front and rear
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Submitted by
Rich
a Weekend Warrior
from Beverly, Ma. USA
Date Reviewed: May 19, 2011
Strengths: Seems to have good quality Components compared to last 29er. This also seems to roll better and I just like the overall feel of this bike. I tried this bike to compare it to my specialized Rockhopper Comp 29er Disc. and it came up a winner. I personally like the shocks, stering and Brakes better. I'm 5'11" and about 215lbs and ride as much as possible in dry weather (50 to 150 miles a week) I have a 26" mountain Bike and a 700C touring bike. All Bikes use the same shifters and have Disc brakes, but the alpine will be the mainstay for a while I love it.
Weaknesses: I would love to see a chain guard since it will be seeing allot of street use.
Bottom Line:
The Price is good for quality. The style caught my eye some time ago. After one ride I was sold on it, however it took a while to save up the pennies. I say it is well worth the price. Try it I'm sure you will like it! Get out there and ride it's a great way to have fun and exercise all in one.
Similar Products Used: specialized Rockhopper comp 29er/ Specialized Hard Rock 29er / Tested a Felt 29er but couldn't see spending the price difference.
Bike Setup: Added a new stem with riser adjustment. Changed the peddals to Well-go the rest is stock.
Similar Products Used: fugi nevada, traK 4 series 4700
Bike Setup: all stock
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Submitted by
herrhaus
a Cross Country Rider
from Central, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: November 5, 2010
Strengths: Paint job.
Weaknesses: Frame (on the 2008 & 2009 versions). The components are low end, but I don't view that as a weekness. It was not an expensive bike, the components are what you should expect from a lower end bike.
Bottom Line:
I purchased the 2009 ING DIRECT version of this bike (19" frame). I'm not a heavy rider (160#) and I have not done any jumping or drops with the bike, yet I had a frame failure. Be careful when you purchase. I believe that the 2010 & 2011 versions now been upgraded with a slightly different frame (top tube and down tube). I sincerely hope that Marin did this as the defect in the design became apparent.
Purchase with caution. If you are a rail-to-trail type of rider, you'll probably be fine. If you're more aggressive than that, I'd steer you away from this bike.
The bike is engineered for quality and ride. The combination of the 29inch tires and the gearing ratio is magic. The ride is smooth and the bike transfers so much power to the ground... It feels good, it feels strong, it feels right. Anyone who wants to feel ONE with her/his bike will love this one. Oh by the way the price is right and the look is priceless.
Bike Setup: Effortless: well engineered all the way through
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Submitted by
truogre
a Weekend Warrior
from Grand Lake, CO
Date Reviewed: April 11, 2010
Strengths: SIZE, STRENGTH
Bottom Line:
I have been riding this bike for about a year. I am not the AVERAGE rider, I am 6'5" tall and about 280lbs. I have done some single track and some open dirt road stuff. I got used to having to tune up my GT after every ride (i.e. straighten rims, tighten stuff, etc.). With the Marin, I still have to do maintenance, but more like monthly. I survived the whole year without having to straighten the rims, the forks work well, I have not experienced any leaking as some of the others.
My first bike was a Trek 820 - a good starter bike for the money. My upgrade to the Marin 29er was the best move I've made. The weight and the agility of the bike have improved my overall performance. Climbs are much easier, the shocks absorb everything, and my times are much faster. I have wanted a 29er for a long time, and I am thrilled with this bike.
Submitted by
leaux
a Weekend Warrior
from Charlotte
Date Reviewed: November 23, 2008
Strengths: A great Marin bike, all around very good with a great ability to CLIMB.
Weaknesses: Rear derailuer and front shock (others have stated the same).
Bottom Line:
This is a great bike. This is the second Marin product I have owned and it can take a beating
Recommendations: I would recommend using clipless pedals so your shoes do not interfere with turning as the front tire can hit your feet if you are too far forward on the pedals. Second, the rear derailluer hanger is there to protect the frame. I bent mine three days into ownership and TORE OFF the rear derailluer, buy a spare or two just in case and change the rear-d to the next higher component offered by Shimano, it is worth the price!
Strengths: Price: Where else are you going to find a brand new, name brand 29er for this little dough?
Frame: Everyone that sees it thinks it looks great.
Brakes: They work very well, even with a 230 pound rider on board. They don't make any screeching noises yet.
Weaknesses: RockShox Fork: as many people know, some of these forks leak oil, sometimes before they've even been used the first time. Mine leaked, causing the lockout to stop working, plus the ride felt bad with the messed up fork. I've been without a bike for 3 weeks now, waiting on a replacement to arrive at REI.
Weight: The bike is a solid 33 pounds. It does take some time and effort to bring the bike up to speed.
Gearing: I wish the rear end had a 34T cog. There are times it would come in very handy.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is that this good-looking bike is an incredible value. It's really not Marin's fault that RockShox made a bad batch of forks.
I think throwing an additional $200-$300 into better, lighter parts will really make this a top-performing bike. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this bike (or this brand) to a friend.
I'd love to give this 5 flamin' chilis across the board, but I just can't quite do it with the fork situation.
Similar Products Used: This is my first 29er. I don't want to compare apples to oranges.
Bike Setup: Completely stock.
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Submitted by
CK Dallas
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas, TX
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2008
Strengths: Kick ass looks, 29er tires a huge plus, will outperform other bikes in and above it's price range, great bike and bike size for a bigger guy
Weaknesses: Lower end components, 29er tires may take some getting used to (especially in the tights)
Bottom Line:
This bike is sweet - I consistently outperform my buddies on more expensive Treks and Specialized. The uphill capabilities of the 29er are almost like cheating, as they can role over almost anything. I am 6' 225lb and this bike takes a massive beating from me, but seems to handle it. I was nervous about the lower end components, but again, they seem to be holding up (for now) vs. the competition. Only problem from me was the stock grips kept coming off, so I had to upgrade to lock-ons. I love the frame (beautiful), so I plan to add upgraded components as things wear out. If you are a big guy (6'+ and/or 200+lbs) I cannot express how much happier you'll be on a 29er - everything else feels/looks like a child’s bike.
Bike Setup: Stock, added egg beaters, computer, lock-grips, will upgrade components as the stock versions wear out.
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Submitted by
russell
a Weekend Warrior
from houston/wash.dc
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2008
Strengths: love the 29in tires, strong frame, great handling
Weaknesses: front disk rubbed at first
Bottom Line:
Love the bike. Ride it like crazy to work, road and trails. Changed the knobby tires to vulpine road because i ride with road bikers a lot. Have had very minor problems, nothing that a tweak here or there couldn't fix. Very satisfied overall
Pretty much the "ultimate bike" for under $700. You get the disc brakes, the rock shox dart3 fork, indestructible frame and of course the main event: 29" wheels. I'm 6'4 and am used to road biking. I was going through a tire a week riding my road bike to work, so I went for a mountain bike that can handle the commute. Turns out, I'm doing way more mountain biking now simply because of this bike. Its just fun to ride. I recommend the 29" wheels for confident riders as they can be harder to manage if you're used to 24" to 26" size wheels.
It is on the heavy side of things, so I will be swapping some components with lighter ones (i.e. tires, tubes, seat post, handlebars) once the stock parts begin to wear - or when the lighter parts are on sale - which ever comes first.
Submitted by
mother-tucker
a Weekend Warrior
from Covington Ga
Date Reviewed: July 1, 2008
Strengths: Geometry, 29 inch wheels, price
Weaknesses: original groupo
Bottom Line:
This bike will amaze you. I have several bikes that are over 3000K and for the money this bike will impress you. The Dart 3 shock will eat the bumps up. Change to the things I have mentioned in the setup. I have order 2.3 Wierwolves from WTB to give more air cushion to the rear. This bike is a pure momentum bike. Great Geometry and unlike other 29ers the front tire will come off the ground without major effort. If you are looking for a way into the 29er world this is definitely it. All the things that make 29ers hard to ride are eliminated with this bike. Yes it really is 33lbs but after you get used to the way it rides it won't matter. I can bridge cravesses better, pull hills better and all of that seated if I want. I have tried all brands and this is the one that is the best. Get the bike and add $100 in parts to the bike and you will have a great hardtail that will continually amaze you. Frankly, I will look into getting rid of all 26 inch stuff.
I ride observed trials and this bike is very balanced and it doesn't ride like a 29er.
Steve
