29ers are versatile enough to serve XC and trail riders, and their unbeatable efficiency and momentum make them the ultimate singlespeed weapon. Upgrades from Wahoo:
Strengths: The price is really nice and the frame is also good. Love the G2 geomtry
Weaknesses: Its a little bit heavy
Bottom Line:
This is the 2nd mountain bike i've owned but it's my first 29er. I bought the bike used but it was in really good shape. I've taken the bike out about 4 times now and i'm very happy with my purchase. It handles everything i throw at it and i ride pretty rough. It climbs well, its pretty nimble on downhill sections, and even holds up nice to the occasional crash. It is a bit heavy but that's to be expected at the price point. The only thing i plan to change at the moment are the stock pedals. They seem a little narrow for me. It's really no big deal to change out the pedals since you can get a good pair of platforms for a pretty decent price. I would definately reccoment this bike to a friend. I plan on riding it until something breaks and then upgrading components as they go out. Overall a really good bike at a really good price.
Just getting back into biking, and wanted to get a 29er hardtail, so I was looking for an entry-level bike at an affordable price. I've always liked Trek, so I decided to give the Marlin a try. Overall the bike is working out great for me. I know it's not spec'd out like most people would like, but I'm not an aggressive rider, so for my purpose and style of riding, it is a good fit. I did switch out the bar, stem, grips and saddle, but I feel that the components are not bad for the price I paid. As they wear out, I will upgrade them to better quality pieces. Once my riding increases, I may upgrade brakes and fork, but for now, no major complaints.
Strengths: It's a great bike for a starter, it handles the XC trails pretty well and you cant beat it for the price. Okay components that work well and are bombproff.
Weaknesses: The stock pedals, but thats not a big deal because you can buy new ones pretty cheap and i ride clipless so i doesnt really matter. The brakes could be better but are easily replaced with better ones.
Bottom Line:
Great bike, i am a beginner and it works fine foor the kind of riding i do. Easily upgradable and it is bombproof, i have put it threw some crazy crashes and it is still doing great. As long as you take care of it and don't try to break it, it will live and keep fighting.
Strengths: look the silver is super nice, geometry G2 seems to really work, brakes(surprisingly) I weigh 240+ and have more stopping power than I need, shifters it's nice to be able to see what gear your in, the wheels are really nice 32 spokes w/ eyelets very strong, fit and finish
Weaknesses: front derailer for 600+ you'd expect something better than an altus, grips but they are easy to deal with, weight it's a little heavy at 33lbs off the showroom floor
Bottom Line:
I would definitely recommend this bike to someone who wants a nice bike but cant swing a grand. I am very happy about my purchase and I am having lots of fun on my new 29er
Strengths: look (especially in green). frame. quite a big tyre/mud clearance allows to run up to 2.4? rear tyre without any problems.
Weaknesses: components are just horrible (the only exception is rear derailleur), especially the fork is some kind of horrible horror. the bike is heavy in stock setup.
Bottom Line:
well, i wanted a 29er hardtail for offroad kind of touring, so ordered a green marlin because it's the only inexpencive 2012 29er that looks _really_ nice :))) as i mentioned, its components are in general a cheap trash. however, i needed a really inexpensive bike as a starting point for further customizing & upgrades according to my own preferences, and for that purpose it is just excellent.
never mind the garbage components, this bike shares its frame with more expensive models (mamba & cobia), and the frame itself is really good. i love how it fits. i ordered 17,5? since i like more upright riding position (i am 185 cm tall, so my right size is
19,5?, according to sizing feng shui), and with 60mm stem it’s just perfect for me, very easy to redistribute weight depending of the trail conditions.
another cool thing about this frame is quite a big tyre/mud clearance. i’m running 2.35? wide panaracers rampage 29 without any problems. i still have about 5—6 mm gap between the tyre and chainstays / front derailleur cable, and 2.5mm to front derailleur cage, so 2.4? wide tyre wouldn’t be a problem too.
the rear sram x-4 derailleur is 9speed compatible, so i replaced stock 8speed drivetrain with my precious 9speed gripshifts & other stuff. never dealt with lower-end sram parts before, but in general this one is very similar to x-7 / x-9 that i used to use, just heavier.
other stuff is to be completely replaced with something real, but it allows you to have some working setup while you don’t have enough money for upgrades ;)
the worst thing on this bike is definitely fork. it has play between stanchions and lowers right out of the box, and in general does not wok at all. as for me, i would prefer this bike to be equipped with some rigid cro-mo fork, since working rigid is better than non-working suspension. so if you buy this bike, the fork MUST be on your upgrade list. moreover, the fork has 30mm stanchions, so there is no option to upgrade it with insides of some other working fork, as i wanted to.
well, the bottom line: this bike is really nice starting point for custom setup, but if upgrades & further customizing is not your way to go, you should buy mamba or cobia.
Weaknesses: Wheelset is a tad heavy, brakes (to a point), crankset.
Bottom Line:
I mostly use the bike for trips to the store, trips around town, and trail riding.
Overall the bike is a great choice for my style of riding.
One of the great things about the bike is the 29 inch wheels. They roll over anything and once up to speed they hold momentum very well.
The only real weaknesses with the bike in my opinion would be the brakes and crankset selection. At this price point Trek easily equipped the bike with Avid BB5 brakes and a higher end crank. The crank shifts well, it just can't be taken apart if you wanted to add a bash guard or different chain rings
My in depth review: http://kona0197.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/2012-trek-marlin-29er-review-2/
I've been riding my 2011 Marlin for almost 1.5 years now on moderate single-track trails. I'm 5'9" 165# on the medium-size frame. The bike is comfortable to ride and I've used it for some beginner-level XC racing. This was my 1st mountain bike purchase since 1990.
The Tektro Novela mechanical disc brakes were terrible and squealed constantly, regardless of adjustments made. I replaced them with Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, and haven't had any problems with the brakes since then.
I don't care for the shifters. They are not smooth or precise, and at the end of a ride, my thumbs are typically sore.
While other Marlin riders have complained about the SR Suntour fork, it hasn't bothered me. I haven't ridden other bikes, though, so it may be be that I don't know what I'm missing as far as high-quality suspension goes.
Because the brakes are so bad, I would not recommend this bike to another rider.
Weaknesses: SR Suntour XCM Fork and components are lower-end; shifters, brakes, etc.
Bottom Line:
Wow, so Gary Fisher is the grandfather of mountain biking, and has his name on this bike.. he should be ashamed to let Trek produce a bike of this poor quality.
The Suntour XCM Fork is complete crap (no seriously); it's very heavy and performs terribly with no rebound control etc.. The brakes are very weak and the Sram x4 shifters have all kind of trouble under medium load. The tires? Slip on anything other than a dirt road.. But hey, the G2 geometry of the frame does seem to handle very similar to a 26er, but by the time you spend the cash to make this bike really usable, you could have just bought one cheaper with most everything you need. Oh the colors are cool too.
So sorry Trek, but honestly you let us down with this one.. Lists at almost $700 for what feels and performs like a cheap department store bike.
Submitted by
david
a Cross Country Rider
from shenzhen, guangdong, china
Date Reviewed: March 27, 2012
Strengths: Good Frame, ok shifters and derailers, decent tires and wheels
Weaknesses: bad fork, crappy breaks, cheap crank, made in taiwan
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike wanting to see what all the fuss was about with 29ers. Its a pretty sweet frame, but if you can save up form the next level Trek Mamba you will have a more cost effective bike. You will save money considering you will need to upgrade many of the components. The fork on the Marlin is absolute dookie. Overall it is a fun bike, but it should be offered at a lower price because of the low quality fork. Honestly the low end Suntours are really junk. The RST and Spinners Trek used to have on their entry level bikes were much better. I'd say i am happy with the bike now that i've switched out a few parts. I am a avid rider so maybe the stock bike would be better for some one who doesn't ride as hard as I do. Also, I liked it better when trek manufactured their frames in the USA.
Similar Products Used: this is my first 29er, but have two other hard tail treks 26", and a 26" FS Salsa Caballero, I also used to ride a cannondale F500
Bike Setup: Race Face XC crank and BB. SLX disk brakes. The rest is stock (but i am looking to upgrade the shock in the next week or so)
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Bscout
a Cross Country Rider
from Blouder, Co
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2012
Strengths: Good frame
Weaknesses: Bad parts
Bottom Line:
This is my first mountain bike and I fell in love. With the sport not the bike. It performed well for the first couple of weeks but after that the bike literally fell apart. Right now the shifters have cracked, the fork loses air every time I bounce, the tires eroded down to slicks with only 20 hours on them, and the derailer has a skipping problem not even the shop guys can fix. You might call me a reckless rider but from what I've seen of others I'm fairly tame.
Now I use the bike just for commuting but even that is a chore cause you can't pedal without the chain skipping around and causing a bad day. I know this is a lower end bike but for $700 you should expect a product that doesn't fall apart when you leave it in the garage over night.
I would recommend a different brand for low end mountain bike even though the Mamba is the same frame with better parts. I think that's cheap selling the same frame in two products just to jupe those who buy the cheap model.
Submitted by
smcallister
a Cross Country Rider
from Jacksonville
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2012
Strengths: Great handling, efficiency, components, price, all around value.
Weaknesses: None yet
Bottom Line:
This bike is exactly what I needed, I love to ride to work and school but also like to tear up trails. This bike allows me to do both. I was looking at bikes with on/off suspension so that I could transition from trail to road quickly, and the Marlin delivers. Plus it is a Gary Fisher model, so it has great geometry and handling. The frame is made from one of Trek's best aluminum alloys, Alpha Gold Aluminum, which lightens it and gives it strength.
Another great property this bike has is that it is a 29er, so you have greater versatility off road and greater efficiency all around. If you are looking to put a rack on the back for commuting, this may be a problem, but I invested in a seat post rack that allows for the bigger tires and still gives me plenty of storage space.
The components are second to none in its class, with SRAM shifters and Shimano derailleurs. It shifts smoothly and is easy to transition on hills. The pedals are fine, at least they are not plastic, but they are good stock pedals. The shocks are really cushy, and have a preload setting to adjust how much pressure they apply. The saddle is firm and supportive, but almost too much. I would say that it is a medium size, to fit most without too much discomfort. I would suggest upgrading.
This bike is great, I love to ride it, and it is easy on the eyes. The Trek Marlin is a great value, especially for a midlevel 29er.
Submitted by
tastas
a Cross Country Rider
from Greece
Date Reviewed: March 4, 2012
Strengths: Fast, not heavy (but not light either), beautiful finish, more comfortable from a 26" hardtail, nice sadle
Weaknesses: Brakes, (i changed them before leaving the store) fork (I'm planning to replace it soon) drivetrain (i'll change it when it breaks he,he) ,pedals (already changed)
Bottom Line:
A good, decent,easy to ride bike. It gave me more confidence in the hard rocky trails around Athens (although the fork doesnt help much), rides extremely well in asphalt (with the right tires it can easily be a commuter), and extremely comfortable (5-6 hours before it starts hurting me and note i'm 44 years old). I would definately recomment it to a friend, especially if it was his first or his only bike. A nice and relatively cheap all around bike
Similar Products Used: Giant terrago 2 (26" hardtail)
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Vegas Denny
a Weekend Warrior
from Henderson NV
Date Reviewed: March 1, 2012
Strengths: The bike is great. It rides well, it has decent components. For a $600 bike you can't go wrong.
Weaknesses: The weakness on this bike for me is the $8 dollar pedals it comes with.
Bottom Line:
I really love this bike. My 2012 Marlin has a 15.5" frame in Signature Green and the paint is great it feels as if the decals are under the clearcoat. Fit and finish I have found nothing to complain about. Being light weight it climbs very well from my experience. Me weighing a whopping 140lbs I think the front fork is designed for a heavier rider so I am not worried about blowing the wipers out of the tubes. The seat is comfortable after you spend some time on it. I have read many complaints about the brakes being loud but I have not experienced this nor have I had any brake fade after a heavy amount of braking. The bike is very fast on the street and fast enough on the trail to get me thinking about safety. I do plan to upgrade components as things wear out or break but so far so good. I will be getting some better pedals as soon as I can budget it in but for now my five tens are keeping me planted. I look forward to riding almost everyday since getting this bike. I hope to get a Rumblefish Elite one of these days but for my Marlin, I'm lovin it.
Similar Products Used: This is my first hardtail 29er. I'd rather not mention the $600 FS Mongoose I bought in 2000.
Bike Setup: Bike is stock, I have the seat a little lower then most pictures show it, and slightly raised in front. I find more comfortable for whatever reason.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
chevy1948
a Weekend Warrior
from Jasper, IN United States
Date Reviewed: January 5, 2012
Strengths: light weight, shifts awesome, fast, and handles great...and price!
Weaknesses: the operator...lol none that i have noticed
Bottom Line:
i am a beginner -- i have a Trek Marlin and before i bought this bike i read tons of reviews and kept on reading of people not liking the seat or the pedals, and some of that said the tires sucked. after being on three dirt trails (1 a bit muddy) and me having the bike it comes down to MONEY...you can order all the components separately the way you a bike and still not be satisfied EACH bike has its on features and you pay for them.
my cousin has a trek 6500 w/discs and he rode with me and said i need tires like yours, then a few miles later he comments and says these pedals suck i like the way yours are ... okay light bulb just hit hear he spent about 450 on the bike wants to get new pedals and new tires witch will be about 150 or so more, do the math he might have well has bought one like mine.
know the features of the bike and if your not sure ask the sells person
ITEMS NEEDED FOR STARTING OUT: helmet, gloves, first aid kit, backpack, riding gear is important makes it for a good felling when you get done riding, sunglasses or safety glasses
Weaknesses: Not the best components but easily upgradable
Bottom Line:
This is my first 29er and first hard tail in 10 years but it is a great riding bike. Very fast compared to a 26". The larger frame size fits me better than the GT XL frames. Some of the components aren't the best, but its a $600 bike. Can't beat it for the price. Upgrade some components and it will be a superb bike. Very ridable minus the stock stem and handlebar. I upgraded those before I left the store. Overall I am very satisfied with the purchase of this bike.
