Marin has added a full-suspension e-MTB to its bike range, called the Alpine E.
The Californian brand has taken its 150mm MultiTrac platform and integrated Shimano mid-drive motor and battery technology. Available in two variants, the Alpine Trail E1 and E2, these e-MTBs feature coil shocks and are targeted at the pedal-assisted enduro riding crowd.
Both bikes are powered by a Shimano motor to flatten topography, and they both have all the long, slack and low geometry that has very much been trending for the last few years. With a 63-degree headtube angle, the Alpine Trail E-bikes are slack and feature chainstays that are 5mm longer than their equivalent non-motorized siblings.
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A mullet - like most other e-MTBs
Marin has opted for a mixed wheel size configuration, which seems to be a popular format for the best e-MTBs.
Both roll a 29 x 2.5” front and 27.5 x 2.8” rear tire, supporting the logic of having good terrain rollover whilst the smaller diameter rear wheel does a great job of converting pedal input to forward motion. Cornering grip is supported by a combination of Maxxis Assegai/Minion DHR tire set-up.
Marin is offering two build options, the Alpine Trail E2 is the top model and uses a combination of 160mm Fox 38 Performance Elite fork and Float DHX2 Performance Elite coil rear suspension. It uses Shimano’s latest EP8 mid-drive motor, drawing energy from a 630Wh lithium-ion battery. The drivetrain is a mix of Shimano XT and SLX 1x12, with four-piston SLX brakes actuating 203mm rotors.
For those seeking a more affordable option, there is the Alpine Trail E1. It features a simpler RockShox 35 Gold fork, with the bike supported by Super Deluxe Coil R rear suspension. Marin has also equipped the E1 with the older E7000 mid-drive motor and the battery capacity is a bit lower, at 504Wh. The drivetrain is a 1x10 Deore system, with brakes having similar caliper and brake rotor specification, but supplied by the cheaper Shimano MT420 grade components.
