Marin has reshaped its Alpine Trail range, with two new carbon fiber models complementing the existing alloy frames.
The Californian bike brand’s designers have taken the Alpine Trail’s progressive geometry and suspension platform and faithfully applied it to a carbon-fiber chassis.
The new models include all the specification numbers you would find on most of today's best enduro mountain bikes, balancing 160mm of front suspension travel with 150mm at the rear.
Geometry angles are very much of the slack and low school of bike design, with a 63.5-degree head tube angle, making this new Marin very confidence-inspiring on the descents.
A roomy front triangle stretches out to 480mm of reach, and in combination with that slack head angle, riders on the Alpine Trail carbon should be confidently centered when rolling tricky rock gardens or off-camber corners.
The bike’s rear triangle is aluminum and has relatively compact 430mm chainstays, with integrated chain slap protection.
Fox and Shimano builds for both derivatives
For those riders who value Marin’s MultiTrac rear suspension system, but desire a slightly more progressive and lighter bike, these new carbon versions present an ideal solution.
Marin is offering two build options. The Alpine Trail carbon 1 has a RockShox Yari RC fork with Deluxe Select+ damping at the rear. It shifts via a Shimano Deore 1x12 drivetrain and the same brand supplies MT420 four-piston brakes. Pricing for the Alpine Trail carbon 1 is $3,189.
Riders who can stretch their enduro mountain bike budget to $4,099 can upgrade to the Marin Alpine Trail carbon 2. That places a burlier Fox 38 Performance Elite fork upfront with DPX2 damping at the back. The drivetrain also sees an upgrade to Shimano XT and SLX 1x12 drivetrain components, including the SLX grade four-piston brakes.
Marin also opted for Maxxis Assegai 29x2.5in tires at both ends of the carbon Alpine Trail bikes, instead of a mixed tread pattern and casing type, which suits their aggressive enduro and big mountain riding ambitions.
- Shimano Deore gains 12 gears and better brakes
- Maxxis MTB tires: a comprehensive range overview
