So I recently purchased a 2012 Trek Marlin 29er. For those of you looking for a review of what I think of the bike I will write my thoughts here. First let’s start out by listing what components come equipped on the bike.
- Frame & Fork – Trek Alpha Gold Aluminum frame, SR Suntour XCM 100mm fork with lockout, preload adjustment
- Brakeset – Tektro Novela Mechanical Disc with Tektro brake levers
- Shifters – SRAM X4 8-speed
- Front Derailleur – Shimano Altus
- Rear Derailleur – SRAM X4 8-speed (Long Cage)
- Crankset – Shimano M311 (42/32/22t)
- Pedals – Wellgo ATB
- Bottom Bracket – VP-BC-73 cartridge (Square Taper)
- Rear Cogs – Shimano Mega Range 8-speed Cassette (11t – 34t)
- Chain – Shimano HG
- Seatpost – Bontrager SSR
- Saddle – Bontrager Evoke 1
- Handlebar – Bontrager Low Riser 31.8mm
- Stem – Bontrager
- Headset – 1 1/8″ semi-integrated
- Hubs – Bontrager Disc
- Rims – Bontrager AT-850 29er
- Tires – Bontrager 29-2 29×2.1
First of all I would like to say that until now I had not tried riding any 29er and quite honestly I thought 29ers were a passing fad. While I was out looking for a new bike I tried a Specialized 29er. I now see why others love the way a 29er rides. This bike handles very well. Of course getting up to speed takes longer than when riding on a 26er yet once up to speed the 29er cruises very well. It handles bumps and road chatter better than many of the 26er bikes I have owned. Turning is crisp and precise. The bike reminds me of riding the old mid nineties double butted cromoly frames. Overall I was so impressed with the ride I went on to buy one. If you worried that a 29er weighs more don’t worry. You can hardly feel the extra weight while riding.
So let’s talk about how I feel about the different components equipped on the bike.
Cockpit:
I’m a big fan of these riser bars. The angle at just the right bend for the riding style I am. I ride mostly light XC and Urban. The grips seem to work well, they do not make my hands numb yet give plenty of grip while riding. The brake levers do the job they were made for quite well. I see almost no play in the lever and they deliver power to the brakes as well as almost ever other lever I’ve used with the exception being Avid Speed Dial levers and Shimano’s Servo-Wave levers. As for the shifters I’m not really a big fan of using my thumb for both up shifts and down shifts. Although I very much prefer Shimano’s setup with the thumb and fore finger running the shifter pods I am slowly getting used to the SRAM setup. The shifting is fast and crisp, more crisp than any Shimano setup I have used. The stem fits me perfect. For those wondering, the bike does not seem to ride high at all in the front.
Fork:
I am surprised at how well this fork performs. I’m a big guy and yet this fork still handles the trail bumps quite well. I’ve owned several SR Suntour forks on previous bikes. I believe SR Suntour forks get a bad rap. All the SR forks I have owned have worked quite well. This is the first fork I have owned that came equipped with a lockout. The lockout can only be applied if the fork is not under load, for example when the bike isn’t being ridden. As far as how stiff the fork is, I can’t judge how stiff the fork is as I’ve never had a high end fork to compare it to. The fork turns when I want it to, that’s all I can say.
Drivetrain:
OK I’ll say it. This SRAM drivetrain shifts very well. Never a hiccup. Both front and rear shift unbelievably well. I’ve owned bikes that require one to hold the front shifter down just a tad more after the click to get the front derailleur to move the chain. Not with this bike. Select a gear with the shifter and both front and rear derailleurs behave as they should. If this is due to the components or the way the bike was assembled I will not know. I am also a fan of the old school 42/32/22 cranksets and this bike has that. As far as the bottom bracket goes I have yet to have any issues with a square taper bottom bracket. By the way the cassette has a huge 34t cog. Combined with the 22t on the crankset the local climbs should be no issue.
Brakes:
The bike comes with Tektro Novela brakes, wavy rotors, and Tektro levers. Like the fork, I think that Tektro products also suffer from a bad rap. They may not be as easy to dial in as the Avid BB7 yet once dialed in they stop the bike just fine. The brakes are set up just fine, do not make any noise while riding, and offer plenty stopping power. I think in the long run I’ll upgrade to a set of hydraulics. Until then, these work very well.
Rims, Tires:
I thought at first the bigger wheels would be prone to coming out of true more easily due to longer spokes, but so far, so good. Both front and rear are straight and true. These tires are OK for now, they offer low rolling resistance and a beefy side profile for gripping corners. Over time I would elect to replace them with a set of something more aggressive.
Final Thoughts:
If your budget is in the neighborhood of $600 dollars I would recommend this bike. The frame is worthy of upgrades and the stock components along with the fork handle very well for a bike in this price range. For those wanting to try a 29er this bike is a great choice when entering the 29er market. Just make sure the bike fits you properly before leaving the shop. I’m very satisfied with this bike, love the color it came in, and enjoy riding it. I hope you found this review helpful.
By the way if you like this review help me out with my petition. If you are into mountain bike you have probably heard of the magazine called Mountain Bike Action. This magazine tests and reviews mountain bikes and gear. The issue is that lately, these last few years, they have quit reviewing lower end mountain bikes, choosing instead to review bikes costing in excess of four thousand dollars. I ask for you help to send a note to the editor to ask that they once again test bikes we all can afford. Here is the link to the petition and thanks:
http://www.causes.com/actions/1691312
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