First Look: Three Prototypes From Marin Cycles

Apr 19, 2013 at 22:17
by Mike Kazimer  
Marin had three prototypes on display at Sea Otter, covered in stickers that read 8/1/13. That date is when the final artwork and spec on the bikes will be revealed - until then none of the details are set in stone. That being said, the frames themselves are nearly ready for full production, with only a few finishing touches still to be added before they reach the market. Besides the fact that all three bikes have 27.5" wheels, all of the bikes are intended for all-mountain riding or enduro racing, and have removable ISCG tabs, clearance for wide tires, and routing for stealth dropper posts. The main frame and rear swing arm of the two full suspension bikes are made from carbon monocoque, while the hardtail is aluminum. Even though the parts spec hasn't been finalized, the parts that were on the prototype bikes are a representation of the way Marin feels the bikes would best be set up, with parts capable of handling aggressive riding day in and day out.

photo

Marin Attack Trail

• 150mm rear wheel travel / 160mm front
• 27.5" wheels
• Full internal cable routing
• Carbon monocoque frame
• Weight as pictured: 27.2lbs





• Quad Link suspension design
• 66.5 degree head angle
• 142x12 rear thru axle
• Eight Enduro bearing with aluminum hardware

photo
The Attack Trail uses a version of Marin's Quad Link suspension design, a design that has gone through a number of configurations over the years.



photo

Marin Mount Vision Details

• 140mm travel
• 27.5" wheels
• Link driven single pivot suspension
• Weight as shown: 25lbs





• Removable ISCG tabs
• 142x12 thru axle
• 67 degree head angle, 435mm chainstay length
photo
The Mount Vision uses a link driven single pivot suspension design that uses a specially shaped seatstay to provide the compliance necessary for the design to work.


photo
Marin Rocky Ridge Hardtail Details

• Trail hardtail - 27.5" wheels
• Alloy frame
• 67.5 degree head angle with 130mm fork




• Removable ISCG mount, E-type front derailleur
• 420mm chainstays
• Clearance for wide tires

photo
The bend in the Rocky Ridge's seat tube provides extra clearance for running wide tires as well as making for a longer riding compartment when the seat is fully extended.


www.marinbikes.com

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77 Comments
  • 20 6
 The hardtail could be used for so many things! definitely a sick build. If I had the cash I would buy the bike as is, and be happy on it for a long time, doesnt look like it needs any upgrades
  • 5 1
 Yeh i agree, i do like it! Nice different looking bike... but why is the seat tube so radically bent??? its not lie wheel clearance is an issue.
  • 9 1
 Read the text below the photo... "The bend in the Rocky Ridge's seat tube provides extra clearance for running wide tires as well as making for a longer riding compartment when the seat is fully extended."

The slacker angle that is achieved by having the bend means that when the seat is up high the cockpit is longer and when low the seat is forward and out of the way for on the way down.
  • 6 1
 so the top tube gets longer as you raise the seat because of the angle, keeps the seat out of the way on decents, and makes for a nice roomy cockpit climbing (in theory), plus, more mud clearance is never a bad thing....
  • 4 6
 But when you put the seat up for climbing you effectively move you weight backwards because of the bent seat tube, and all this will do is un weight the front wheel, making climbing up steep parts of tracks harder. Seems pointless to me Mud clearance isn't that much of an issue to do that to a frame, they are just trying t make it look cool and think of a reason for doing it later.
  • 6 1
 Great to see Marin moving forward with their designs, they were quite outdated bikes in my opinion, And those frames look sick! Don't think they should change the colour scheme...
  • 3 10
flag rhiwfawrdirt (Apr 20, 2013 at 5:49) (Below Threshold)
 looks like a session
  • 5 2
 photo.pinkbike.com/photo/128/pbpic128825.jpg

The giant acid relived!
  • 2 0
 So marin is still alive?
  • 2 0
 i loved the look of the quad link. but these are really nice, looking and i love the matte style finish
  • 1 0
 "and all this will do is un weight the front wheel, making climbing up steep parts of tracks harder"

I've never had issues up steep climbs even when I'm just slouched back barely holding onto the bars and certainly not putting any weight on the front end. If it's steep enough to require considerable weight on the front end, then I would be out of the saddle anyways.

I like the bend personally, if it actually does what they say, which It should. This is bike is pretty much EXACTLY what I want in a hardtail. I have to do a lot of climbing, and when I descend on my current bike, I have to put the seat below where I would ideally like it because otherwise it's very much in the way due to the bikes design. Not a big deal, just a little nuisance I've noticed over the years. Still have a ton of fun on it. Using a full sus, is almost pointless for most of what's around here, but that's changing slowly, shovel full by shovel full.
  • 1 0
 It really dose though we put one side to side they where like twins
  • 1 2
 looks like an ibis..
  • 1 0
 Well xc riders run long stems to move the weight forward when climbing, as there is o other advantage in a long stem. This bend will just hinder climbing on steep rocks/roots etc. why not buy one and find out. There is a reason nobody else others doing this to the seat tube.
  • 2 1
 "There is a reason why nobody else is doing it" the one line which destroys innovation and imagination
  • 1 0
 Def falls into my weight/travel qualifications but that gangly seat tube and Oprah graphics might fail it. Has that great hardtail profile but the seatube bend is more than annoying. The graphics are hhahhham, you need a new graphic designer- 2013 2013 2013 2013. I guess you could just spray paint over the white parts.
  • 1 0
 They are changing the graphics it's just for the prototype, and I like the bend, have nothing against it.
  • 1 0
 I could live with it on the full suspension frame but that hartail seat tube looks like from bizaro land. Those graphics should stay on these protos only to punish the test riders. After that give the design back to Oprah and delete the files. Just plain white and black the way they have it would be sick, a marin logo. Bad designers get nervous and over saturate large areas with meaningless typography.
  • 11 0
 Wow, Marins bikes have changed a lot in the past couple years!
  • 3 9
flag trailstar2danman (Apr 20, 2013 at 5:07) (Below Threshold)
 wow they can copy other designs
  • 2 0
 This new suspension design looks a bit like the one found on Canyons. But they are utilizing a lot of original technology in these frames, despite the common rocker arm linkage. And it looks sick.
  • 8 1
 The rear suspension looks very similar to the Maestro with the rear bridge connected to the upper and lower stays and the shock mounted slightly higher on the seat tube instead of the lower triangle. Looks very clean and better than my old Carbon Trance. I ridden a 2010 Mount Vision in Moab and that bike was just great on everything. I just wished they had a bigger dealer network here in Colorado.
  • 3 2
 Except for VPP's with the counter-rotating links, practically every short-link 4-bar looks so much like every other one that its ridiculously trying to draw comparisons to any particular brand. It all comes down to pivot geometry and chain torque directions thru the instant center point.
  • 1 0
 Quad Link is "parallel" rotating links.
  • 5 0
 I ride the 2011 Mount Vision XM8, and before that had a 2009 Mount Vision 5.8, and really loved both. Very versatile, efficient and well-built bikes. I was disappointed to see the Quad link II go (aesthetics aside, as they are very subjective, and I do like how they look) and thought this platform was a perfect candidate for venturing into big wheel territory with the gobs of rear wheel clearance and all (you can actually convert a Quad Link II Attack Trail to 650B without shimming the shock), and I was not not a fan of any of the 2012 Quad Link III offerings from Marin. But those three bikes are looking very good and well thought out. Well done Marin.
  • 1 0
 This may sound stupid of me, but I thought Whyte had exclusive rights across Europe?
  • 1 0
 Jhou, I think Marin used to license the Quad Link design from the original creator, Whyte, but Quad Link II Marins were sold in Europe as well. It is unclear (to me) whether Whyte decided to cancel the licensing agreement with Marin, or Marin decided to ditch the Quad Link II design for other reasons. I once ran into someone who works for Whyte on the trail and he was on a brand spanking new 146X (which is essentially a carbon Attack Trail), and had a short chat about that, and he said the Quad Link II design is rather expensive to manufacture. I am guessing that's why Marin decided to go to more traditional designs. I am also guessing that the unusual shape of Quad Link II frames might work for a smaller "boutique" brand like Whyte, but a larger manufacturer like Marin want's something with more mainstream acceptance.
  • 4 0
 Still think that the older quad bikes looked amazing and was good that they weren't following the styling trend of everyone else out there. And having ridden multiple models I can say they rode amazingly too. Shame they had to bow to people who can't think outside of a conventional 2 triangle look/ not getting some top riders to really promote the brand.

That being said that hardtail and the attach trail do look nice.
  • 4 0
 Kudos! I had a entry level Mount Vision years ago that helped propel me into my life long addiction, great bike! Im not too big a fan of the Graphic (yet) but give me an Attack Trail and a Rocky Ridge and I will be set!!!
  • 2 0
 Why did Marin choose to use a single pivot rear end for the Mount Vision, but Quad Link (dual link variant) for the Attack Trail??? On their older models they used Quad Link on both these two models.

Personally I liked the aesthetics of the old Quad Link 2 over the new Quad Link 3, it also had the advantage of an elevated chainstay so there was no chainstay chain slap.
  • 3 1
 The attack looks sick. I have never ridden a Marin before, and always had the impression they were kinda walmart bikes with a bit better components. But all three of these are sweet looking. That hardtail would be pretty fun with a 150mm fork on it...
  • 2 0
 Wow! Rocky Ridge is BACK! I would like to see how it will perform as my 2010 is still the FUNNIEST hardtail I have ever ridden. This one LOOKs much better but can it deliver more joy? Hope we will see soon,
  • 3 0
 Why is the seat tube not straight? Wheel clearance shouldn't be an issue, especially on the hardtail. Seems like an unnecessary stress concentration. Any one know why?
  • 5 0
 I wish Marin would make another DH bike Frown
  • 3 0
 Carbon has become generic and plain. Where's the innovation? When is someone going to step up and actually knock my socks off.
  • 3 0
 i actually think the old attack trail and mount vision look better than the new one's....
  • 4 0
 holy shit - how many first looks can there be
  • 4 1
 personally the designs on the bikes look super sick. i would definitly buy it as is
  • 1 0
 Nice to see something fresh from Marin, but yer, does have some resemblance to Trek and the new 2014 Kona paint style, which isn't really a complaint though. Another bike, more choice Smile
  • 2 2
 Vietnames carbon sweatshop special. Carbon adds a huge amount of inflexibility to innovationcycle. Fine for a Boeing wing section. Looks like we are damned with a 5 year cycle with carbon frames. Boooring. Now I want luged columbus steel frames that have a jewelly kind of look.
  • 1 0
 The Mount Vision looks pretty sharp. though the tiny parallel links as shown on that Attack Trail does nothing for me. My LBS does a handsome business just in bearing replacements for Banshees and Santa Cruz bikes.
  • 2 0
 MARIN! It's been a while since I heard this name last time. It's so good to see this brand in spotlights again! So much history...
  • 5 2
 Frame shapes are a huge improvement from before, aesthetically speaking!
  • 4 0
 Beauty!
  • 3 0
 An old set of 09 Deetraks would look great on them.
  • 1 1
 The Attack Trail looks sweet. "Flex stays" ala Mt. Vision do not work. Ask Gary Fisher, Yeti, Moots, etc. They change the spring rate and load the bike's pivots and structure acutely. Those bikes are recall ready.
  • 1 0
 I like the symmetrical chain stays, looks much better than the non-drive side stay going directly from the link to dropout, like many other bikes.
  • 4 1
 WOW Marin has steped things up . Nice
  • 1 1
 Nice one Marin this is alot better than the pish from the last couple of years,that Attack looks like a beast is it time to up grade from my trusty Wolf Ridge...I best get saving Smile
  • 1 0
 Attack Trail does look sweet, everyone steeping it up so many great looking bikes around forget wheel size, just awesome bikes!
  • 2 0
 Keep the flat black and white with the 13, it looks great. I would buy the attack that way
  • 1 0
 Love the look of the new line up! Great specs! If they stick with what they have come up with for a production model, that Attack will be my next bike!
  • 1 2
 Thank shite that they've stopped with the old quad link. God that was awful! After every ride you had to tighten up ALL the linkage bolts and rear dropouts just to keep the rear flex down to less than an inch.I was stopping selling Marins but now I may reconsider ...
  • 3 0
 Sweet
  • 1 0
 Damn that hardtail is nice, good to see there's no front derailleur on it as well, good choice!
  • 1 0
 Please tell me the Rocky Ridge is going to be released in a 26inch version also !
  • 1 1
 Looks similar to other designs indeed, BUT at least the bikes don't look like a Dog's dinner! lol
Would finally consider buying a Marin Full suss now! Smile
  • 3 1
 Giant Reign
Giant Trance
Giant Acid (!)
  • 1 0
 I really like the white parts with the numbers numbers but l can see that getting old rather quickly.
  • 2 0
 I miss their quadlink suspension.. fuck this noise..
  • 1 0
 the ht looks like a kona taro or honzo.. but alteast their finally realizing the need for slacker geometry for all mtn..
  • 2 3
 Nice to see something a bit different from Marin, glad they ditched the quad link, what they have there is pretty much vpp (sorry DW)
  • 1 0
 this right here is what hellaflush is to cars, tucked and tight!
  • 1 0
 Saw these 3 bIke's yesterday at SeaOtter they look really good up close!
  • 1 0
 The attack trail is sick.
  • 1 0
 A version of Quad link? Never mind. Maybe 2015 Marin, just maybe.
  • 1 0
 Attack Trail rear suspension is pretty identical to a Sunday...
  • 2 0
 These Marins look great.
  • 1 0
 Still rocking an 06 B17. Good to see Marin stepping up
  • 1 0
 The hardtail is sweet, I definitely wouldn't mind getting to ride one
  • 1 1
 Looks like a remedy, nice though
  • 1 1
 it looks like a Giant .....
  • 8 9
 It looks like a Tr...........nope, not this time
  • 2 1
 totally looks like a trek lol
  • 1 1
 It actually does look loads like a felt though
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