The new Marin Mount Vision all-mountain trail bike brings the model back after taking it out of the line in 2017. For 2019, it’s back with a vengeance, using a new variant of the NAILD R3act-2Play suspension platform on the longer travel Wolf Ridge. With the Wolf Ridge, they wanted to showcase just how versatile that platform could be by putting it on a bike that works for everything from XC to enduro on a 160mm 29er mountain bike.
With this new Mount Vision, they wanted to really focus in on a more category-specific bike tuned specifically for all mountain and enduro. Goals included a more specific geometry, maximum dropper post length compatibility, and “playful but poised” handling. Here’s how they did it…
The first step was dropping down to 27.5″ wheels. They wanted the quicker, more playful nature this wheel size delivers, so there’s no 29er option, but it’ll fit up to 27.5×2.6″ tires. While shorter options are available these days, they stuck with a 44mm fork offset to maintain high speed stability since the bike has a shorter rear-center measurement (read as “it keeps the wheelbase from being too short”).
Next up was the geometry, which does all the right things…longer, lower, slacker with a short stem. What’s interesting is that there’s actually a minimum recommended tire size of 2.35″. The BB is really low, so anything smaller than that will simply put the bike too low and really increase the likelihood of pedal strikes. We’ll talk about this more in our first ride review, coming soon.
The frame is UD monocoque carbon with 150mm travel front and rear with two different suspension kinematics for S/M and L/XL. Let’s start there: The R3EACT – 2 PLAY suspension is meant to keep the rear wheel planted on the ground by removing compression damping from the equation (the bikes get Fox’s extra-light tune that’s about a 60% reduction compared to what’s found on most bikes), yet it won’t bob through the travel thanks to the unique anti-squat and anti-rise characteristics of the system.
They added an upper swing link, which is injection molded carbon fiber, which did a couple things. First, it changes the suspension’s curve slightly, giving it a “poppy” feel that makes it easier to pop the bike off jumps and just be a little more playful than, say, something that feels like a downhill bike. Second, compared to the Wolf Ridge’s design, it makes room for a water bottle cage on the downtube. And for Large and XL frames there are two sets of bottle bosses on the downtube…both inside the front triangle!
They put thin steel shields on the bearings there, too, to protect them from high pressure bike washings and general crud.
Shown above and below is the slider, which keeps the rear swing arm moving in the right path. While it does seem like a high-wear area, they use the same o-ring and seal system as motocross bikes, so they say it’ll hold up to MTB use just fine.
One of the design constraints of this suspension system is the longer, more forward-jutting bottom bracket section. To protect it, they added a glass-reinforced nylon moto-style skid plate that’s bolted onto the bottom of the frame with thick foam tape between the two as extra impact absorption. It has drain holes matched to the holes in the frame, too.
2019 Marin Mount Vision pricing & specs
Three build levels will be offered, all using the same full carbon frame:
Mount Vision Pro
- Shimano XTR drivetrain
- Fox 36 Factory& Float X2 Factory suspension
- Shimano XTR M9120 brakes, 203/180mm rotors
- E*thirteen TRS Race Carbon wheelset & TRS Race/Plus 27.5 x 2.6” tires
- US MSRP $8,899
Mount Vision 9
- SRAM X0-1 Eagledrivetrain
- Fox Performance Elite36 & Float X2 Performance suspension
- Shimano XT 4-piston brakes, 203/180mm rotors
- Stan’s NoTubes Sentry MK3 rims & WTB Trail Boss 27.5 x 2.6” tires
- US MSRP $6,799
Mount Vision 8
- SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain
- RockShox Pike RC & Deluxe R suspension
- Shimano XT 4-piston brakes, 203/180mm rotors
- Stan’s NoTubes Sentry S1 rims & WTB Trail Boss 27.5 x 2.6” tires
- US MSRP $5,299
The 8 and 9 versions are available now, the Pro version follows in late spring 2019.
