Historically, all Marin full suspension mountain bikes, with the exception of the Rift Zone, have been fabricated in aluminium. Just one of the reasons it’s notable that their enduro race bike, the Alpine Trail, is now available with a carbon front triangle and alloy rear end. Introducing the 2021 Marin Alpine Trail Carbon.
It shares the same bang up-to-date geometry as the aluminium XR counterpart released earlier this year; a brave slack head angle, refreshingly steep in the seat tube, and stretching out over a low-slung frame. We have the angles, pricing and availability right here. But first, a shreddit.
2021 Marin Alpine Trail Carbon
Unlike its mullet e-MTB counterpart released last week, the 2021 Marin Alpine Trail Carbon is designed around a 29″ wheelset. The rear end offers 150mm travel paired with a 160mm fork up front. The high-modulus unidirectional carbon frame shares the exact same progressive geometry as the aluminium XR model. Why carbon? Marin say they wanted to make the strongest and stiffest Alpine Trail to date.
That geometry is fixed at a 63.5° head angle, a 78° seat tube angle, with generous reach figures to boot (480mm in large). Though many brands are opting to tailor chainstay length across frame sizes, Marin have kept this measurement consistent at 430mm right across the S-XL range.
The frame is low-slung with short seat tubes (425mm in large) so riders can fit long travel dropper posts, leaving plenty of space in the cockpit to throw some shapes. The Alpine Trail’s MultiTrac suspension utilizes a forged one-piece rocker link. The strength and stiffness of the rocker is said to be sufficient to do away with the need for a seat stay bridge.
The carbon frame gets a replaceable downtube protector to keep vulnerable parts safe from rock strikes. The driveside chainstay also gets a chain slap protector, but we note that it does not run the full length of the chainstay. The top tube gets a mounting point for accessories so you don’t have to carry spares on your back or around your hips.
Pricing & Availability
The 2021 Marin Alpine Trail Carbon is available in two models. The Carbon 1 is the cheaper option built up with a RockShox Yari RC fork and Deluxe Select+ shock. Other notable components include a Shimano Deore 12-speed drivetrain, Shimano MT-420 4-piston hydraulic brakes and Maxxis Assegai 2.5″ WT tires.
Pick up the Marin Alpine Trail Carbon 1 for $3189 / $4199 (CAD) / £3045 / €3345.
The top-end Alpine Trail Carbon 2 gets a Fox 38 Performance Elite fork and a DPX2 Performance shock. The rest of the build kit includes a Shimano XT/SLX 12-speed drivetrain, SLX 4-pot brakes and a pair of Assegais.
Get one for $4099 / $5499 (CAD) / £3995 / €4295.
